The report found that less than 1% of positions off the field and – in board rooms, management and coaching staff – are held by non-whites, while less than 2% of supporters on the terraces are from ethnic minorities.

And 75% of clubs have informal recruitment practices, meaning that “if your face fits, you get the job”.

There are no non-white members of the FA board or the 92-strong FA council and only one Premier League club reported having a non-white board director.

The report also found that while black players predominate at every level of the game, there are hardly any Asian or Chinese players at any level or in any age group.

The vast majority of professional football league clubs do not give their staff any training in equal opportunities, and in the Premier League only 32% of clubs trained their staff.

Trevor Phillips, chair of the CRE, said: “Football’s authorities and clubs are not taking racism seriously.

“They are clearly not doing enough to promote equal opportunities off the pitch and remove the barriers that prevent ethnic minorities working at all levels of the sport.

“And despite efforts by clubs and organisations, racism still remains a problem on the terraces and prevents black and Asian supporters going along to matches to support their teams.”

He added: “It is essential that those in charge of the football industry realise that addressing racial equality is a necessity, not an option.”

The report also found that many clubs, particularly in the lower divisions, still have no equal opportunities policy and where they did exist, they tended to be very basic.

No national football organisations followed best practice in recruitment and selection.

The report was launched to coincide with Europe’s biggest ever series of anti-racism activities in sport, which will start on Thursday and last for 12 days.

Organised by campaigning group Kick It Out, it will see fans, clubs, community groups and players across the UK getting involved, with anti-racism activity held at all professional clubs in England and Wales at home games.

The CRE’s report includes an action plan, and former England and Tottenham forward Garth Crooks and former Chelsea and Celtic defender Paul Elliott have been appointed to help implement it.

The plan called for all organisations within football to review recruitment and selection by November next year and to tackle under-representation of ethnic minorities and develop representative strategies by April 2006.

Mr Phillips said it was important that football led the way in racial equality.

“If our national game can have this kind of imbalance, what does that say for the rest of what we do as a nation?” he asked.

The report is based on analysis of responses to a questionnaire sent to 92 FA Premier League and Football League clubs, 43 county football associations, and national bodies such as the FA and the Premier League.

But Mr Phillips said a quarter of those questioned had not responded at all.

He said under-representation of ethnic minorities at the top of the game was probably due to a mix of outright bigotry, thoughtlessness and negligence, but ultimately he did not care about the motivation as long as the problem was addressed.

Lord Herman Ouseley, chair of Kick It Out, said he had no doubts that if the chairman of a club wanted to have ethnic minorities at every level they could make it happen.

Mr Phillips said if there had been no improvement in two years, the CRE would have to take further action.

He acknowledged that progress had been made by football’s governing bodies but more clearly needed to be done.

Asked about racist comments made by the manager of the Spanish national side, he said: “I don’t know why he is still there.”

Jonathan Hall, director of governance at the FA, welcomed the report and said it was right to recognise the lack of representation of ethnic minorities.

“The report obviously highlights areas where there is room for improvement and we recognise that,” he said.

But he said the good work already being done should also be recognised, with the FA encouraging those from all areas of the footballing community to stand for election to committees.

Sports Minister Richard Caborn said the Government supported the week of action and was confident that the CRE’s plan of action would be embraced.

It gave “a great opportunity for change” and should be integrated with the Government’s own work in the field, including looking at a review of the FA.

“We have come a long way on the terraces and we need now to build that into it,” he said of the report findings.

Mr Elliott said his appointment was a “great opportunity” to promote change.

“We have reached a kind of junction despite the progress being made,” he said.

“The latest findings tell us how much work needs to be done.”