Sanjay Bhandari, who has served as the chair of the anti‑discrimination charity Kick It Out since his appointment in 2019, announced that he will vacate the post at the conclusion of the 2026/27 football season. After more than seven years at the helm, Bhandari said it was time for fresh leadership to take the organisation forward.
During his tenure, Bhandari oversaw a period of significant transformation for Kick It Out. He guided the charity through a process of strengthening its financial independence, improving governance structures, and completely renewing its board and senior management team.
Under his guidance a brand‑new organisational framework was introduced, giving the charity a more modern and resilient operating model. In 2023 the charity unveiled a five‑year strategic plan called "Football United," a blueprint designed to bring together governing bodies, clubs, players, supporters, community groups and commercial partners in order to drive lasting cultural change within the sport.
The following year, Samuel Okafor was appointed chief executive, adding further momentum to the strategic rollout. Reflecting on his time in the role, Bhandari said, "It has been a tremendous honour to chair Kick It Out. Our 'Football United' strategy is deliberately built on a vision of bringing together governing bodies, clubs, players, supporters, communities and partners to create lasting change. In a world that often feels increasingly negative and divided, we are consciously seeking to strike a different tone." He added that the incoming chair would have a pivotal role in realising the strategy’s ambitions, working closely with the board and the chief executive to maintain Kick It Out’s reputation as one of the most respected voices for equality and inclusion in sport.
"This is a unique opportunity for someone who believes in the power of football to bring people together and who wants to help shape the future of the nation's game," he said. Bhandari’s contributions to football were recognised in 2024 when he was awarded an MBE for services to the sport through his work with the charity, which was originally founded in 1993 to combat racism and discrimination in the game. Following his announcement, Kick It Out will commence a formal recruitment process aimed at appointing a new chair by the end of December 2026.
The preferred candidate is expected to work alongside Bhandari for the remainder of the 2026/27 season, ensuring an orderly handover before formally assuming the role on 1 July 2027. The successor will inherit a position that arrives at a critical juncture. Football continues to grapple with issues of inclusivity and representation both on the pitch and behind the scenes, and the charity faces the ongoing challenge of confronting discrimination in all its forms. Kick It Out has established itself as a leading advocate for policy reform, engaging with the UK government, regulators and the sport’s governing bodies—including the Premier League, the English Football League, the Football Association and the Professional Footballers' Association.
Beyond policy work, the charity runs a suite of education programmes aimed at supporters, club academies and the wider public, both in‑person and online. Its "Raise Your Game" initiative provides development opportunities for individuals seeking to become agents of change within football. A core element of its work remains the discrimination reporting service, which continues to record a rise in abuse cases, underscoring the ongoing need for vigilance and intervention. Kick It Out has also broadened its impact through strategic partnerships.
A notable collaboration with Guinness 0.0 has resulted in the training of 4,000 staff members to recognise and address discriminatory behaviour across 900 Greene King sports bars throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Additional alliances with Sky, McDonald’s Fun Football, Visit Tampa Bay and the Morrisons Foundation are being leveraged to expand the charity’s education and inclusion programmes, with targets set out to 2030. The organisation’s future outlook is ambitious.
By extending its reach into community settings, enhancing digital education tools and strengthening its reporting mechanisms, Kick It Out aims to create a football environment where discrimination is swiftly identified and eliminated. The new chair will be expected to champion these goals, nurture relationships with key stakeholders, and help steer the charity through an evolving social landscape. In summary, Sanjay Bhandari’s departure marks the end of a transformative era for Kick It Out, but also opens the door for fresh leadership to build on the solid foundation he helped create. The upcoming recruitment process will seek a candidate who shares the belief that football can unite people, and who is prepared to guide the charity’s mission of equality, inclusion and respect well into the next decade.