Kick It Out has disclosed that the 2025/26 football season saw an unprecedented 1,744 discrimination reports filed with the charity, marking the highest tally ever recorded. This figure reflects a 25 per cent rise compared with the previous campaign, and for the first time the total number of documented incidents breached the 1,000‑report threshold, climbing to 1,255.
The increase was evident across every sector of the sport. Complaints originating from the professional game and from grassroots football both jumped by 41 per cent, reaching 636 and 458 reports respectively. Online abuse also grew, with a 5 per cent rise that pushed digital reports to 650.
Racism continued to dominate the landscape of abuse, accounting for 792 submissions – roughly 45 per cent of all cases. The most striking growth within that category was racist taunts directed at participants of South Asian heritage, which doubled year on year. Other forms of prejudice also hit new highs since Kick It Out broadened its reporting framework five years ago. Incidents of sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, ableism and Islamophobia all set record levels, with Islamophobic abuse soaring by an 88 per cent jump, the steepest increase of any category.
Mass chanting that contained discriminatory language rose by 41 per cent, while complaints involving anti‑immigrant slurs doubled when compared with the combined totals of the two preceding seasons. Abuse aimed at match officials showed a dramatic surge as well; 97 reports were logged, matching the total recorded over the previous three seasons, and more than a third of those involved sexist attacks on female referees and officials.
Youth football at the grassroots level experienced its fifth straight year of growth in complaints. Reports concerning players under the age of 18 climbed by one‑third, reaching a record 248 incidents. Samuel Okafor, chief executive of Kick It Out, commented on the data: "These numbers demonstrate that discrimination remains deeply entrenched throughout the game, especially at a time when hate crime and polarising political rhetoric are on the rise across Britain. Yet they also reveal that more people are willing to speak out against abuse when they witness it, and it is encouraging to see professional players leading by example last season.
While we recognise the substantial work already underway to combat discrimination in football, we will continue to collaborate with governing bodies, clubs, leagues, regulators and government to ensure that the courage shown in reporting abuse is matched by clear, consistent action, making football a welcoming space for everyone." A Premier League spokesperson added: "The Premier League and its clubs condemn every form of discrimination and urge fans and players to challenge and report any abuse they encounter. Tackling discriminatory behaviour is a top priority for the league, and we have a suite of initiatives in place, including the Matchday Observer Programme, the No Room For Racism campaign, and dedicated resources to monitor and combat online abuse. One incident of discriminatory abuse is one too many, which is why we work closely with clubs, expert partners and the relevant authorities to ensure swift and severe responses, ranging from stadium bans to legal prosecution.
Approximately 15 million spectators attend Premier League matches each season, and we are seeing more women and individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds joining the sport each year. We are proud to partner with organisations such as Kick It Out to help create an inclusive and supportive environment for all." An analysis by Sky Sports News reporter Dev Trehan highlighted the broader implications: discrimination remains a pressing problem both within English football and in society at large. While reports of sexism (216) and homophobia (203) are notable – with homophobic abuse up 46 per cent from the previous year – their combined total is still less than half of the racism reports (792). The data is particularly stark for South Asian participants, who faced a 100 per cent surge in racist abuse, and Islamophobic incidents rose by 88 per cent.
Although not all South Asians are Muslim and not all Muslims are South Asian, the statistics suggest that brown players are often stereotyped as Muslim and become easy targets for hate. Dev’s commentary, part of his "Dev's Digest" column, aims to reshape the narrative around British South Asians in football. Four years ago, Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari told Sky Sports that the under‑representation of South Asians in the professional game was the single biggest statistical anomaly in English football. The latest figures help explain why that anomaly persists.
The overall picture points to an English football environment that remains hostile for people of South Asian descent and other minority groups. Stakeholders are being called upon to treat this as an emergency that demands immediate, coordinated action. Sky Sports reiterated its commitment to maintaining its platforms – the website and social media channels – as spaces for respectful discussion, free from hate, abuse, and profanity.
The network urges anyone who encounters hateful comments based on race, gender, colour, nationality, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexuality, age or class to capture the URL, screenshot the content and forward it to the provided email address for further action.