The training, delivered as part of the ‘Tackling Antisemitism in Sport’ project and supported by Lord Mann, the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism marks a significant milestone in football’s efforts to build understanding and challenge hate. It was developed to educate the British sporting community on contemporary antisemitism and the Jewish community.
In addition to all 20 Premier League clubs, 59 clubs from the English Football League have also taken part, along with 42 of the 50 County Football Associations and representatives from the Football Association.
The workshops offer an essential introduction to the British Jewish community and explore antisemitism through both historical and contemporary lenses. They underline the importance of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism and use real-life football-related scenarios to encourage participants to recognise, challenge and report abuse.
The training was launched following the formation of Kick It Out’s Antisemitism Working Group in 2023.
Since then over 100 workshops have been delivered to around 3,000 participants, including club staff, County FAs, academy players and stewards.
In addition to training every Premier League club, the project has recorded several major successes:
The largest antisemitism training session on record, delivered in Leeds to 250 stewards from Leeds United in February 2024.
Bespoke sessions for academy players at clubs including Wolverhampton Wanderers, Stockport County, Cambridge United and Huddersfield Town.
Steward-specific training delivered to 70 of Liverpool FC’s Head Stewards ahead of their Premier League match against Newcastle in February 2025.
Ben Sweiry, Project Manager at Maccabi GB, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have hit the milestone of ensuring every Premier League club has now received some training on antisemitism.
“In this troubling period, where antisemitism is rife in the UK and around the world, the response from football clubs has been overwhelmingly positive.
“They’ve welcomed us in, shown a real willingness to learn, and are committed to creating more inclusive environments for Jewish fans and communities.”
