Sanjay Bhandari to Step Down as Kick It Out Chair by 2027

Kick It Out will enter a new era in 2027, with chair Sanjay Bhandari confirming he will step down at the end of the 2026-27 season.

Bhandari, who took the role in 2019, will walk away after more than seven years at the helm of English football’s leading anti-discrimination charity. His departure will close a chapter marked by sweeping internal change and a louder, more confident voice in the game’s equality debate.

He was awarded an MBE in 2024 for services to football during his time with the organisation, which has been challenging discrimination and promoting inclusion since its formation in 1993.

Reflecting on his tenure in a statement, Bhandari called it a “tremendous honour” to chair Kick It Out and pointed to the charity’s “Football United” strategy as the core of its recent work.

“Our ‘Football United’ strategy is deliberately built on a vision of bringing together governing bodies, clubs, players, supporters, communities and partners to create lasting change,” he said, stressing the need for unity at a time when public discourse often feels fractured.

“In a world that often feels increasingly negative and divided, we are consciously seeking to strike a different tone.

“The new chair will play a pivotal role in helping Kick It Out deliver that vision, by leading an experienced and committed board, and working closely with our chief executive to represent an organisation that has become one of the most respected voices for equality and inclusion in sport.”

His time in charge has not just been about public messaging. Inside the organisation, Bhandari has overseen a major overhaul. Kick It Out points to strengthened financial independence, tighter governance, the appointment of an entirely new board and leadership team, and a refreshed internal structure as key parts of that transformation.

Attention now turns to succession. The charity will begin its recruitment process immediately, aiming to identify a preferred candidate by the end of December.

The plan is for the new chair to overlap with Bhandari, working alongside him through to the end of the 2026-27 campaign before formally taking over on 1 July 2027 — a handover designed to keep one of football’s most influential equality voices firmly on the front foot.