Sanjay Bhandari to Step Down as Kick It Out Chair in 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 leave after more than seven years leading English football’s anti-discrimination charity. His tenure has coincided with a period of significant change, both inside the organisation and across the game.

He was awarded an MBE in 2024 for services to football during his time with Kick It Out, recognition of his role in pushing equality and inclusion to the forefront of the sport’s agenda.

Calling it a “tremendous honour” to chair the organisation, Bhandari highlighted the charity’s “Football United” strategy, which he said is 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,” he said, stressing that the incoming chair will be central to driving that vision.

During his time in charge, Bhandari oversaw what the charity describes as a transformation of its operations. That has included greater financial independence, strengthened governance, the appointment of an entirely new board and leadership team, and a revamped internal structure.

Kick It Out will now begin the search for his successor, aiming to identify a preferred candidate by the end of December. The plan is for the new chair to work alongside Bhandari through to the close of the 2026-27 campaign, before formally taking over on 1 July 2027.

By then, the organisation’s next leader will inherit one of the most prominent voices for equality and inclusion in sport – and the responsibility of turning “Football United” from strategy into lasting reality.