The BBC’s analysis, conducted in collaboration with data science company Signify, identified football managers as the most frequent targets, after researchers reviewed posts published during 10 Premier League fixtures and six WSL matches on 8 and 9 November 2025.
Researchers examined more than 500,000 posts across X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, flagging 22,389 messages as potentially abusive. These included racist slurs, homophobic language and threats of violence. The vast majority (82%) of abusive content was published on X, according to the investigation.
“Online abuse is no longer just a personal issue, it’s a workplace wellbeing risk,” said Lou Campbell, founder of mental health support service Wellbeing Partners.
When employees are targeted, the psychological impact can mirror in-person harassment, prompting symptoms such as anxiety, hypervigilance, sleep disruption and reduced confidence, explained Campbell, who is a qualified mental health professional. “Employers and HR teams have a vital role in responding early and consistently,” she added.
To support staff who are facing online abuse, Campbell suggested that employers create a clear reporting pathway so that staff know who to tell and what support they will receive. “Normalising early disclosure helps prevent silent suffering, particularly for public-facing roles where exposure is higher,” she said.
Zoe Sinclair, founder of health and wellbeing consultancy This Can Happen, described the investigation findings as “truly shocking”, adding that online abuse has “huge implications for the mental health of these individuals”.
She said that HR professionals must be prepared to support employees facing abuse by creating a psychologically safe space at work.
Sinclair also suggested that employers should ensure that mental wellbeing is a frequent topic of conversation in the workplace, including at a leadership and managerial level.
She added that it is important to ensure workplaces have a robust employee assistance programme in place, so that managers can direct individuals experiencing abuse to clinical professionals and wider support resources.
Employers should ensure that rapid access to appropriate psychological care is available too, Campbell said, advising that it may be appropriate to refer affected employees to a specialist trauma-informed counselling service, to help them process threat-related stress and regain stability.
She continued: “Workplaces should consider running an awareness-raising webinar or internal panel discussion about online abuse and mental health, to [aid staff] understanding of the challenges facing employees in the wider world, and encourage further dialogue.”
