New data from Kick It Out shows a record number of discriminatory reports in English football for the 2025-26 season, including a sharp rise in anti-immigrant chanting.
Key facts
- •Kick It Out received 1,744 reports of discriminatory behavior during the 2025-26 season.
- •Anti-immigrant chanting reports totaled 39, surpassing the combined count of the two prior seasons.
- •Racism accounted for 45% of all reported discrimination, with 792 total incidents.
- •Grassroots football abuse reached a record high of 248 reports.
- •The UK Football Policing Unit noted that improved reporting mechanisms may partially explain the rise in figures.
Reports of anti-immigrant chanting at English football matches reached 39 during the 2025-26 season, exceeding the total from the previous two seasons combined. According to the anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out, these incidents involved phrases such as “stop the boats” and “send them back” occurring at all levels of the sport. This trend is part of a broader increase in discriminatory behavior, with total reports reaching a record 1,744 for the season.
By the numbers
Rise in discriminatory reports
The 1,744 total reports of discrimination represent a 25% increase over the previous campaign. Racism remained the most frequent issue, accounting for 792 reports, or 45% of the total. Other categories also saw significant growth: homophobia rose by 46% to 203 reports, antisemitism increased by 43% to 93, and Islamophobia grew by 88% to 60 reports. All six monitored areas of discrimination reached their highest levels in five years.
Grassroots and official abuse
Abuse in grassroots football increased for the fifth consecutive year, reaching a record 248 reports, a 33% rise. Additionally, reports of abuse directed at match officials totaled 98, a figure equal to the combined total of the previous three seasons. Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor noted that while these figures reflect broader societal trends of hateful rhetoric, there is an increasing willingness among players and supporters to report and confront abuse.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Guardian Sport.
