Paid thousands of shekels for a cancelled derby – now suing for a refund
Two fans have filed a lawsuit against the Leaan ticket agency, Hapoel Tel Aviv FC, the Professional Football Leagues, and the Israel Football Association. They are demanding a refund of 2,725 shekels for tickets to the Tel Aviv derby, which was cancelled minutes before kickoff due to riots in the stands.
Two football fans recently filed a civil lawsuit against several key bodies in Israeli football, demanding a full refund for tickets purchased for thousands of shekels for a match that was cancelled due to riots. According to the statement of claim, the plaintiffs—an insurance agent and lawyer, and a mechanical engineer—arrived with their families at Bloomfield Stadium on October 19, 2025, to watch the derby between Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The two paid a total of 2,725 shekels for five tickets, with four of them purchased for prime viewing spots in the stadium's "gold block." However, minutes before the opening whistle, riots broke out among the crowd, including the throwing of flares onto the pitch. Following a situational assessment, the Israel Police ordered the cancellation of the match and the evacuation of approximately 25,000 spectators due to public safety concerns.
"The plaintiffs and their families were forced to return home full of disappointment and distress," the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit reveals that 105 shekels were paid for one entrance ticket to gate 7/8, and 665 shekels were paid for each of the four tickets to gate 1, in the gold block. The plaintiffs claim that their requests for a refund were ignored or rejected under various pretexts intended to distance the defendants from responsibility.
They are now suing the Leaan ticket agency, Hapoel Tel Aviv FC as the host, the Professional Football Leagues, and the Israel Football Association. Relying on the Consumer Protection Law, the plaintiffs argue a "total failure of consideration," as the service for which they paid was not provided due to a police decision beyond their control.
Adv. Yaakov Oz, one of the plaintiffs and their legal representative, stated:
"The lawsuit is specifically against those bodies responsible for the operation and management of the football leagues: the League Administration and the Football Association, whose duties include ensuring that in cases where the consumer did not receive the product, they act to ensure the consumer receives their money back."
Leaan stated in response that "the matter is under review."
