Kick It Out disclosed that it has logged a historic total of 1,744 discrimination complaints across the professional game, grassroots football and online platforms during the inaugural year of its Football United programme. The surge, the charity explains, is partly linked to a noticeable rise in anti‑immigrant rhetoric, but it also reflects stronger reporting pathways that have been forged with partner groups such as Her Game Too, the Frank Soo Foundation and Football v Homophobia. These new relationships have given more individuals the confidence to come forward with incidents they might previously have kept silent about. During the 2025/26 season, more than one hundred of the complaints arrived via these freshly‑established channels, underscoring the value of collaborative reporting networks.
While the headline figure might suggest a worsening of football’s cultural climate, Kick It Out cautions against a simplistic reading. The organisation argues that the increase signals heightened trust among diverse communities and a growing willingness to use formal mechanisms to flag abuse, rather than an outright deterioration in attitudes. Looking ahead, Kick It Out expects the roster of reporting partnerships to expand further in the 2026/27 season, thereby widening the net for capturing incidents and reinforcing a culture of accountability. Samuel Okafor, the chief executive of the charity, emphasised the broader context: "At a time when discrimination is on the rise and the game needs decisive action to become more inclusive and representative of all communities, football must stand together to confront these challenges." Okafor went on to highlight the findings of the organisation’s Year‑One Impact Report, released on Tuesday, which paints a vivid picture of the scale of the task ahead.
The report documents the first twelve months of Football United, a five‑year strategic framework launched in September 2025 with four overarching ambitions: universal inclusion, representation on the pitch, leadership opportunities off the pitch, and a collective stand against discrimination. Beyond the raw numbers of complaints, the report showcases a suite of positive developments.
Over 11,000 individuals participated in Kick It Out’s education programmes, gaining tools to recognise and challenge bias. The Raise Your Game development initiative attracted 583 participants, while a dedicated Fan Education scheme saw 148 people engage with tailored learning sessions aimed at supporters. A notable partnership with Guinness 0.0 enabled the charity to extend its outreach into the hospitality sector.
More than 3,000 staff members from the Greene King network received training on how to spot and respond to discriminatory behaviour, illustrating how football’s anti‑racism agenda can permeate community spaces beyond stadiums. The 2025/26 campaign also marked a milestone for professional clubs, which for the first time published workforce diversity data in line with FA Rule N. This transparency provides a clearer picture of representation at board and senior‑leadership levels, allowing stakeholders to monitor progress and hold clubs accountable. Kick It Out further collaborated with over 20 partner organisations to craft proposals for the Independent Football Regulator.
These submissions aim to embed stronger board‑level responsibilities for equality, diversity and inclusion, and to set concrete representation targets for club executives and senior staff. The charity’s work this year also tackled a broad spectrum of issues: online abuse, sexism and misogyny, faith‑based discrimination, and the inclusion of under‑represented groups. By addressing both on‑field and off‑field dimensions of prejudice, Kick It Out seeks to create a holistic environment where every participant feels safe and valued.
Okafor reiterated the forward‑looking nature of the strategy: "This is only year one of the plan, 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. We are determined to keep building a game where everyone is included, and everyone is united in tackling discrimination wherever it happens." In summary, the record number of reports should be read as a dual signal: a warning that discriminatory language remains a pressing problem, and a hopeful sign that more people are empowered to speak out.
As Kick It Out strengthens its alliances and broadens its educational reach, the organization aims to transform football into a truly inclusive sport, reflecting the diverse communities that love and support it. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m! Enter for free.