July 23 – Premier League clubs could follow the England Lionesses in stopping taking the knee next season amid growing division among anti-racism campaigners over the merits of the symbolic gesture.
The Premier League is planning to consult with club captains before the start of the campaign and will then take a decision based on the feedback provided in the annual pre-season meeting.
In a decision that’s reignited debate across English football, the England Lionesses have opted to stop taking the knee ahead of their European Championship semi-final against Italy. Dropping to a knee is seen as a stand against racial injustice. Instead the substitutes locked arms in a line on the touchline.
The move follows racist abuse directed at defender Jess Carter, yet groups like Kick It Out and Fare remain divided over whether the gesture has run its course or still holds weight.
This isn’t just about one player, or one team. English football has endured a shameful string of racist incidents in recent years. From vile online abuse targeting Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho after the Euro 2020 final the fight is far from over. The knee became a visual protest — first taken in June 2020 when Aston Villa and Sheffield United resumed Premier League action post-COVID. Since then, it’s echoed across every level of the English game.
The message though appears to be changing. Most EFL clubs and international sides have dropped the ritual. The Premier League limited the gesture last season to the first and last matchdays, and to designated ‘No Room For Racism’ fixtures in October and April.
While the Professional Footballers’ Association continues to support players’ choices, and Kick It Out has voiced solidarity, Fare isn’t letting go.
“The taking of the knee is a powerful anti-racist act and England Lionesses have shown leadership across Europe in taking it for so long,” said Fare’s executive director, Piara Powar. “Powerful actions are needed right now to deal with issues that are being played out as we speak.”
Powar has a point. In a league where more than a third of players are Black, and where stadiums and social media alike remain hotbeds for abuse, silence or symbolic retreat can feel like surrender.
The Lionesses have made their choice – and earned respect for the stand they’ve already taken. But the question lingers: if not the knee, what next in the fight against racism in football?
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