New Data Shows Surge in Anti-Immigrant Chanting at English Football Matches

Recent data from Kick It Out indicates that abusive chanting targeting immigrants is increasingly prevalent in English football matches.

In the most recent season, the charity recorded 39 separate incidents of anti‑immigrant chanting – more than the combined total of the previous two seasons. Listeners reported hearing slogans such as “stop the boats” and “send them back” across every tier of the sport, reflecting a rising pattern of coordinated, discriminatory chanting.

This upward trend mirrors a wider increase in overall discrimination reports, both at stadiums and online. Kick It Out logged a record 1,744 incidents of discriminatory conduct in the 2025‑26 season, representing a 25% rise over the prior campaign.

Incidents of every form of discrimination reached historic highs. Racist abuse remained dominant, climbing 19% year‑on‑year to 792 cases, which accounted for 45% of all reports. Sexist behaviour rose 12% to 216, homophobic abuse increased 46% to 203, antisemitic incidents grew 43% to 93, ableist reports rose 20% to 89, and Islamophobic complaints surged 88% to 60 – each reaching their highest level in five years, according to Kick It Out.

Abuse reports from grassroots football have climbed for a fifth straight year, reaching a record 248 incidents in 2025‑26, a 33% increase. Reports of mistreatment directed at match officials also rose, totalling 98 – matching the combined total of the previous three seasons.

Samuel Okafor, chief executive of Kick It Out, noted that this conduct mirrors a broader rise in hateful rhetoric across British society, yet he commended the growing readiness of fans and players to confront abuse.

He emphasized that discrimination is still deeply rooted in the sport, even as hate crime and polarising political discourse increase in Britain. Nevertheless, he highlighted growing public willingness to challenge abuse and welcomed the example set by professional players during the last season.

In March, a 60‑year‑old man received a suspended sentence for sending threatening messages to England Women defender Jess Carter, who publicly disclosed the attacks during the European Championship the previous year. In the men’s game, Antoine Semenyo highlighted the racist abuse he endured throughout the season, leading to a pending racially aggravated charge against a man slated to stand trial in September.

Kick It Out’s results align with recent findings from the UK Football Policing Unit. Police noted that part of the rise stems from better reporting mechanisms, as misogynist abuse was only classified as a distinct category at the start of the previous season. Both the police and Kick It Out have urged online platforms to strengthen efforts to curb such abuse.

Okafor affirmed that the organization will keep collaborating with football authorities, clubs, leagues, regulators and government to pair the bravery shown in reporting abuse with decisive, consistent action, ensuring football remains welcoming to all.

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