UEFA opened a disciplinary case Friday after an Israeli soccer club’s fans displayed a banner targeting Poland that was criticized by the Polish president and diplomats from Israel.
Fallout from the Maccabi Haifa vs. Rakow Czestochowa game Thursday in UEFA’s Conference League adds to current scrutiny around non-sporting issues being aired at international soccer.
The slogan “Murderers since 1939” in English was shown by Maccabi Haifa fans at a qualifying game in UEFA’s Conference League against Polish team Rakow. It was quickly condemned by the president of Poland and Israel’s embassy in the country.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki posted on X the banner was “scandalous” and an insult to Polish victims of World War Two including three million Jews.
Maccabi Haifa and Rakow played the game in neutral Hungary — instead of Israel for security reasons — one week after the first leg in Poland. There, Rakow fans showed a banner in Polish saying Israel was murdering people and the world was silent.
UEFA said Friday both clubs have been charged with “transmitting a message not fit for a sports event” in a case that will be judged by its disciplinary panel.
No timetable was given for imposing sanctions which could be fines and closing part of a stadium at a future game. Rakow won 2-0 Thursday and eliminated Maccabi Haifa 2-1 on aggregate score.
The Polish government’s foreign ministry said Friday it had spoken with Israel’s ambassador to the country, Yaakov Finkelstein.
“He expressed his utmost outrage at the scandalous content of a banner displayed by the Israeli fans and thanked for its firm condemnation by the embassy,” the Polish ministry said in a statement.
Poland’s ambassador in Israel also was set to discuss the incident with Israel’s government, the ministry said, adding: “Polish-Israeli relations must not, and will not, be undermined by extremists.”
UEFA does not allow overt political messaging by fans or clubs in stadiums at European competition games it organizes but was itself criticized this week.
On Wednesday, UEFA displayed the message “Stop Killing Children. Stop Killing Civilians” on the field before its showpiece Super Cup game between the Champion League title holder Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winner Tottenham, played at Udine, Italy.
UEFA said it was part of a campaign with its charitable foundation that has projects helping children affected by conflicts also in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Ukraine.
When the PSG and Tottenham players were presented with their medals, the post-game ceremony involved two Palestinian children who are refugees in Italy from Gaza.
At the Champions League final played in Munich in May, PSG fans displayed a banner “Stop Genocide in Gaza” in English. UEFA did not punish the Qatari-owned French club for the display.
