Kick It Out, the leading anti‑discrimination charity for football, has disclosed that it logged a historic 1,744 incidents of discriminatory behaviour during the 2025/26 season. This figure marks a 25 percent rise compared with the previous campaign and pushes the total number of recorded incidents over the 1,000‑mark for the first time, reaching 1,255 separate cases. The increase was evident across every tier of the sport.
Complaints from the professional game rose by 41 percent, climbing to 636 reports, while grassroots football saw a similar 41‑percent jump, with 458 incidents logged. Online abuse also grew, albeit more modestly, with a five‑percent rise that brought the number of digital reports to 650. Racism continued to dominate the landscape, accounting for 792 of the total complaints – roughly 45 percent of all cases.
The most striking surge within that category was racist abuse 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 data‑collection framework five years ago, reports of sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, ableism and Islamophobia have all reached record levels. Islamophobic incidents, in particular, spiked dramatically, climbing 88 percent compared with the previous season.
Mass chanting that contained discriminatory language rose by 41 percent, while remarks targeting immigrants more than doubled relative to the combined totals of the two preceding seasons. Abuse aimed at match officials also saw a sharp uptick, with 97 reports – a figure that matches the total recorded over the prior three seasons. Notably, more than one‑third of the complaints concerning officials involved sexist slurs directed at female referees and assistants. Youth football at the grassroots level continued its upward trajectory for the fifth year in a row.
Reports involving players under the age of 18 increased by a third, reaching a record 248 cases. Samuel Okafor, chief executive of Kick It Out, commented on the findings: "These numbers demonstrate that discrimination remains deeply entrenched in football at a time when hate crime and polarising political rhetoric are on the rise across Britain. At the same time, they show that more people are willing to call out abuse when they witness it, and it is encouraging to see professional players set that example last season. While we recognise the substantial work already underway to combat discrimination, we will keep collaborating with football authorities, clubs, leagues, regulators and government to ensure that the courage shown in reporting abuse is matched by clear, consistent action, making the sport welcoming for everyone." A spokesperson for the Premier League added: "The Premier League and its clubs condemn all forms of discrimination and we urge fans and players to challenge and report any abuse they encounter.
Tackling discriminatory behaviour is a top priority for us, 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 address online abuse. One incident of discrimination 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. Around 15 million people attend Premier League matches each season, and we are seeing more women and individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds joining the sport every year. We are proud to partner with organisations such as Kick It Out to help create a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone." An analysis by Sky Sports News’ Dev Trehan underscored the persistence of discrimination within English football and broader society.
While reports of sexism (216) and homophobia (203) were notable – with homophobic incidents up 46 percent year on year – they together represented only about half the volume of racist complaints, which stood at 792. The data painted a particularly bleak picture for South Asian participants, who continue to face disproportionate hostility. The biggest surge in racist reports targeted individuals of South Asian descent, rising 16 percent and effectively doubling the previous year's figure.
In parallel, Islamophobic complaints climbed 88 percent. Although not all South Asians are Muslim and not all Muslims are South Asian, the statistics suggest that brown players are frequently presumed to be Muslim and consequently become easy targets for abuse. Dev’s column, "Dev’s Digest," aims to reshape the narrative and set the record straight on the experiences of British South Asians in football. More than 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 is clear: football in England remains an unwelcoming environment for many from South Asian backgrounds, and the sport must act decisively to address what can only be described as an "English football emergency." Sky Sports reiterated its commitment to maintaining its websites and social‑media channels as spaces for constructive discussion free from hate, abuse, and profanity. The broadcaster urged viewers who encounter hateful comments based on race, sex, colour, gender, nationality, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexuality, age or class to capture the URL and a screenshot of the offending post and forward it to the provided email address for further action.