Leuven Mayor Blocks Union Saint-Gilloise from Hosting Hapoel Beer-Sheva Europa League Match

Union Saint-Gilloise, based at Stade Joseph Marien, Brussels, Belgium, must find a new venue for their upcoming Europa League match after a Belgian mayor refused to let the city host Israeli club Hapoel Beer-Sheva.

Following the 36-team Europa League draw made last Friday, Union, who competed in the UEFA Champions League last season, were scheduled to host the Israeli champion on October 22. The Belgian league runner-up had planned to play all four of its home games in Leuven because its own stadium in Brussels does not meet UEFA standards for European competitions.

However, the mayor of Leuven, Mohamed Ridouani, announced on Monday evening that the city would deny permission for the game "for the sake of public safety," noting that this decision applied even if the match were held in an empty stadium. Ridouani explained that his stance aligns with previous decisions not to allow Belgium’s national teams to play games against Israel in Leuven.

UEFA confirmed on Tuesday that it had been informed of the city's position regarding the Europa League fixture. "It’s the duty of the host club to find an alternative venue," UEFA stated, adding that the official stadium change "will be known in the coming days."

Since the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, a UEFA ruling has required all Israeli club and national teams to play their home games in European competitions in neutral countries. While Hapoel Beer-Sheva played their home matches in Hungary and Romania during this season's Champions League qualifying rounds, it remains rare for an Israeli team's away games to be relocated.