Abuse across sports social media hits a record high as sexism reaches 4.5 times baseline
Sexism, H1 2026 average. More than four and a half times its baseline, up 46.6% year on year.
Report · Index
Abuse across sports social media hits a record high as sexism reaches 4.5 times baseline
The Areto Global Hate Speech Index, H1 2026 (January to June).
By Areto Team
Catch-up edition. This edition covers Q1 and Q2 2026 together. From here, the Index is published as three quarterly editions and an annual report each year.
Online abuse targeting sports accounts reached its highest level since tracking began in the first half of 2026. The General Index averaged 179.5 from January to June, up 11.5% on H1 2025 and 38.6% on H2 2025. Both quarters of 2026 (Q1: 177, Q2: 182) were higher than any quarter before them.
Sexism is the standout. The Sexism Index averaged 454.5, more than four and a half times its baseline and up 46.6% year on year. Abuse is no longer spiking and receding. In H1 2026 it held at an elevated level for six straight months.
H1 2026 at a glance
Dashed line: the baseline of 100. Bars run from 0 to 600.
| Dimension | H1 2026 | H1 2025 | Year on year | H2 2025 | Half on half |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 179.5 | 161.0 | +11.5% | 129.5 | +38.6% |
| Women's sports | 162.0 | 240.5 | −32.6% | 157.5 | +2.9% |
| Men's sports | 159.0 | 147.5 | +7.8% | 134.0 | +18.7% |
| Sexism | 454.5 | 310.0 | +46.6% | 180.0 | +152.5% |
| Transphobia | 104.5 | 483.0 | −78.4% | 83.5 | +25.1% |
| Racism | 86.5 | 148.0 | −41.6% | 66.5 | +30.1% |
| Homophobia | 59.5 | 106.0 | −43.9% | 37.5 | +58.7% |
Baseline: Q1 2024 = 100. Half-year figures are the average of the two quarterly index values.
From episodic to persistent
For most of the Index's history, abuse moved in sharp spikes. Homophobia jumped to 236 in Q2 2024, transphobia to 733 in Q2 2025, and the Women's Index to 314 in the same quarter. Each spike fell back within a quarter or two.
H1 2026 looks different. The General Index moved only five points between quarters (177 to 182). Sexism held near 450 in both quarters (459, then 450). The Men's Index edged up from 157 to 161. These aren't single-event surges. They're elevated levels that held for six months.
The General Index has now risen in four of five half-years: 102.5 in H1 2024, 116.0 in H2 2024, 161.0 in H1 2025, a dip to 129.5 in H2 2025, and 179.5 now.
Abuse is no longer spiking and receding. In H1 2026 it held at an elevated level for six straight months.
Women vs. men: the gap closed, because men's abuse hit a record
The Men's Index reached 159.0 in H1 2026, its highest half-year on record, up 7.8% year on year and 18.7% on H2 2025. The Women's Index averaged 162.0. That's down 32.6% year on year but still 62% above baseline. The two are now almost level, at a ratio of 1.02, down from 1.63 a year earlier.
| Half-year | Women's Index | Men's Index | Ratio (W:M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| H1 2026 | 162.0 | 159.0 | 1.02 |
| H2 2025 | 157.5 | 134.0 | 1.18 |
| H1 2025 | 240.5 | 147.5 | 1.63 |
| H2 2024 | 217.0 | 110.5 | 1.96 |
| H1 2024 | 180.0 | 126.0 | 1.43 |
The year-on-year fall in the Women's Index largely reflects a single spike dropping out of the comparison. Within H1 2026, the Women's Index rose from 141 in Q1 to 183 in Q2, up 30% in one quarter.
Each index is measured against its own Q1 2024 baseline, so the ratio shows how far each has moved from its starting point. It isn't a direct comparison of abuse rates on women's and men's accounts.
Abuse by type
Sexism: a record, and holding. The Sexism Index averaged 454.5, up 46.6% year on year and 152.5% on H2 2025. The previous sexism high was 340, in Q4 2024. Sexism has been above baseline in eight of the nine quarters since the baseline was set, and it rose to a record while the Women's Index fell. That suggests sexist abuse isn't confined to women's sports accounts.
Transphobia: a steep fall that reflects last year's spike. The Transphobia Index averaged 104.5, close to baseline. The 78.4% year-on-year fall is mostly a base effect from the Q2 2025 spike of 733. Against H2 2025, transphobia rose 25.1%.
Racism and homophobia: below baseline, but rebounding. Racism averaged 86.5 and homophobia 59.5. Both fell sharply year on year (−41.6% and −43.9%) and rose against H2 2025 (+30.1% and +58.7%).
A persistent problem needs a persistent response
- Platforms: treat sexist abuse as a standing moderation priority, not an event-driven one, and apply it across all sports accounts, not only women's.
- Leagues and clubs: provide year-round protection and reporting support for athletes in both men's and women's competitions, where abuse is now at or near record levels.
- Policymakers: require consistent, period-by-period transparency on how platforms detect and act on abuse, so progress can be measured against a baseline.
Methodology
What is hate speech? The Areto Index covers both illegal speech, such as threats or incitement to violence, and harmful speech that, while not necessarily illegal, makes people feel unsafe or unwelcome, so that they disengage or leave the digital community.
How is the Index calculated? The Index divides the total number of abusive comments by the total number of comments analysed across all accounts. That gives a standard way to track harmful content relative to overall engagement.
How is the Index benchmarked? The Index is based on real-world social media comments from sports leagues and club ecosystems across North America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. The baseline is Q1 2024 = 100.
