Tonight, the Red Devils will face Israel in a Nations League match, but the game will take place in Budapest, Hungary, rather than Belgium. Security concerns have led to this relocation, as hosting matches against Israeli teams in Belgian cities has become increasingly fraught with risks.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (KBVB) decided in September to move these games to Hungary after no Belgian city was willing to take on the organisational challenges. Riots in Amsterdam and unprecedented security measures in Paris during recent matches involving Israeli teams underscored the potential for unrest. “Like Belgium, Israel believes that a match in Hungary is much safer than a match in Brussels, for example,” noted Stefan Bos, a Central Europe correspondent.
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán has positioned Budapest as a secure venue for such high-stakes matches, partly by banning pro-Palestinian protests in the country. This policy has attracted teams seeking a controlled environment free from the threat of disruption.
Despite this, tonight’s game at the Bozsik Aréna will have a markedly subdued atmosphere. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 9,000, is significantly smaller than Belgium’s Bosuil Stadium in Antwerp, which holds over 16,000 spectators. Ticket sales have also been slow, with only 600 tickets sold as of Saturday.
Beyond security measures, the Red Devils have their fill of other issues from injuries to withdrawals, leaving the team short-handed. National coach Domenico Tedesco must rely on an improvised lineup after Romelu Lukaku, Amadou Onana, Arthur Theate, Maxim De Cuyper and Roméo Lavia were ruled out. The coach now hopes this “emergency team” can avoid defeat against Israel.
© BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY
