Sky Sports and Kick It Out Renew Their Partnership

Sky Sports and Kick It Out have reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a more inclusive football environment by extending their partnership for an additional year. This renewed collaboration marks the sixth consecutive year of their association, with a continued investment of £1 million in a combination of financial and value-in-kind support aimed at combating discrimination and creating career opportunities within the sport. Over the past year, Sky Sports has provided backing for several initiatives and programs launched by Kick It Out, including the introduction of the 'Football United' strategy, a five-year plan unveiled in September. This strategy aims to make football more welcoming and inclusive, and its launch event was attended by prominent Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville. The online education platform, The Academy, and the Raise Your Game program, which offers opportunities for young individuals from underrepresented communities to break into the football industry, have also received support from Sky Sports. Bela Shah, a Sky Sports News presenter, played a pivotal role in mentoring two participants of the Raise Your Game program, Elliott-Jay Henry and Razaq Folarin, who co-hosted an event for the first time after meeting Bela at the Sky Sports Studios. Razaq praised Bela's guidance, stating that her advice was invaluable to him. Furthermore, Sky Sports helped promote Kick It Out's partnership with Guinness 0.0, aimed at making pubs more welcoming and inclusive. The partnership includes training for thousands of Greene King staff to recognize and address football-related discrimination. Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison was the main attraction at the launch event, which took place in a Greene King pub in Westminster. In November, Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth hosted Kick It Out's Media Raise Your Game event at the UCFB's Wembley campus, where a record number of attendees participated in a workshop led by producer Maryam Chaudhary and reporter Chris Reidy. Additionally, Sky Sports produced a documentary about the life and legacy of Lord Herman Ouseley, the founder of Kick It Out, who passed away in October 2024. The film aimed to educate younger audiences about Lord Ouseley's impact on the sport and was broadcast on Sky Sports and shown at England's match against Latvia in March 2025, coinciding with what would have been his 80th birthday. The documentary was part of Sky's £30 million commitment to addressing structural inequality, which has also funded several other initiatives in partnership with Kick It Out over the past six years. These initiatives include a joint scholarship program with the University of Liverpool Management School, providing underrepresented students with the opportunity to earn an MBA in Football Industries, and ongoing investment in Kick It Out's digital learning platform, The Academy, which has delivered educational content on equality, diversity, and inclusion to nearly 5,000 individuals. Hollie Varney, COO of Kick It Out, expressed her appreciation for Sky's continued support, stating that the partnership has been instrumental in providing unique education and development opportunities for underrepresented communities in football. She emphasized that this aligns with the heart of their 'Football United' strategy, which aims to make the football industry more reflective of the talent available, both on and off the pitch, and to ensure that everyone in the sport stands up against discrimination. David Carrigan, Group Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Wellbeing at Sky, highlighted the importance of the partnership in driving forward a more inclusive and representative game. He noted that extending the partnership reflects Sky's long-term commitment to tackling structural inequality in football, not only through funding but also by utilizing Sky's platform and influence to create opportunities, amplify voices, and challenge discrimination. Sky Sports is dedicated to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for comment and debate on its website and social media channels, free from abuse, hate, and profanity. The organization encourages users to report any instances of hate speech or discriminatory content, which can be done by copying the URL of the offending post, taking a screenshot, and emailing it to the designated address. Kick It Out is the leading equality and inclusion organization in football, working across the football, educational, and community sectors to challenge discrimination, promote inclusive practices, and campaign for positive change. By working together, Sky Sports and Kick It Out strive to create a safe and welcoming space for all fans on their social media accounts, celebrating sport for all and promoting a culture of inclusivity and respect.