Reports of racist abuse in English football rose by 43% in the 2018/19 season

To optimise for archiving, the original image and related documents associated with this article have been removed.

Football’s equality and inclusion organisation, Kick It Out releases their annual discrimination reporting stats for the 2018/19 season which reveal a 32% rise in incidents across the professional game and grassroots reported to them.

Kick It Out’s annual reporting summary for the 2018/19 season:

  • Reports rose to 422 in 2018/19, up from 319 in the previous year
  • Incidents of racism continue to rise and it remains the most common form of discrimination in both professional and grassroots football - 43% rise from 2017/18
  • Faith-based discrimination, which includes Islamophobia and antisemitism, rose higher than any other across this period, with reports increasing by 75% from 36 to 63
  • Discrimination related to sexual orientation increased by 12% from 61 to 68. Reports related to gender remained at the same level (eight), while disability discrimination reports dropped from 15 to nine
  • In the overall figures, which include social media incidents, discrimination reports increased to 581, a 12% rise from the season before (520)
  • Discrimination reports in the professional game rose by 46 per cent to 313, with an outcome received in 62% of cases
  • The organisation received 159 discrimination reports from social media in 2018/19. Again, the most common form of reported incidents was racism (62%)

Please click here to visit Kick It Out’s reporting statistics. 

You may also like

View All

Pinned Article

Sports Arbitration: More Than Just Lawyers - Is It Time to Rethink Who Decides?

Join us during London Arbitration Week for a panel discussion exploring what makes sports dispute resolution trusted, effective and fit for the future

Read More

Women’s Super League to wait until 2029 for full-time referees, with increased funding to support officials’ development

The Women Super League, the highest level of women's football in England, is set to receive additional investment in match officiating, with full-time referees expected to be introduced in 2029

Read More

Police remove Souleiman Waberi, close ally of Gianni Infantino, from FDF headquarters and he is voted out as president

Police remove Souleiman Waberi, close ally of Gianni Infantino, from FDF headquarters and he is voted out as president 

Read More