Leeds Beckett University research contributes to report naming online abuse a “systemic safeguarding issue” in football

The findings are published in a new Online Harms in Football report from Fair Game, supported by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Football. The report draws on the 2026 APPG for Football inquiry into online harms and examines the experiences of people across the full football ecosystem.

The research finds that online abuse is getting worse, it is affecting wellbeing (83% reported a negative impact) and stopping people participating at all levels – with female players receiving more abuse than men.

About the work, Professor Dan Kilvington says, “The report highlights that urgent action is needed to ensure that football, as a whole, is a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, across all its forms and every level.”

“There are concerning statistics, including that 68% of Premier League players received online abuse during the 2021-2022 season."

“It also uncovered that it was unequal in nature and impact: female players (across all leagues) are 29% more likely to be targeted than men, and 60% of women supporters who experienced abuse reported identity-based hate speech, compared with 23% of men.

Professor Tom Fletcher adds, “The report has shown that many footballers now view online abuse as a normal part of their working lives. When abuse becomes something players expect to endure, it stops being challenged and starts becoming embedded in the culture of the game.

“Partners, parents, children and other family members are also often drawn into the abuse, spreading the impact beyond the individual target and creating fear, anxiety and distress for those closest to them.

“Through education at every level of football, we can help players, supporters and organisations recognise that online harm is not an inevitable consequence of sport, but a safeguarding issue that can and should be prevented.”

The full report, including its six key findings and proposed STEP-UP framework to address the issues, is accessible to read on the Fair Game website. It concludes “those participating in the game should be afforded the same expectation of safety within the digital stadium as they are within the physical one.”

The report was co-authored by Professor Thomas Fletcher, Professor of Sociology of Sport at Leeds Beckett University, and Professor Daniel Kilvington, Professor of Media and Culture at Leeds Beckett University, alongside researchers from Sheffield Hallam University and Loughborough University.