Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari will stand down at the end of the 2026/27 season.
Bhandari, who was appointed chair in 2019, will resign after more than seven years in the role.
In his time in office he has overseen a transformation of the organization, including enhanced financial independence and governance, the appointment of an entirely new board and leadership team and a new team structure.
Kick It Out launched its new five-year strategy, Football United, last year and Samuel Okafor was appointed chief executive in 2024.
“It has been a tremendous honor to chair Kick It Out,” said Bhandari. “Our ‘Football United’ strategy has deliberately been built on a vision of bringing together governing bodies, clubs, players, supporters, communities and partners to create lasting change. “In a world that often feels increasingly negative and divided, we are consciously seeking to strike a different tone.The new Chair will be instrumental in supporting Kick It Out to achieve that vision by leading an experienced and dedicated Board and working closely with our chief executive to represent an organization that has become one of the most respected voices for equality and inclusion in sport.
“This is an incredible opportunity for someone who believes in the power of football to unite people and wants to help shape the future of the nation’s game.
Bhandari, who has been with the charity since it was founded in 1993, was awarded an MBE in 2024 for services to football.
Kick It Out will now enter a formal process to recruit a preferred candidate by the end of December 2026.
He will work alongside Bhandari for the rest of the 2026/27 season as part of an orderly transition before formally assuming the role on July 1, 2027.
The successful candidate will be inheriting a role at a time when there are significant challenges still to be overcome around making football more inclusive and representative, both on and off the pitch, whilst tackling discrimination.
Kick It Out has established itself as a powerful voice campaigning for policy change, working with the Government, regulators and football’s governing bodies including the Premier League, EFL, FA and PFA.
The charity also runs education programs with supporters, club academies and online, while its Raise Your Game program provides development opportunities.
Kick It Out’s discrimination reporting service remains central to its work as abuse reports continue to rise.
It has also extended its reach thru a partnership with Guinness 0.0, which has seen 4,000 staff trained to spot and tackle discrimination in 900 Greene King sports bars across England, Scotland and Wales.
As part of its strategy thru to 2030, Kick It Out is targeting further growth in its education and inclusion programs, working with partners including Sky, McDonald’s Fun Football, Visit Tampa Bay and Morrisons Foundation.