Kick It Out, the UK‑based anti‑discrimination charity that monitors abuse in football, has disclosed that it received a staggering 1,744 reports of discriminatory behaviour during the 2025/26 season. This figure marks a 25 percent rise compared with the previous campaign period and pushes the total number of recorded incidents over the 1,000‑mark for the first time, reaching 1,255 distinct cases. The increase was felt across every sector of the sport.
At the professional level, the charity logged 636 complaints, while the grassroots game contributed 458 reports – both categories up 41 percent on the prior year. Online abuse also climbed, with 650 incidents reported, a five‑percent jump that reflects the growing influence of social‑media platforms in shaping fan interaction.
Racism continued to dominate the landscape of abuse, accounting for 792 of the total reports, or roughly 45 percent of all cases. The most striking growth within this category was the surge in racist slurs directed at participants of South Asian heritage, which doubled year‑on‑year. This 100 percent increase underscores the particular vulnerability of South Asian players, coaches, and officials within the English game. Other forms of prejudice also hit unprecedented levels.
Since Kick It Out broadened its data‑collection framework five years ago, reports of sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, ableism and Islamophobia have all set new records. Islamophobia, in particular, rose sharply, with an 88 percent increase in complaints, making it the fastest‑growing category of abuse.
Mass chanting that contained discriminatory language rose by 41 percent, while anti‑immigrant slurs more than doubled when compared with the combined totals of the two previous seasons. Abuse aimed at match officials also saw a sharp uptick, with 97 reports – a figure that matches the total recorded across the three seasons before this one. Notably, more than one‑third of those complaints involved sexist insults directed at female referees and other officials. Youth football at the grassroots level recorded its fifth straight year of growth in complaints.
Incidents involving players under the age of 18 rose by a third, reaching a new high of 248 reports. This trend suggests that younger participants are increasingly exposed to, and perhaps more willing to report, hostile behaviour on the pitch and in surrounding environments. Samuel Okafor, chief executive of Kick It Out, commented on the findings: "These figures show that discrimination remains deeply embedded across the game at a time when we're also seeing rises in hate crime and divisive political rhetoric in Britain. 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 that example last season.
While we recognise that there is a lot of good work ongoing in football to tackle discrimination, we will continue to work with football authorities, clubs, leagues, regulators and government to ensure we match the courage shown to report abuse with clear and consistent action so that football is welcoming to everyone." A spokesperson for the Premier League echoed the sentiment, stating: "The Premier League and our clubs condemn all forms of discrimination, and we encourage fans and players to challenge and report abuse wherever they see it. Tackling discriminatory abuse is a priority for the Premier League, and we have a range of important 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 discriminatory abuse is one too many, which is why we work closely with our clubs, expert partners and the relevant authorities to ensure cases are dealt with as swiftly and severely as possible.
This can include stadium bans and legal prosecution. Around 15 million people attend Premier League matches every season, with more women and people from ethnically diverse backgrounds joining every year. We are proud to work with expert organisations, including Kick It Out, to help create a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone." Sky Sports News analyst Dev Trehan offered an additional perspective, noting that while sexism (216 reports) and homophobia (203 reports) remain significant concerns, they together represent less than half of the total racism reports (792). He highlighted that the spike in racist abuse targeting South Asian individuals – a 100 percent increase – and the 88 percent rise in Islamophobic incidents reveal a troubling pattern: brown and Muslim players are often conflated and become prime targets for hate.
Trehan's column, Dev's Digest, aims to reshape the narrative around British South Asians in football. He referenced comments made four years earlier by Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari, who described the under‑representation of South Asians in the professional game as the most glaring statistical anomaly in English football.
The latest data provide a stark illustration of why that anomaly persists, pointing to an environment that remains hostile for many. The broader implication is clear: English football faces an "emergency" that demands urgent, coordinated action from governing bodies, clubs, supporters, and media alike.
Without sustained effort, the sport risks alienating large segments of its fan base and talent pool. Sky Sports reiterated its commitment to fostering a safe space across its digital platforms, urging users to report hateful content. The network asked readers to capture URLs and screenshots of any abusive comments and forward them to the provided email address, reinforcing its zero‑tolerance stance on hate speech based on race, gender, religion, disability, sexuality, age, or any other protected characteristic.
In summary, the 2025/26 season has delivered a sobering record of discrimination within football, with racism, Islamophobia, and anti‑South Asian abuse leading the charge. While the rise in reporting may indicate growing awareness and willingness to confront abuse, the sheer volume of incidents underscores the need for stronger preventative measures, education programmes, and punitive actions to protect players, officials, and fans at every level of the game.