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

Antisemitic incidents within UK soccer saw a significant rise of 43% during the 2025-26 season, according to a new report by the charity Kick It Out. The report documented 93 antisemitic incidents, an increase from 65 the previous year. While antisemitism is not the most frequent category of discrimination reported, its sharp increase highlights a growing concern within the sport.

Overall, Kick It Out received a record 1,744 reports of discrimination across all levels of the game during the 2025/26 season, continuing a five-year upward trend. The majority of these reports fell under the categories of racism, sexism, and homophobia. However, other forms of discrimination also saw notable increases, including Islamophobia, which rose by 88% to 60 reports.

The majority of antisemitic reports originated from social media (35), followed by incidents at professional games (31) and grassroots youth soccer (23). The UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) also recorded an increase in discriminatory incidents during the same period, marking the first season with over 1,000 separate incidents reported.

Kick It Out's analysis suggests a correlation between external events and the rise in discriminatory reports. Spikes in incidents were observed following events such as the Manchester synagogue attack, a ban on Tel Aviv fans attending an Aston Villa game, and the beginning of the grooming gangs inquiry. The report also noted that the October 7th attacks in 2023 led to a sharp increase in both antisemitic and Islamophobic reports. However, the charity cautioned that correlation does not imply causation, making it difficult to directly attribute specific incidents to particular events.