Discriminative abuse has doubled in football, new report reveals

The newest report released by Kick It Out, football's leading anti-discrimination organization, reveals a disturbing surge in discriminatory incidents across all levels of the sport, with transphobic abuse experiencing a dramatic and alarming doubling. The 2024/25 season saw a record high of 1,398 reported incidents, a significant jump from the previous year's 1,332 and more than double the figures from just four seasons ago.

The sharp increase in abuse targeting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender individuals, is deeply concerning. The report highlights that online spaces are a hotbed for this abuse, demanding urgent action to protect marginalized communities.

"The doubling of transphobic abuse online is simply unacceptable," said a spokesperson for Kick It Out. "Football should be a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone, regardless of their gender identity. We need to work together to challenge this hateful behavior and ensure that trans players, fans, and officials feel safe and respected."

The report also highlights a worrying rise in other forms of discrimination:

• Sexism and Misogyny: Reports surged by 67%, with online sexist content increasing by 72%.
• Ableism: Incidents of ableist abuse rose by 45%, exposing the persistent problem of disability discrimination within football.
• Faith-Based Abuse: A sharp increase was recorded, including a five-fold rise in sectarian incidents.
• Grassroots Football: Reports in youth football now account for 57% of all grassroots reports, with incidents involving girls' football doubling and including sexist slurs, exclusion, racist comments, and targeting of young female referees.

Kick It Out, founded in 1993 to combat racism and expanded in 1997 to tackle all forms of discrimination, is calling for a unified and proactive approach to address these issues. The organization provides education programs, campaigns for inclusivity, supports individuals from under-represented communities, and challenges discrimination at all levels of the game.

"We all know Kick It Out shouldn't have to exist," the spokesperson added. "Our biggest hope is that one day football no longer needs us. But right now, we're here to put an end to every form of discrimination. We won't stop until it stops."

The full report is available on the Kick It Out website.