Police Chief Steps Down After Controversial Football Fan Ban
The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Craig Guildford, has retired with immediate effect following a major controversy over his force's decision to ban supporters of an Israeli football club from a match in Birmingham.
The announcement was made on Friday, 16 January 2026, by West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster. The decision comes after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood publicly stated she had lost confidence in Mr Guildford's leadership.
The row centres on West Midlands Police's recommendation to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from a Europa League match against Aston Villa at Villa Park on 6 November last year. The force cited safety concerns as the reason for the ban, a move that sparked widespread criticism.
Political Pressure and Apologies
On Wednesday, prior to his retirement, Ms Mahmood criticised what she called a "failure of leadership" that had harmed the force's reputation. Following the retirement announcement, she welcomed the move, stating Mr Guildford had "done the right thing" and that it was a crucial step to rebuilding trust.
Mr Guildford himself stated that the "political and media frenzy" around his position had become "detrimental" to the force. He had also recently apologised to MPs for giving them "erroneous" evidence about the ban.
A significant revelation was that the force's incorrect citation of a fictional match to justify the ban was due to its use of Artificial Intelligence, something Mr Guildford had previously denied to a parliamentary committee. The force also apologised last month for falsely claiming it had documented backing from the Jewish community for the ban.
Mixed Reactions and Scrutiny
The decision to retire was not universally welcomed. Villa Park MP Ayoub Khan issued a strong statement, calling it "one of the greatest injustices of our time". He argued the chief constable was "sacrificed not for failure, but for doing his duty" and judging the fans on a history of violence, not their nationality.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had both criticised the original ban. Ms Badenoch had claimed Mr Guildford's position was "untenable" and accused him of capitulating to Islamists.
Mr Foster acknowledged the force had been under "intense and significant oversight" and confirmed it had received a letter from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary outlining "significant preliminary concerns and shortcomings" in its planning. Deputy Chief Constable Scott Green has been appointed as the acting chief constable.
The force now faces the task of rebuilding public confidence across all communities in the West Midlands region.
