Kick It Out announced that it has logged a historic 1,744 discrimination complaints spanning the professional tiers, grassroots levels and online environments during the inaugural year of its Football United programme. The surge, the organisation explains, is partly driven by a noticeable increase in anti‑immigrant rhetoric, but it also reflects the success of newly forged reporting pathways with partners such as Her Game Too, The Frank Soo Foundation and Football v Homophobia, which have given more individuals the confidence to come forward. During the 2025/26 campaign, these fresh channels alone generated over one hundred reports, underscoring how strategic collaboration can widen the net for capturing incidents that might otherwise remain hidden. While the headline figure might initially be read as a sign that football culture is deteriorating, Kick It Out cautions against that simplistic interpretation.
The rise in reported cases, they argue, signals growing trust among diverse communities and a willingness to hold the sport accountable, thanks to stronger relationships with advocacy groups and clearer reporting mechanisms. Looking ahead, the charity expects the roster of reporting partnerships to expand further in the 2026/27 season, a move designed to deepen outreach and ensure that even the most marginalised voices are heard. Samuel Okafor, the chief executive of Kick It Out, emphasized the broader context: "At a time of rising discrimination and where we need action to make the game more inclusive and representative of all communities, football must be more united to take on its challenges." Okafor continued, "Although our Impact Report shows a year of progress working alongside existing and new partners, we know that with further collaboration we can build on our policy, campaigning, education and reporting programmes to make the game more welcoming for everyone." The Year One Impact Report, released on Tuesday, paints a detailed picture of the obstacles the sport faces as it strives for greater inclusivity and representation.
Football United, the five‑year blueprint launched in September 2025, is anchored around four ambitious pillars: ensuring everyone feels included, guaranteeing representation on the pitch, fostering leadership opportunities off the pitch, and encouraging a collective stand against discrimination. The first year of this strategy has already yielded several noteworthy milestones.
Education has been a central focus. More than 11,000 individuals participated in Kick It Out’s educational sessions, ranging from workshops for coaches and volunteers to community‑focused seminars. The Raise Your Game development programme attracted 583 participants, while 148 people took part in the Fan Education initiative, which equips supporters with the tools to recognise and challenge abusive behaviour.
A particularly innovative partnership was forged with Guinness 0.0 and the Greene King pub chain. Through this collaboration, over 3,000 bar staff received training on spotting and responding to discriminatory conduct, extending the reach of the charity’s message beyond the stadium and into everyday social spaces where fans often congregate. The 2025/26 season also marked a historic moment for transparency in the professional game.
For the first time, clubs were required under FA Rule N to publish workforce diversity data, shedding light on the composition of leadership and coaching roles across the sport. This newfound visibility is intended to drive accountability and encourage clubs to set measurable targets for inclusion.
Beyond data collection, Kick It Out has been active in policy advocacy. Working with more than 20 partner organisations, the charity helped draft proposals submitted to the Independent Football Regulator.
These proposals aim to embed equality, diversity and inclusion considerations at board level, establishing concrete representation targets for club executives and senior staff. The organisation’s collaborative work also tackles specific forms of prejudice.
Joint initiatives with partners have addressed online abuse, gender‑based harassment, misogyny, faith‑related discrimination and the broader marginalisation of under‑represented groups. By confronting these issues on multiple fronts—education, reporting, policy and direct support—Kick It Out seeks to create a comprehensive shield against discrimination.
Okafor reiterated the forward‑looking ambition: "This is only year one of the strategy, so we know there is so much more to achieve, but we have ambitious plans for the coming season where we will expand grassroots anti‑discrimination education, increase Fan Education delivery with support from the Premier League and grow Raise Your Game." He added, "We are determined to keep building a game where everyone is included, and everyone is united in tackling discrimination wherever it happens." The message is clear: the rise in reported incidents is not a defeat but a sign that more people are willing to speak out, and that the sport’s infrastructure is becoming better equipped to listen and act. In summary, Kick It Out’s record‑breaking 1,744 reports reflect both a troubling uptick in hostile language and a positive shift in reporting confidence. With expanded partnerships, enhanced education programmes, new data‑driven transparency measures and ongoing policy work, the charity is laying the groundwork for a more inclusive football culture.
The journey is only beginning, but the first year of Football United demonstrates that coordinated effort and community engagement can drive meaningful change across the beautiful game. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m! Enter for free.