Kick It Out chair Bhandari to step down from role

What the report says

Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari will leave his post at the end of the 2026-27 season, the BBC reports. Bhandari, who was appointed in 2019, will complete more than seven years in the role before stepping down. The anti-discrimination charity, founded in 1993, has become a prominent advocate for equality and inclusion in football and broader sport.

In a statement quoted by BBC Sport, Bhandari said it had been a “tremendous honour” to chair the organisation. He pointed to Kick It Out’s “Football United” strategy, which is aimed at bringing together governing bodies, clubs, players, supporters, communities and partners to drive long-term change. The charity said the next chair will help lead its board and work with the chief executive as it continues that strategy.

BBC Sport said Bhandari’s period in office saw major changes at the organisation, including stronger financial independence and governance, as well as the appointment of a new board, leadership team and staff structure. Kick It Out will begin searching for a replacement, with a preferred candidate expected by the end of December. The new chair is due to work alongside Bhandari until the end of the 2026-27 campaign before taking over on 1 July 2027. More generally, Kick It Out has long played a visible role in campaigns against discrimination in football.