Kick It Out: Record reports of football discrimination after 25 per cent rise in 2025/26 season | Football news

Kick It Out received a record 1,744 reports of discrimination in the 2025/26 season, the anti-discrimination organization has revealed.

This figure represents a 25 percent increase on the previous campaign, while the number of recorded incidents also exceeded 1,000 for the first time, reaching 1,255.

Reports increased across all areas of the game, with complaints from professional football and grassroots football both up by 41 per cent to 636 and 458 respectively. Online reports also increased by five percent to 650.

Racism remains the most reported form of discrimination, accounting for 792 reports – 45 per cent of the total – while reports of sexism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, bigotry and Islamophobia have all reached record levels since Kick It Out expanded its reporting data five years ago.

Kick It Out also recorded a 41 percent increase in reports of racist chants, while reports involving anti-immigrant language doubled compared to the previous two seasons combined. Discrimination by referees has also increased significantly, with 97 reports matching the total of the previous three seasons combined. More than one-third involved sexual harassment aimed at female officers.

Grassroots youth football recorded its fifth consecutive rise, with reports involving under-18s increasing by a third to 248.

Kick It Out chief executive Samuel Okafor said: “These figures show that racism is still deeply rooted in the game at a time when we are seeing an increase in hate crime and divisive political discourse in Britain.

“But they also show that people are very willing to stand up against abuse when they see it, and it is encouraging to see quality players setting this example last season.

“Although we recognize that there is a lot of good work going on in football to tackle racism, we will continue to work with the football authorities, clubs, leagues, regulators and governments to ensure that we are consistent with the courage shown to report abuse through clear and consistent actions so that football welcomes everyone.”

A Premier League spokesman said: “The Premier League and our clubs condemn all forms of racism, and we encourage fans and players to challenge and report abuse wherever they see it.

“Tackling racist abuse is a priority for the Premier League, and we have a number of key initiatives in place, including our Matchday Observer programme, our No Room For Racism campaign and dedicated resources to track and tackle online abuse.

“One incident of racist abuse is too many, which is why we are working closely with our clubs, professional partners and the relevant authorities to ensure that cases are dealt with as quickly and as severely as possible. This can include bans from stadiums and legal prosecutions.

“Approximately 15 million people attend Premier League games every season, with many women and people from different backgrounds joining in every year. We are proud to work with specialist organisations, including Kick It Out, to help create a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone.”

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