Big rise in homophobia reports in grassroots football, only small increase in FA charges
Football Association data shows nearly 1,000 serious case allegations relating to sexual orientation in grassroots game in England in 2025/26; charges for this type of discrimination up by just over 2%; Football v Homophobia “deeply concerned” and says a focus on “better outcomes” is needed…
Data from the newly released discipline review for grassroots football in England shows reports of homophobia rose by more than 35% in the 2025/26 season.
It is the fourth consecutive year that serious case allegations related to sexual orientation have increased at this level. The Football Association publishes its review annually, detailing serious misconduct at Step 5 and below of the men’s game and Tier 3 and below of the women’s game.
There were 999 reports of homophobia last season, up from 738 in the previous campaign. However, there was only a marginal rise in the number of charges, with 329 issued compared to 322 in 2024/25.
The Football v Homophobia campaign has responded to the FA review in a statement, saying it is “deeply concerned” by the grassroots statistics.
FvH says that while it “naturally welcomes the greater awareness around the importance of reporting homophobia… we believe the data indicates that both education and evidence-gathering in this area remain insufficient.”
Referring to discrimination in all its forms, the FA says that the trends “reinforce the importance of continuing to improve awareness, confidence in reporting and support for those affected, alongside robust disciplinary action.”
Our 2025-26 season Annual Grassroots Behaviour and Discipline Report has been published today.
— The FA (@FA) October 1, 2026
The FA says it has managed to reduce a known “reporting gap” in its data, with independent research indicating that for every 100 serious incidents which are brought to its attention, a further 89 incidents are estimated to go unreported.
This is recorded as a factor of 1.89, and over the course of four years, the figure has come down from 2.35. It reflects all forms of discrimination, with allegations rising in all six types which are listed as ethnicity / race / colour; sexual orientation; disability; gender; nationality; and religion.
For the first time at this level of football since 2022/23, there are now both more charges and more proven charges for homophobia than for any other form of discrimination. Furthermore, the FA says a number of cases remain unresolved.
Having studied the data provided, FvH notes in its statement that just a quarter of homophobia reports in 2025/26 resulted in a proven charge, as opposed to 34% in the previous season.
In the review, the FA says that “only cases meeting the required burden of proof proceed to charge”, and it is thought that a relatively high proportion of homophobia allegations are affected by this.
In response, the FvH statement says: “When an allegation is made, a disciplinary process begins – but too often, this is hampered by witnesses choosing to disengage from that process, or the burden of proof is not met.
“Outcomes of disciplinary cases usually hinge on the balance of probability, as the evidence available is not definitive.”
The FA concedes: “We recognise there is still more to do to ensure all serious incidents are reported and that everyone involved feels supported throughout the process.”
FvH also issued statements in response to the two previous FA grassroots reviews, asking for “targeted education” to go alongside the governing body’s drive for more reporting.
In the latest review, the FA has highlighted its ongoing body-cam trial and the introduction of stronger sanctions for discrimination, with the minimum suspension rising from six games to 10 games.
The FvH campaign says encouraging clear support for LGBTQ+ people and allies at grassroots level would also help.
“With more training on tackling homophobia, and more investment in tools and technology, the FA has the opportunity to support its call-to-action on reporting with the framework to produce better outcomes,” the campaign’s statement reads.
Read the FvH response to the FA Grassroots Discipline Review in full here.
Further reading…
The FA’s 2025-26 Grassroots Behaviour and Discipline Report has been published (TheFA.com, 1 October 2026)
Surge in reports of homophobia to Kick It Out compared to last season (July 2026)
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