Sky Sports Commits Continued £1 Million Investment as Partnership with Kick It Out Enters Sixth Year Supporting Diversity in Football

Sky Sports Commits Continued £1 Million Investment as Partnership with Kick It Out Enters Sixth Year Supporting Diversity in Football

(IN BRIEF) Sky Sports and Kick It Out have extended their long-standing partnership for a sixth year, continuing a £1 million annual investment aimed at combating discrimination and promoting inclusivity in football. Over the past year, the collaboration has supported major initiatives such as the Football United strategy, Raise Your Game programme, and The Academy platform, while also expanding efforts into hospitality through a partnership with Guinness 0.0 and Greene King. The partnership has provided education, mentoring, and career development opportunities for individuals from underrepresented communities, alongside high-profile events and industry workshops. Sky Sports also contributed to a documentary honoring Kick It Out founder Lord Herman Ouseley, reinforcing the legacy of anti-discrimination efforts in football. The ongoing collaboration forms part of Sky’s broader £30 million commitment to tackling structural inequality, including scholarship programmes with the University of Liverpool Management School and digital learning initiatives reaching thousands of participants.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 9-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Sky Sports and Kick It Out have confirmed the continuation of their partnership for an additional year, reinforcing their shared mission to foster a more inclusive and welcoming football environment.

This latest extension marks the sixth consecutive year of collaboration and maintains an annual investment valued at £1 million, combining financial contributions with in-kind support. The initiative is designed to address discrimination across the sport while also opening up career pathways for individuals from underrepresented communities.

Over the past year, Sky Sports has played a key role in advancing several of Kick It Out’s flagship initiatives. These include supporting the rollout of the organisation’s five-year Football United strategy, promoting its partnership with Guinness 0.0, and contributing to programmes such as The Academy and Raise Your Game, which aim to equip aspiring professionals with access and opportunities within the football industry.

The Football United strategy officially launched at the start of the season in September, with Gary Neville attending the event at Team Lewis. The launch was hosted by Bela Shah, who later mentored participants from the Raise Your Game programme. Among them were Elliott-Jay Henry and Razaq Folarin, who gained first-hand presenting experience after connecting with Shah at Sky Sports Studios in Osterley.

Sky Sports also helped highlight Kick It Out’s collaboration with Guinness 0.0, aimed at improving inclusivity within pubs. The campaign included a launch event featuring Clinton Morrison at a Greene King venue in Westminster. This initiative focuses on training thousands of hospitality staff to identify and address discriminatory behaviour linked to football culture.

Further engagement included a Media Raise Your Game event hosted by Dharmesh Sheth at UCFB Wembley Campus, where industry professionals delivered workshops to a record number of attendees.

In tribute to the late Lord Herman Ouseley, Sky Sports collaborated on a documentary celebrating his legacy in combating racism in football. The film aired on Sky Sports and was also screened during England’s international match against Latvia in March 2025, aligning with what would have been his 80th birthday. Additional digital tributes were displayed across LED screens at Wembley Stadium to honour his lasting impact.

This partnership forms part of Sky’s broader £30 million commitment to tackling structural inequality. Over the years, funding has supported initiatives such as a joint scholarship with the University of Liverpool Management School, enabling students from diverse backgrounds to pursue an MBA in Football Industries. It has also strengthened Kick It Out’s digital education platform, The Academy, which has delivered training on equality, diversity, and inclusion to nearly 5,000 participants.

Hollie Varney, COO of Kick It Out, highlighted the importance of the collaboration in expanding access and opportunities across football, aligning closely with the organisation’s long-term vision for a more representative industry.

David Carrigan, Sky’s Group Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing, emphasized that the continued partnership reflects a sustained commitment to driving meaningful change, leveraging Sky’s reach to promote inclusion and challenge discrimination throughout the game.

About Sky

Sky connects and entertains millions of people across Europe. At the heart of everything we do, is a belief that people deserve better. For decades, we’ve shaken up every category we entered to give people what they love, to make life a little easier and to provide great value. That’s how we bring millions of customers the joy of a better experience in TV, broadband and mobile.

In TV, we offer the best sports coverage, unmissable TV and the smartest ways to stream and aggregate the TV you love. In broadband, we power homes and businesses, with a fast, reliable connection. In mobile, we bring people closer, with plans at unbeatable value. And now, you can even keep your home connected and protected, through our smart insurance. We design our products to fit seamlessly into your life, with service whenever and however you need it.

That’s how we do better for customers. And we believe in better for society too. We power the cultural economy in the UK and beyond, making award-winning news, original sport, and entertainment. We contribute billions to UK GDP, creating and sustaining thousands of jobs and sharing both our journalism and our coverage of the arts, free of charge. We are cutting emissions and making recyclable, energy-efficient products, and we give back, through free internet access and digital skills for under-served communities and young people.

Sky is owned by Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company.

Media contact:
skypress@sky.uk

SOURCE: Sky