Leuven Mayor denies Union Saint-Gilloise use of Den Dreef for Israeli club match

The Mayor of Leuven, Mohamed Ridouani, has denied Union Saint-Gilloise permission to host their upcoming European match against the Israeli club Hapoel Be’er Sheva at the Den Dreef stadium.

During a Leuven city council meeting, Ridouani stated that the match, scheduled for October 22, cannot take place at the venue because security cannot be guaranteed. This decision follows a pattern of similar restrictions at Den Dreef, which has previously declined to host matches for the Belgian national men’s and women’s teams due to safety risks.

While Union Saint-Gilloise had planned to use Leuven for its European home matches this season, the restriction only applies to the fixture against Hapoel Be’er Sheva. The club is still permitted to host matches against Celtic, Real Sociedad, and Lech Poznan at Den Dreef. Union Saint-Gilloise is currently working with relevant parties to find an alternative location and will inform supporters once a solution is reached.