Discriminatory incidents in football have risen for another year, with sexism, transphobia and faith-based abuse all sharply increasing, according to new figures from Kick It Out.
The anti-discrimination charity recorded 1,398 reports of abuse across the 2024/25 football season, drawn from the professional game, grassroots football and social media.
While racism remains the most common form of abuse, sexism and misogyny saw the largest rise, up 67% from 115 to 192 incidents. Most cases occurred online, with reports of sexist content on social media increasing by 72%. There were also 18 reports of sexist chanting at matches — almost as many as in the previous four seasons combined.
The spike follows the launch of Kick It Out’s “Kick Sexism Out” campaign, which aims to highlight and tackle abuse towards women and girls in football.
Other key findings
- Ableist abuse rose by 45% across all levels of the sport.
- Homophobic abuse fell slightly, from 162 to 139 incidents, but transphobic abuse doubled.
- Reports in the professional game increased from 440 to 452, and in grassroots football from 303 to 325.
Calls for action
Kick It Out CEO Samuel Okafor said the data showed discrimination was “deeply embedded” across the sport, and warned that the rise in abuse in youth football should be a wake-up call.
“No one should be facing hostility simply for taking part,” Okafor said.
“What we’re seeing now is that fans aren’t just reporting abuse, they’re demanding action… asking football to treat [sexism] as seriously as any other form of hate.
“At the same time, it’s clear that online platforms are still falling short… Fans are doing their part by speaking up. It’s now up to football authorities, tech companies and government to show they’re listening, and to act.”
Perception vs reality
Despite the rising figures, many fans believe discrimination is declining. Kick It Out’s Impact Report, released to mark its 30th anniversary in August 2023, surveyed nearly 3,000 fans:
- 73% said football has become more inclusive since 1993.
- 85% believed more needs to be done to combat discrimination towards fans at stadiums.
- 87% said more action is needed to address abuse of players at stadiums.
The report also highlighted the gap in LGBTQ+ representation in men’s professional football. Only six players worldwide are currently known to be out, including Australian Josh Cavallo, who recently transferred to the UK. In contrast, women’s football continues to lead the way in LGBTQ+ visibility and acceptance.
