According to The Guardian, English football experienced a record-breaking season for discriminatory behaviour in 2025-26, with a significant and alarming rise in anti-immigrant chanting reported across all levels of the game. Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion organisation, revealed a total of 1,744 incidents of discrimination, marking a 25% increase on the previous campaign and the highest figure ever recorded.

Among the most concerning trends was the surge in anti-immigrant abuse. The Guardian reports that Kick It Out received 39 reports of anti-immigrant chanting during the season, a figure that exceeds the combined total from the previous two campaigns. Chants including “stop the boats” and “send them back” were specifically identified.

The overall increase in reported incidents spanned every category of discrimination, with all six key areas — racism, sexism, homophobia, antisemitism, ableism, and Islamophobia — reaching their highest totals in five years. The breakdown of reports highlights the scale of the issue:

• Racism: 792 reports (45% of all cases), up 19% year-on-year.

• Sexism: 216 reports, up 12%.

• Homophobia: 203 reports, up 46%.

• Antisemitism: 93 reports, up 43%.

• Ableism: 89 reports, up 20%.

• Islamophobia: 60 reports, up 88%.

Samuel Okafor, chief executive of Kick It Out, linked the figures to wider societal trends. “These figures show that discrimination remains deeply embedded across the game at a time when we’re also seeing rises in hate crime and divisive political rhetoric in Britain,” he said. Okafor added that increased reporting was also encouraging, saying more people were willing to challenge abuse when they witnessed it.

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Grassroots and officials also affected

As reported by The Guardian, discrimination was not limited to the professional game. Reports from grassroots football rose for the fifth consecutive season, climbing 33% to a record 248 incidents. Match officials were also increasingly targeted, with 98 reports of abuse—equivalent to the combined total from the previous three seasons.

The report mirrors findings released by the UK Football Policing Unit last week, highlighting the broader scale of the problem. Kick It Out noted that improved reporting systems, including the introduction of misogynistic abuse as a separate reporting category, may have contributed to the higher number of recorded incidents.

Several cases have already resulted in legal action. A 60-year-old man received a suspended sentence in March for sending offensive messages to England defender Jess Carter, while another man is due to stand trial in September over an allegation of racially aggravated behaviour towards Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.

Kick It Out said it will continue working with football authorities, clubs, leagues and the government to combat discrimination. Okafor concluded: “We will continue to work with football authorities, clubs, leagues, regulators and government to ensure we match the courage shown to report abuse with clear and consistent action so that football is welcoming to everyone.”

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