Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari to step down
Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari will leave his role at the end of the 2026-27 season, ending more than seven years leading the anti-discrimination charity.
Sanjay Bhandari, who has chaired football's equality and inclusion charity Kick It Out since 2019, has announced he will step down at the end of the 2026-27 season, concluding more than seven years in the role.
Kick It Out was established in 1993 to tackle discrimination in football. Bhandari was awarded an MBE in 2024 in recognition of his services to the sport during his time with the organisation.
In a statement, Bhandari described chairing Kick It Out as a tremendous honour. He pointed to the charity's "Football United" strategy, which is designed to bring together governing bodies, clubs, players, supporters, communities and partners to achieve lasting change. He said that in a world that often feels increasingly negative and divided, the organisation is deliberately trying to strike a different tone.
He added that his successor will play a pivotal role in carrying this vision forward, leading an experienced board and working closely with the chief executive to represent what has become one of the most respected voices for equality and inclusion in sport.
Organisational changes
During Bhandari's tenure, Kick It Out underwent significant transformation, including greater financial independence and stronger governance, the appointment of an entirely new board and leadership team, and a restructured organisation.
Kick It Out will now launch a recruitment process aiming to identify a preferred candidate by the end of December. The incoming chair is expected to work alongside Bhandari until the end of the 2026-27 season before formally taking over on 1 July 2027.
