Kick It Out, the charity dedicated to eradicating prejudice in football, has disclosed that it received a historic 1,744 discrimination reports during the 2025/26 season. This total marks a 25 per cent rise compared with the previous campaign and pushes the tally of recorded incidents over the 1,000‑mark for the first time, reaching 1,255 separate cases.
The increase was felt across every tier of the sport. Complaints from the professional game and the grassroots level both climbed sharply, each growing by 41 per cent to 636 and 458 reports respectively. Online abuse also rose, with a 5 per cent increase that brought the number of digital complaints to 650. Racism continued to dominate the landscape, accounting for 792 of the submissions – roughly 45 per cent of all reports.
The most striking growth within that category was racist abuse directed at participants of South Asian heritage, which doubled year on year. This surge underscores the persistent vulnerability of South Asian players, officials and fans within the football community. Other forms of prejudice also hit record levels. Since Kick It Out broadened its data‑collection framework five years ago, reports of sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, ableism and Islamophobia have all reached new highs.
Islamophobia, in particular, experienced the steepest climb, with an 88 per cent jump in reported incidents. Mass chanting that incorporates 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 saw a notable increase as well; 97 reports were logged, matching the total recorded across the previous three seasons, and more than a third of those involved sexist attacks on female referees and assistants. At the grassroots level, youth football continued its upward trend for the fifth year in a row.
Reports involving players under the age of 18 rose by a third, culminating in a record 248 incidents involving young athletes. Samuel Okafor, chief executive of Kick It Out, commented on the findings: "These figures demonstrate that discrimination remains deeply embedded throughout the game at a time when hate crime and polarising political rhetoric are also on the rise across Britain.
Yet they also reveal a growing willingness among fans, players and officials to call out abuse when they witness it. It is encouraging to see professional athletes set a positive example last season." He added, "While we recognise the considerable work already underway to combat discrimination in football, we will keep collaborating with governing bodies, clubs, leagues, regulators and government agencies. Our aim is to ensure that the courage shown by those who report abuse is matched by clear, consistent action so that football becomes a welcoming environment for everyone." A spokesperson for the Premier League echoed a similar sentiment: "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." The league emphasised that even a single incident of discrimination is one too many. "We work closely with clubs, expert partners and the relevant authorities to ensure cases are dealt with swiftly and severely, which can involve stadium bans and legal prosecution," the spokesperson said. The Premier League noted that roughly 15 million spectators attend its matches each season, and that the demographic is becoming increasingly diverse, with more women and people from ethnically varied backgrounds attending each year.
"We are proud to partner with organisations such as Kick It Out to help create a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone," the statement concluded. An analysis by Sky Sports News' Dev Trehan highlighted that, despite the overall rise in reports, racism remains the most prevalent issue, accounting for 792 complaints, while sexism (216) and homophobia (203) together represent just under half of the total racist reports.
Trehan pointed out that the surge in racist abuse targeting South Asian individuals – a 100 per cent increase – and the 88 per cent rise in Islamophobic incidents reveal a troubling pattern where brown individuals are often presumed to be Muslim and become prime targets for hate. Trehan’s column, Dev's Digest, seeks to reshape the narrative around British South Asians in football, noting that the under‑representation of South Asians in the professional game has long been identified as a statistical anomaly.
The latest data from Kick It Out provides concrete evidence of why that disparity persists, highlighting an environment that remains hostile to people of South Asian heritage. The broader implication, according to the analysis, is that English football faces an urgent crisis that demands decisive action. Stakeholders across the sport are called upon to address the systemic issues that allow discrimination to flourish, ensuring that the beautiful game lives up to its inclusive promise.
Sky Sports reiterated its commitment to maintaining a safe space on its digital platforms, urging users to report any hateful content based on race, gender, colour, nationality, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexuality, age or class. They ask that any offensive posts be captured via screenshot and the URL forwarded to their designated email address for swift action.