Rise in homophobic incidents at Premier League matches, reveals report

Homophobic abuse was reported at 49 Premier League matches last season, according to new UK Home Office figures — up from the previous year. Chelsea and Brighton were involved in the most incidents, with more than a third of their domestic games affected by reports of homophobia, confirmed analysis carried out by LGBTQ+ sports platform Outsports.

The figures come as Premier League attendances surpassed 15 million, highlighting a rise in crowd numbers alongside an increase in discriminatory behaviour. The data, compiled by the UK Football Policing Unit and supported by reports from the FA and Kick It Out, shows that all 20 Premier League clubs had at least one match where such abuse occurred.

Brighton (17 incidents) and Chelsea (16) topped the list, followed by Manchester City (8) and Arsenal (7). The Home Office also noted that multiple incidents can be recorded per game and that discriminatory acts are now the most commonly reported issue, overtaking pyrotechnics or missile-throwing.

A high-profile case included Chelsea’s home game against West Ham in February, where visiting fans chanted “rent boy.” Though the FA fined West Ham £120,000, the match was not classified as a hate incident in the official data, sparking criticism from LGBTQ+ groups. A similar chant during Manchester United vs Tottenham in September was treated more seriously, leading to a £75,000 fine for Spurs.

Across all English professional men’s leagues and domestic cups, homophobia-related incidents were reported at 139 matches – that’s 19 more than the previous season. The Championship, League One, League Two and the EFL Cup also saw an increase.

The data release comes amid ongoing debate around football’s commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion, following backlash over rainbow-themed captains’ armbands and pre-match jackets during a recent Rainbow Laces campaign.

"This annual data release again provides evidence of what LGBTQ+ football fans know but often struggle to prove - homophobia in stadiums remains a serious issue,” stated Jon Holmes, editor of Outsports.com, founder of Sports Media LGBT+, and comms lead for Football v Homophobia. “While it's encouraging that more people are feeling confident to report this type of discrimination, there is still a wider lack of awareness over what language and behaviors constitute a hate crime offence and could lead to a banning order or potential prosecution. It's why campaigns such as Football v Homophobia are so important and deserve stronger support from stakeholders."