Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans: Champions of Intolerance?

Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel's once-celebrated football club, now faces scrutiny for its supporters' violent racism, particularly during the recent Amsterdam riots that exposed their intolerance.

Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club, Israel’s oldest and most celebrated football institution, boasts a rich legacy dating back to its founding in 1906. Adorned with numerous national championships and cup triumphs, it has long been a symbol of athletic excellence and national pride. Yet, beneath this storied veneer lies a shadowy narrative that reveals a deeply entrenched culture of intolerance and violence among its supporters—a phenomenon that not only mars the club’s image but also casts a dark reflection on societal currents in Israel and beyond.

In 2014, the racist underbelly of Maccabi Tel Aviv's fan base surfaced with unsettling clarity. During a match at Bloomfield Stadium, Mahran Radi, an Arab-Israeli midfielder, became the target of vitriolic abuse from the stands. Graffiti appeared in the city with chilling messages such as “We don’t want Arabs at Maccabi!” and “Radi is dead,” exposing a deep-seated hostility that underscored the player’s daily reality. The episode was not isolated but emblematic of a larger pattern within the club’s most fervent supporters—known as the “Maccabi Fanatics.”

Beitar Jerusalem's club offices were set on fire after they signed two Muslim-Chechen players [Source: DW]

The Maccabi Fanatics’ reputation extends beyond the borders of Israel. In August 2022, before a Europa Conference League match in Thessaloniki, Greek authorities detained 15 Maccabi Tel Aviv fans for attempting to smuggle smoke bombs and flares into the stadium. This incident was not just an example of general hooliganism but part of a recurring narrative that highlights the group’s willingness to carry their disruptive influence across Europe. A year later, in Cyprus, the police intervened to prevent a clash between Maccabi fans and supporters of Omonia 29 May, an encounter rooted in ideological enmity and reflective of the group’s confrontational spirit.