Kick It Out, the charity dedicated to eradicating discrimination from football, has disclosed that it received a historic 1,744 reports of abusive behaviour during the 2025/26 season. This figure marks a 25 per cent 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 distinct cases. The increase was felt across every tier of the sport. In the professional game, complaints rose by 41 per cent to 636, while the grassroots sector also saw a 41 per cent jump, with 458 reports logged.
Online abuse followed a similar trajectory, climbing five per cent to a total of 650 submissions. Racism continued to dominate the landscape of reported discrimination, accounting for 792 of the 1,744 complaints – roughly 45 per cent of the overall tally. The most striking growth within this category was racist abuse directed at participants of South Asian heritage, which doubled year on year, representing a 100 per cent surge. 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, surged dramatically, with an 88 per cent rise in complaints compared with the previous season. Mass chanting that contained discriminatory language rose by 41 per cent, while references to anti‑immigrant sentiment more than doubled when measured against the combined totals of the two preceding seasons.
Abuse aimed at match officials also climbed sharply; 97 reports were logged, matching the total recorded across the prior three seasons, and more than a third of those incidents involved sexist slurs targeting female referees and officials. Youth football at the grassroots level recorded its fifth straight year of growth in complaints.
Incidents involving players under the age of 18 increased by a third, reaching a record 248 reports. Samuel Okafor, chief executive of Kick It Out, commented on the findings: "These figures demonstrate that discrimination remains deeply embedded throughout football at a time when hate crime and polarising political rhetoric are also on the rise across Britain. Yet they also show that more people are willing to speak out when they witness abuse, and it is encouraging to see professional players leading by example last season. While we recognise the considerable good 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 every form of discrimination and we urge fans and players to challenge and report abuse wherever it occurs.
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 counter 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 cases are dealt with swiftly and severely, including stadium bans and legal prosecution. Approximately 15 million people attend Premier League matches each season, and we are seeing more women and people 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 all." Sky Sports News analyst Dev Trehan provided further perspective, noting that while sexism (216 reports) and homophobia (203 reports) remain significant concerns – with homophobic incidents up 46 per cent from the previous year – they together still represent less than half of the total racism reports (792).
He highlighted that the sharp increase in racist abuse targeting South Asian individuals, which rose 100 per cent, underscores a systemic problem. Trehan also pointed out the 88 per cent jump in Islamophobia complaints, emphasizing that many brown players are unfairly presumed to be Muslim and consequently become easy targets for abuse. Trehan’s column, "Dev's Digest," aims to reshape the narrative surrounding British South Asians in football and to set the record straight about the challenges they face. He recalled that more than four years ago, Kick It Out chairperson Sanjay Bhandari told Sky Sports that the under‑representation of South Asians in the professional game was the most striking statistical anomaly in English football.
The latest statistics provide concrete evidence of why that anomaly persists. The overarching message from both Kick It Out and the Premier League is clear: discrimination remains a pervasive issue within English football and mirrors broader societal tensions. However, the growing willingness of players, officials, and fans to report abuse offers a hopeful sign that the sport can become a safer, more inclusive space.
Continued collaboration among governing bodies, clubs, advocacy groups and law‑enforcement agencies will be essential to translate reporting into decisive action and to protect the game’s diverse participants. Sky Sports reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a respectful environment across its digital platforms. The broadcaster urged viewers who encounter hateful comments based on race, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, age or class to capture the offending content and forward it to the provided email address, reinforcing its zero‑tolerance stance on abuse.