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Manchester United Muslim supporters call for Ratcliffe and Glazers to leave
20th September, 2026 10:37 AM
The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) has called for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family to leave the club, following fresh comments by the United co-owner about immigration and Britain’s economic situation.
Ratcliffe, who owns a 27.7 per cent stake in Manchester United, made the remarks during a BBC interview on Saturday, September 19, 2026. The Ineos founder argued that Britain was facing decline, citing high taxation and immigration among the issues contributing to the country’s problems.
The latest comments have reignited controversy surrounding the billionaire’s public statements on immigration. Earlier this year, Ratcliffe apologised after remarks in which he claimed Britain had been “colonised by immigrants”, saying he was sorry for “offending some people”.
Manchester United subsequently stressed its commitment to inclusion, while the BBC reported that a source familiar with the Glazer family said the club’s majority owners had been “horrified” by Ratcliffe’s earlier comments.
Ratcliffe’s remarks condemned
In a statement issued on Saturday, September 19, 2026, MUMSC said it had previously criticised Ratcliffe’s remarks but had hoped his apology would bring an end to the issue.
“We condemned those comments then,” said the Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) on Saturday, September 19, 2026, in a statement of no confidence in the club’s ownership.
“He [Ratcliffe] subsequently apologised for his choice of language. We hoped a lesson had been learned. Clearly, it has not.
“This week, Sir Jim has again placed immigration and people receiving benefits at the centre of his explanation for Britain’s problems, arguing that nobody is ‘tough enough’ to deal with either.
“We find these latest comments deeply disappointing and completely unacceptable.”
The supporters’ group also emphasised the international and multicultural character of Manchester United, pointing to the diversity among the club’s players, employees and supporters.
MUMSC highlighted that United’s “players, staff, stewards, security teams and supporters come from different countries, cultures, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds”.
The group added: “Manchester United would not be Manchester United without them. That diversity isn’t a weakness of Manchester United. It is part of Manchester United.”
Ratcliffe’s arrival and impact
Ratcliffe became United’s minority owner in 2024 after acquiring his stake and has since been involved in a major restructuring of the club. His tenure has included around 450 redundancies, changes to the senior leadership structure and the dismissal of two managers.
The supporters’ organisation also broadened its criticism to include the Glazer family, who have remained the club’s majority owners.
According to MUMSC, some supporters initially viewed Ratcliffe’s arrival as a possible turning point after years of dissatisfaction with the Glazer ownership. However, the group said concerns over rising ticket costs, the condition of Old Trafford and the team’s sporting performances had continued.
MUMSC said its members had hoped Ratcliffe’s arrival “would finally signal meaningful change” following what they described as years in which the Glazer family had “presided over Manchester United’s decline”.
The group argued that its concerns were no longer limited to Manchester United’s results on the pitch.
Among the issues it cited were “higher ticket prices” and “a stadium allowed to deteriorate”, as well as “a football team that continues to fall further behind where Manchester United should be”.
The timing of the statement comes during a difficult start to the 2026-27 campaign for United. The club went into the weekend 13th in the Premier League with four points from its opening four matches.
United had also suffered an early Carabao Cup exit after losing 3-2 at home to Brighton on Wednesday, despite taking a two-goal lead in the match.
MUMSC ultimately issued a direct call for a change in ownership.
“After years of decline, broken promises and repeated failure, Manchester United Muslim Supporters’ Club has lost confidence in the current ownership structure of Manchester United Football Club,” MUMSC concluded.
“Enough is enough. It is time for change. The Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe must go,” they said.
