Bhandari has been a prominent public figure for Kick It Out during a period when English football has faced repeated scrutiny over racism, abuse and the protection of players, supporters and staff. The report says he was appointed in 2019 and oversaw changes tied to stronger governance and improved financial independence.
That matters because advocacy groups need credibility as much as visibility.
The next phase looks just as important as the departure itself. The report says Kick It Out will begin a formal recruitment process aimed at identifying a successor by the end of December 2026.
That points to a structured handover rather than a rushed appointment. In football, where so much debate is reactive, that kind of planning matters. The strongest candidate will likely need a blend of boardroom authority, policy knowledge and enough public presence to keep anti-discrimination work high on the agenda when headlines move elsewhere.
The incoming chair is unlikely to get a quiet start. Football’s inclusion debate is constant, not cyclical. Social media abuse, matchday reporting systems, education work and pressure on institutions to act faster are all live issues.
The next storyline to watch is the recruitment itself: whether Kick It Out looks for continuity, or uses this moment to reset its leadership profile for the next phase of the fight.