Antisemitism in UK soccer jumps 43 percent as total discrimination reports hit record high

Reports of antisemitism in UK soccer rose by 43 percent during the 2025-26 season according to a new report released by the charity Kick It Out.

The organization received 1,744 discrimination reports across the 2025-26 season marking a continued upward trend over five years. More incidents were logged at every level of the sport than in any prior season on record.

Antisemitism reports reached 93 in the 2025-26 season compared with 65 the year before. Although not the largest category antisemitism recorded the third highest percentage increase. Most antisemitic reports involved social media with 35 cases followed by 31 at professional matches and 23 in grassroots youth soccer.

Islamophobia showed the largest category increase rising 88 percent to reach 60 reports.

The categories with the most reports overall were racism sexism and homophobia in that sequence.

The UK Football Policing Unit also documented higher numbers of discriminatory incidents last season.

The 2025-26 campaign became the first with more than 1,000 separate incidents reported.

Links between outside events and reports of discrimination

Kick It Out examined possible connections between external events and spikes in soccer discrimination reports.

Key domestic stories were mapped against incident numbers throughout the season.

Incident reports showed increases after the Manchester synagogue attack the ban on Tel Aviv supporters at an Aston Villa match and the launch of the grooming gangs inquiry.

The charity observed that many recent incidents tie to domestic and global events and public reactions to them.

Examples include the Supreme Court gender ruling that prompted the Football Association to bar transgender women from the women's game resulting in more transphobic abuse. The October 7 2023 attacks also triggered sharp rises in antisemitic and Islamophobic reports.

Kick It Out stressed that correlation does not prove causation and that directly linking any incident to a single headline remains nearly impossible.

Still the timing overlaps between headlines and reported incidents support the view that what happens in the world appears on the pitch the charity stated.

Chief executive Samuel Okafor said the numbers indicate discrimination stays deeply embedded in the game amid rising hate crime and divisive rhetoric in Britain.

Yet the figures also reveal greater willingness to report abuse and professional players set a positive example last season he added.

While good work continues in football to address discrimination the charity will keep partnering with authorities clubs leagues regulators and government to ensure reports lead to clear consistent action making soccer welcoming for all.