Racist chanting at football matches in Israel has surged, with research from Kick It Out Israel documenting a 67 percent rise in incidents during the 2024-25 season. Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv were highlighted as the main offenders, responsible for 118 out of 367 racist chants, including controversial slogans targeting Arabs. The issue drew international attention after violence and racist chanting marred a match against Ajax, leading to the arrest of 60 people and prompting UK authorities to ban Maccabi fans from attending a game in Birmingham.

Beitar Jerusalem fans were also cited for a significant number of racist incidents, while the season saw 165 violent events such as pitch invasions and objects thrown. The director of Kick It Out Israel described the season as overshadowed by troubling events, criticizing the lack of effective action to address racism. Human rights groups have called on European football authorities to suspend the Israel Football Association, citing a failure to combat discrimination, as the trend in Israel contrasts with declining racism in European leagues.