Belgian Mayor Denies Venue for Hapoel Beer-Sheva's Europa League Match

Union Saint-Gilloise is required to find a new venue for its Europa League match against Hapoel Beer-Sheva after the mayor of Leuven, Mohamed Ridouani, refused to allow the game to take place in the city. The match is scheduled for October 22, following the Europa League draw held last Friday. Union Saint-Gilloise, which participated in the UEFA Champions League last season, intended to host the game in Leuven due to its own stadium in Brussels not meeting UEFA standards for European competitions. Ridouani stated that the decision was made 'for the sake of public safety,' even if the stadium were to be empty. He noted that this stance aligns with the city’s previous refusal to allow Belgium’s national teams to play against Israel in Leuven. UEFA confirmed on Tuesday that it had been informed of the city’s position regarding the match and emphasized that it is the responsibility of the host club to secure an alternative venue, which will be announced in the coming days. Following the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, a UEFA ruling has mandated that all Israeli club and national teams play their home games in neutral countries. Hapoel Beer-Sheva has previously played home matches in Hungary and Romania during Champions League qualifying this season. It is uncommon for Israeli teams' away games to be relocated.