ALBAWABA – The Belgian Football Association announced on Friday that the UEFA Nations League match Belgium-Israel, originally scheduled to take place in Belgium, has been moved to Debrecen, Hungary, and will now take place without an audience.

The organization said: “As no local authority in Belgium found it feasible to organize the Red Devils’ match against Israel on Friday, September 6, the Royal Belgian Football Association had to look for an alternative location abroad.”

The match, which was due to take place at the King Baudouin Stadium as part of the opening round of Group B, which also included France and Italy, was cancelled by the Brussels authorities on 19 June due to security reasons related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The competition was deemed “impossible to organise” by the officials due to its risky nature. Other Belgian cities also refused to host the event.

The mayor of Brussels issued the following statement: “Organising such a match in our capital during this particularly turbulent period would undoubtedly lead to major protests and counter-protests, endangering the safety of spectators, players, Brussels residents and our police services.”

The press release continues: “The humanitarian and security situation in Gaza and its far-reaching consequences force the city of Brussels to inform the Belgian Football Association that organizing this match in the King Baudouin Stadium in Laeken is not feasible.”