The City of Brussels that owns the King Boudewijn Stadium in the city’s Laken district has ruled that the Belgian national football team’s Nations’ League match against Israel cannot take place there. Belgium is due to play the home match against the Israeli national team in September.
In a statement the city authorities said that “after careful analysis” they had decided that the Nations League match against Israel cannot take place at what is effectively Belgium’s national stadium. "The humanitarian and security situation in Gaza makes this impossible", the City of Brussels said.
The Belgian Football Association had already decided not to make tickets available for Belgium’s home match against Israel in on 6 September for the time being at least. Now the City of Brussels has said allowing the match to take place at the King Boudewijn Stadium would pose too great a risk, given the war between Israel and Hamas.
"Given the dramatic situation in the Middle East, the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Brussels consider it impossible to allow a high-risk match to go ahead in the city"
"After a careful and in-depth analysis, we conclude that in these particularly troubled times, a match like this in the capital would undoubtedly lead to large demonstrations and counterdemonstrations. This would compromise the safety of the spectators, the players, the people of Brussels and our police services."
Back in February the Belgian First Division club, AA Gent played its Europa League match against Maccabi Haifa behind closed doors as the police feared serious disorder.