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

Kick It Out will head into the next decade under new leadership, with chair Sanjay Bhandari set to step down at the end of the 2026-27 season.

Bhandari, who took the role in 2019, will leave after more than seven years at the helm of English football’s leading anti-discrimination charity. His departure will mark the end of a period in which the organisation has reshaped both its structure and its voice in the game.

Honoured for his work – he received an MBE in 2024 for services to football – Bhandari described his time in charge as a “tremendous honour”.

He highlighted the charity’s “Football United” strategy, built on the idea of bringing together governing bodies, clubs, players, supporters, communities and partners to drive lasting change. In his words, Kick It Out is “consciously seeking to strike a different tone” in “a world that often feels increasingly negative and divided”.

The next chair, he said, will be central to delivering that vision, leading 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 a push for greater financial independence, tighter governance, the appointment of an entirely new board and leadership team, and a refreshed internal structure designed to sharpen its impact across the game.

Kick It Out 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 work alongside Bhandari through to the end of the 2026-27 campaign, before formally taking over on 1 July 2027 – a long handover for one of football’s most influential off-pitch roles.