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The decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a match at Villa Park prompted questioning over policing as Birmingham Council approved its World Cup bid. The Labour -run council decided at a special meeting today to move ahead with plans to bid to become a host city for the 2035 Women’s Football World Cup, which is set to be held in the UK. Birmingham Council says hosting the tournament could provide a £100 million economic boost, as well as jobs, a legacy for sports and another opportunity to showcase the city on a global stage. READ MORE: ‘The street is our stage’ - Inside Birmingham’s busking crackdown row But one concern raised during Monday’s meeting was the decision by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) that Maccabi Tel Aviv should not be permitted to attend next month’s Europa League game against Aston Villa. In a statement issued last week, Villa said West Midlands Police had advised the SAG that they have “public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night”. The decision sparked a huge political row, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer describing it as “wrong”. Coun Robert Alden, leader of the opposition at Birmingham Council, welcomed the bid but raised a question over policing amid this backdrop. “Obviously there’s been a decision to ban fans from a football club last week,” the Conservative councillor said. “Looking ahead to the future, the police were clear in their statement that they had concerns about their ability to deal with any protests. “We don’t know what the geopolitical situation is going to be in 10 years’ time but where is the burden of policing costs if there needs to be a significant increase in policing at that point? “What we can’t end up doing is hosting an international event that we then can’t allow fans to come to.” The meeting heard from a council officer that policing costs would be “picked up nationally”. Sharon Thompson, deputy leader of the council, described the possibility of hosting the World Cup as an “incredible opportunity for our city” during the meeting. READ MORE: Birmingham's 3,500 home regeneration scheme for 'forgotten' estate set for approval “[It would put] us on the global stage alongside other cities across the country and bring in economic growth, skills and jobs, which is much-needed. “This event would not only be about football but it’s about celebrating women’s sport – we’re seeing that on the rise more and more every day. “It’s about championing equality and inspiring those future generations. We’ve already seen in recent years the incredible momentum behind women’s football and this event would build on that.” Coun Thompson added that hosting costs “in large” would be met by the government, with a contribution from Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Combined Authority. A council report, published ahead of the meeting, said major events help attract regional, national and international visitors, both around the event itself but also in the longer-term. “They raise awareness of Birmingham as a potential destination through domestic and international media and digital coverage,” it said. “This event will see 300,000 ticket holders come to the city over 39 days, 50,000 of these will be from overseas.” Other benefits identified by the council include: The report went on to acknowledge that Birmingham will be competing against many other cities and “first-class football stadia” to become one of the host cities. “However, its proven track record of delivering major sporting events and its fantastic transport links and good infrastructure puts it in a strong position to be one of the final English host cities selected,” it said. Both Aston Villa and Birmingham City have been involved in the bid. “Whilst we’re proud to be considered as a potential host city, we fully respect that if the UK is successful in its bid to host the tournament, it will be FIFA who decides which host cities are selected,” a council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service last week. “For now, we’re focused on showing how ready and enthusiastic we are to play our part in what could be a truly historic event.”
