Lincoln City Fined £16,000 Over Homophobic Chanting

Lincoln City have been fined £16,000 by an independent Football Association regulatory commission after supporters engaged in homophobic chanting during an EFL Cup match against Chelsea.

The League One club admitted two breaches of FA Rule E21 following incidents during the 29th minute and at half-time of the tie, played at the LNER Stadium on 23 September 2025. On both occasions, a section of the home crowd was heard chanting “Chelsea rent boy”, a phrase the commission ruled was discriminatory and offensive, with an implied reference to sexual orientation.

In its written reasons, published following a personal hearing on 9 January 2026, the commission said the chanting was “plainly homophobic” and involved “a significant number of home fans”, estimating that more than 100 supporters were likely involved. The commission rejected the club’s assertion that only 20 to 25 fans took part.

The commission was critical of Lincoln City’s preparation and response, concluding the club did not have a sufficiently clear or robust plan to deal with the foreseeable risk of homophobic chanting, particularly given Chelsea’s history of being targeted by such abuse and Lincoln’s recent disciplinary record. While stadium announcements were made urging supporters to stop, the panel found little evidence of effective real-time intervention or concerted efforts to identify those responsible on the night.

The case represented Lincoln’s second breach of Rule E21 in recent months. In October 2025, the club was fined £8,500 and handed a 13-point action plan after discriminatory chanting by supporters during a match against Wrexham. Although the Chelsea incident occurred before that sanction was imposed, the commission described the timing as an aggravating factor.

Taking into account the repeat nature of the offence, the high-profile nature of the fixture and the failure to adequately plan for the risk, the commission said a fine of £20,000 would have been appropriate. This was reduced to £16,000 in mitigation, reflecting the club’s admission of the charges, cooperation with the FA and subsequent steps taken to address discriminatory behaviour.

The commission declined to impose a partial or full stadium closure, agreeing with the FA that such a sanction would be disproportionate in the circumstances. However, it warned the club it was effectively in the “last-chance saloon”, adding that future breaches could lead to more severe punishment.

Lincoln’s existing action plan has been extended until the end of the 2026–27 season, and the club has been urged to publicly communicate the outcome of the case and the seriousness with which further incidents would be treated. The club has the right to appeal the decision under FA disciplinary regulations.