Amid ongoing conflict concerns in Israel and the Gaza Strip, the UEFA Executive Committee announced a pause on European matches played on Israeli soil following a thorough review of the security situation. The decision means no matches will take place in Israel for the time being, with the Villarreal versus Maccabi Haifa Europa League fixture postponed to a later date, currently scheduled for Wednesday, December 6.
In a formal statement issued this week, UEFA said it had engaged with the Israeli Football Federation and clubs, including Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, to explore options for hosting home games outside national territory while the security assessment remains in place. The aim was to identify viable venues that would allow teams to compete without compromising safety or the integrity of the competition.
Additionally, UEFA confirmed that the Europa League match between Villarreal and Maccabi Haifa, originally set to be played at La Cerámica on Thursday, December 26, has been rescheduled for Wednesday, December 6. The Conference League encounter between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Zorya Luhansk was also affected, with its date moved to Saturday, November 25, to align with the broader postponement stance.
On the youth front, the decision touched the youth Champions League proceedings as well. Maccabi Haifa issued a withdrawal notice, which led to Sparta Prague advancing to the next round as a result of the change in schedule and competitive constraints caused by the unsettled security situation.