Anti-immigrant chants in English football are on the rise, new data reveals Soccer

Bad chanting by foreigners has become a part of football matches in England, according to new information from Kick It Out.

Last season there were 39 reports of illegal immigration to the anti-racism agency, more than the previous two seasons combined. Criticisms such as “stop the boats” and “throw backs” were reported to be heard at “all levels of the game”, as part of a growing trend of discriminatory “mass chants” at matches, said Kick It Out.

The rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric has been accompanied by a broader rise in reports of discrimination, in matches and online. Kick It Out received 1,744 reports of discriminatory behavior in total during the 2025-26 season, a record and a 25% increase on the previous campaign.

The number of reported incidents increased across all forms of discrimination. Reports of racism remain common, increasing by 19% year-on-year, with 792 reports making up 45% of the total. Complaints of sexism increased by 12% to 216, homophobia increased by 46% to 203, anti-Semitism increased by 43% to 93, misogyny increased by 20% to 89, and Islamophobia increased by 88% to 60.

Reports of abuse in grassroots football have increased for the fifth consecutive year, rising by 33% in 2025-26 to 248 reports. Equally, the 98 reports of abuse by game officials was the same as the previous three seasons combined.

Samuel Okafor, chief executive of Kick It Out, said such behavior at games and online was in line with the rise of hate speech elsewhere in British society, but praised the willingness of fans – and players – to speak out.

“These figures show that racism remains deeply embedded in the sport at a time when we are seeing an increase in hate crime and divisive political discourse in Britain,” he said. “But they also show that people are more willing to stand up to abuse when they see it, and it’s encouraging to see professional players set this example last season.”

For example, in March, a 60-year-old man was given a suspended sentence for sending offensive messages to England defender Jess Carter, who went public for an attack during last year’s European Championship. In the men’s game, Antoine Semenyo drew attention to the racial abuse he received during the season, with a case of racism against one man due to go on trial in September.

Kick It Out’s findings are in line with what was reported by the UK Football Policing Unit last week. Police say some of the increase can be explained by improved reporting methods, as sexual harassment only emerged as a separate category of discrimination at the start of last season. Both the police and Kick It Out have called on social media to do more to stop abuse.

Okafor said: “We will continue to work with football authorities, clubs, leagues, managers and governments to ensure that we follow through on the courage shown to report abuse through clear and consistent actions so that football is inclusive for all.”