UEFA Fines Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv Over Pyrotechnics in Conference League Matches

UEFA's disciplinary committee has imposed significant penalties on Israeli football clubs Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv following incidents during the recent Conference League matches held last Thursday. Beitar Jerusalem was fined 25,000 euros and received a conditional sanction to play one home European match behind closed doors for one year due to the use of pyrotechnics during their dramatic penalty shootout victory against AEK Larnaca. This means the club will host its upcoming match against Austria Vienna with fans present, but the sanction will be enforced if a similar violation occurs within the next year.

Hapoel Tel Aviv was fined a total of 40,000 euros, including 35,000 euros for pyrotechnics and an additional 5,000 euros for damage caused to the away fans' stand during their 2-2 draw with Ludogorets. The club also received a conditional ban on selling tickets to its fans for one away European match over two years. Furthermore, Hapoel Tel Aviv must reach a settlement with Ludogorets within 30 days regarding compensation for the damaged seats.

These disciplinary measures reflect UEFA's strict stance on fan behavior and stadium safety during European competitions. Both clubs will need to ensure compliance to avoid activating the conditional sanctions in the coming year.