Manchester United has reasserted its identity as “an inclusive and welcoming club”, issuing a formal statement that implicitly rebuked anti-immigration comments made this week by its minority shareholder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The club’s direct and unusually swift response, published on Thursday, made no mention of Ratcliffe by name but served as an emphatic repudiation of his remarks. It anchored the club’s values firmly against the divisive statements made by the INEOS founder, who acquired a 27.7 per cent stake in the club in 2024.
“Manchester United prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club,” the statement began. “Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters reflect the history and heritage of Manchester – a city that anyone can call home.”
The rebuke comes after Ratcliffe, in an interview published on Tuesday, made disparaging remarks about immigrants and benefit claimants in the UK, stating that British society “has not been able to assimilate” immigrants and that he favours an “American-style points system”. He claimed that the UK has been colonised by immigrants. The comments sparked immediate backlash from fan groups and anti-racism organisations, who called on the club to distance itself from the position.
Thursday’s statement appears to be that direct response. It emphasised that since launching the All Red All Equal campaign in 2016, the club has “embedded equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do”, adding that these values are “reflected in our policies but also in our culture”.
The statement notably pivoted from the shareholder’s political commentary to a detailed list of the club’s recent community work, including initiatives on LGBTQ+ inclusion, the No Room for Racism campaign, and events with its Jewish and Disabled Supporters’ Associations.
“Manchester United reflects the unity and resilience of all the communities we are so privileged to represent,” the statement concluded. “We will continue to represent our people, our city and our fans with purpose and pride.”
Ratcliffe’s original comments had placed the club in an awkward position, given its global fanbase and its stadium’s location in one of the UK’s most ethnically diverse cities. The statement, released without direct attribution but clearly in response to the week’s events, re-established the club’s institutional position.
