25th Anniversary

For the last 25 years Kick It Out has been at the heart of the drive towards equality, inclusion and cohesion for everyone who plays, watches or works in football.

The organisation started in 1993 as ‘Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football’ and has evolved into an organisation which – working alongside its funders, partners and supporters – fights ALL forms of discrimination in the game we love. 

Twenty-five years ago, if you were involved in football and were Black, Asian, a woman, disabled, LGBT or belonged to any religious or minority group whatsoever, there was a strong chance you would have been abused, harassed or even assaulted.

However, since its inception, Kick It Out has provided a clear, independent voice within the game to challenge discrimination and exclusion, as well as education for professional players, clubs, fans, grassroots organisations and beyond. The organisation also provides mentoring and guidance to help underrepresented groups participate in football and secure opportunities to develop a career in the game.

Kick It Out has established an equality framework for professional clubs, supporting the development of equality practices and policies, and enabled more effective reporting and investigating of complaints of discriminatory abuse through its pioneering reporting app.

Despite 25 years of progress, hatred, prejudice, abuse and discrimination are still evident in our society and in football.

In the 2018/19 season and beyond we want everyone involved in football to continue to campaign for equality and challenge discrimination, while playing a part in shaping a fair and inclusive future for everyone who loves the game.

But don’t forget to recognize how far we’ve come. Let’s kick racism and discrimination out of football – together.

If you’d like to find out more about how you can get involved in Kick It Out’s 25-year anniversary, contact Robert Brown, Kick It Out's Events Coordinator on [email protected], or keep up to date with the organisation’s work by following on social media.