Kick It Out has logged an unprecedented 1,744 discrimination complaints spanning the professional tiers, grassroots level and online platforms during the inaugural year of its Football United programme. The surge, the organisation explains, is partly driven by an uptick in anti‑immigrant rhetoric, but also reflects stronger reporting pathways that have been forged with partners such as Her Game Too, the Frank Soo Foundation and Football v Homophobia. These new relationships have given individuals greater confidence to come forward, resulting in more than 100 reports being submitted through the fresh channels alone in the 2025/26 season. While the headline figure might suggest a worsening of football’s cultural climate, Kick It Out cautions against a simplistic interpretation.
The rise in complaints signals that communities are feeling more empowered to speak out and that the charity’s collaborative approach with partner bodies is bearing fruit. The organisation expects the network of reporting partnerships to broaden further in the 2026/27 season, creating even more avenues for victims and witnesses to have their concerns recorded.
Samuel Okafor, chief executive of Kick It Out, underscored the broader context: “In an era where discrimination is on the rise, we need decisive action to ensure the sport becomes more inclusive and truly reflective of all communities. Football must stand together to confront these challenges.” He added that the Impact Report for the year demonstrates tangible progress made alongside both established and newly‑formed allies, and that deeper collaboration will enable the charity to expand its policy work, campaigning, education and reporting mechanisms, ultimately making the game a more welcoming space for everyone. The Year One Impact Report, released on Tuesday, paints a comprehensive picture of the obstacles the sport faces as Kick It Out works to embed inclusion at every level.
The report covers the first twelve months of Football United – a five‑year strategic plan launched in September 2025 with four overarching ambitions: universal inclusion, representation on the pitch, leadership opportunities off the pitch, and a unified stand against discrimination. Among the key achievements highlighted in the report are the reach and scale of the charity’s educational initiatives.
Over 11,000 individuals participated in Kick It Out’s education programmes, while 583 people completed the Raise Your Game development scheme and 148 took part in dedicated Fan Education sessions. A notable partnership with Guinness 0.0 extended the charity’s influence into the hospitality sector, delivering discrimination‑recognition training to more than 3,000 staff members employed by Greene King.
The 2025/26 season also marked a historic moment for transparency in the professional game: clubs published workforce diversity data for the first time under FA Rule N. This new requirement shines a light on the composition of leadership and staff across clubs, offering a clearer view of representation at senior levels. Kick It Out also played a pivotal role in shaping policy. Working with over 20 partner organisations, the charity helped draft proposals submitted to the Independent Football Regulator.
These proposals aim to heighten board‑level accountability for equality, diversity and inclusion, and to set concrete representation targets for club boards and senior executive positions. Beyond policy, the charity’s collaborative work tackled a range of pressing issues, including online abuse, sexism and misogyny, faith‑based discrimination, and the broader inclusion of under‑represented groups.
Okafor emphasized that this is only the first year of a longer journey: “We have ambitious plans for the upcoming season. We will broaden grassroots anti‑discrimination education, increase the delivery of Fan Education with Premier League support, and expand the Raise Your Game programme.” His concluding remarks reaffirm the organisation’s commitment: “Our goal is to keep building a sport where everyone feels included and where we stand united against discrimination wherever it occurs.” The report’s findings and the charity’s forward‑looking agenda underscore a dual narrative: while the number of reported incidents has risen, this reflects both a challenging environment and a growing willingness among players, fans and staff to confront prejudice head‑on. By strengthening partnerships, enhancing education, and pushing for systemic change, Kick It Out aims to transform football into a space where diversity is celebrated and discrimination has no foothold.
Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m! Enter for free.