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

Kick It Out will soon prepare for life after Sanjay Bhandari, with the chair set to leave his role at the end of the 2026-27 season.

Bhandari, appointed in 2019, will walk away after more than seven years at the helm of English football’s leading anti-discrimination charity, having helped reshape the organisation on and off the pitch.

Honoured with an MBE in 2024 for his services to football, Bhandari described the role as a “tremendous honour” and underlined the vision that has guided his time in charge.

He highlighted the charity’s “Football United” strategy, which he said is built on bringing together governing bodies, clubs, players, supporters, communities and partners to create lasting change. In a climate he described as “increasingly negative and divided”, Bhandari stressed that Kick It Out has tried to “strike a different tone”.

The outgoing chair said his successor will be central to driving that work, leading what he called an experienced and committed board and working closely with the chief executive to represent “one of the most respected voices for equality and inclusion in sport”.

Bhandari’s tenure has coincided with a significant overhaul of the organisation. He has overseen moves towards greater financial independence, tighter governance, the appointment of an entirely new board and leadership team, and the introduction of a fresh internal structure designed to sharpen Kick It Out’s impact across the game.

The charity will now launch a recruitment process, 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 carefully managed handover at a time when football’s fight for equality shows no sign of easing.