Sky Sports and Kick It Out Renew Partnership to Foster Inclusivity in Football

Sky Sports and Kick It Out have agreed to extend their partnership for an additional year, reaffirming their shared commitment to creating a more welcoming environment in football. The one-year extension marks the sixth year of collaboration between the two organizations, with a £1m investment in a combination of financial and value-in-kind support aimed at combating discrimination and generating career opportunities within the sport. Over the past year, Sky Sports has provided backing for various Kick It Out initiatives, including the launch of the 'Football United' strategy, a partnership with Guinness 0.0, and the online education platform, The Academy, as well as the Raise Your Game program, which offers young individuals from underrepresented communities the chance to break into the football industry. The 'Football United' strategy was unveiled in September, with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville in attendance at the launch event, hosted by Sky Sports News presenter Bela Shah. Bela played a pivotal role in mentoring two Raise Your Game delegates, Elliott-Jay Henry and Razaq Folarin, who co-hosted their first event after meeting Bela at the Sky Sports Studios. Razaq praised Bela's guidance, stating that her advice was invaluable. Sky also helped promote Kick It Out's partnership with Guinness 0.0, which aims to make pubs more inclusive, with Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison attending the launch event at a Greene King pub. The partnership will provide training for thousands of Greene King staff to recognize and address football-related discrimination. In November, Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth hosted Kick It Out's Media Raise Your Game event, where producer Maryam Chaudhary and reporter Chris Reidy delivered a workshop to a record number of attendees. Additionally, Sky Sports produced a documentary about Kick It Out founder Lord Herman Ouseley, who passed away in October 2024, to educate younger audiences about his impact on the organization. The documentary was broadcast on Sky Sports and screened at England's game against Latvia in March 2025, coinciding with what would have been Lord Ouseley's 80th birthday. Sky's creative team also provided digital support to highlight his legacy on LED screens around Wembley Stadium. The investment in Kick It Out is part of Sky's £30m commitment to addressing structural inequality. Over the past six years, Sky's multimillion-pound investment in Kick It Out has supported several initiatives, including a joint scholarship program with the University of Liverpool Management School, which has enabled eight candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to graduate with an MBA in Football Industries. The investment has also funded 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 gratitude for Sky's ongoing support, stating that the partnership has provided unique education and development opportunities for underrepresented communities in football. David Carrigan, Group Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing at Sky, emphasized the importance of the partnership in driving a more inclusive and representative game, using 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 social media platforms, free from abuse, hate, and profanity. The organization encourages users to report any instances of hate speech or discriminatory content.