🗣️ “My #LGBTQfootball team helped to create the space for me to come out” - @charlgsport.bsky.social ⚽️🌈 🗣️ “I’m sure queer sports clubs will enable many more people to come out and find their tribes” - Craig Stephenson Two EuroGames Cardiff 2027 team members share their stories on Coming Out Day… 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

'LGBTQ sports clubs are essential' - EuroGames 2027 team members share stories on Coming Out Day

October 11 is Coming Out Day, and EuroGames Cardiff 2027 is celebrating the role that queer sports plays in helping LGBTQ+ people unlock their potential; here, two members of the committee that's deli...

sportsmedialgbt.com

England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The @footballvhomophobia.com campaign says it is “deeply concerned” by new statistics on homophobia in grassroots football and the lack of charging of perpetrators. FA data shows homophobia in grassroots football rose by more than 35% last season. sportsmedialgbt.com/grassroots-f...

Big rise in homophobia reports in grassroots football, only small increase in FA charges

Football Association data shows nearly 1,000 serious case allegations relating to sexual orientation in grassroots game in England in 2025/26; charges for this type of discrimination up by just over 2...

sportsmedialgbt.com

NEW: Mal and Smasher are part of the brilliantly named "Super Smash Brollers" at East Midlands Open Roller Derby. In July, they put a ring on it and got engaged 💕! Their #rollerderby team has signed the #RainbowLaces Proud Pledge. To mark RL Day, here's an #LGBTQsports story with lots of love...

Sports clubs should be where love lives - Rainbow Laces Day is a welcome reminder

An uplifting tale from roller derby is perfect for the awareness day about LGBTQ inclusion in sports.

sportsmedialgbt.substack.com

The joy of being active should be something everyone can experience. 🌈 On #RainbowLacesDay, we're sharing our partner story on trans and non-binary inclusion in physical activity and the power of creating spaces where everyone feels they belong. 🔗 https://ow.ly/cg9n50ZVLJl #ActiveLivesForAll

🌈👟 RAINBOW LACES DAY 👟🌈 This year @stonewalluk.bsky.social 's day for LGBT+ mental health and movement is asking everyone to take ONE action today! #MoveWithPride #RainbowLaces #Stonewall #LGBTCharity #LGBTSports

Happy #RainbowLacesDay 🌈! Great to set this back on the calendar - an awareness activation for a campaign that will always be significant to me… 📸 www.instagram.com/p/DeOrqPItqt... #RainbowLaces @stonewalluk.bsky.social @sportsmedialgbt.com

🌈 It’s Rainbow Laces Day - time to lace up and show support for LGBTQ inclusion in sports, just like Mersey Rose Recreationals Cricket Club… ✍️ “The friendly club” was an early adopter of the Proud Pledge, a way to clearly display the values that underpin the #RainbowLaces campaign 1/2

Gay college athlete traded cheerleading for soccer and found the family he needed - buff.ly/Lmt45Ua

“It was like he was wiped off the face of the earth.” Tony Powell, a former English top flight star, vanished 40 years ago. His story is told in The Last Guest at the Holloway Motel. It is a powerful, emotional and important watch. For @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/765...

The English soccer star who vanished for 40 years to hide his secret: ‘I was living in fear’ (Gift Article)

Tony Powell lost all contact with his family and left behind his entire life for four decades after leaving Norwich City in 1981.

nytimes.com

⚽️ Nearly 1,000 reports of homophobia were made in grassroots football in England in 2025/26, up by 35% compared to 2024/25 - yet the number of FA charges for this type of discrimination rose by just 2%. Football v Homophobia says investment in achieving “better outcomes” is needed. #FvH2026 #LGBTQ

Big rise in homophobia reports in grassroots football, only small increase in FA charges

Football Association data shows nearly 1,000 serious case allegations relating to sexual orientation in grassroots game in England in 2025/26; charges for this type of discrimination up by just over 2...

sportsmedialgbt.com

Football v Homophobia has issued a statement in response to the Football Association’s 2025/26 season Annual Grassroots Behaviour and Discipline Report. For the fourth consecutive year, the report shows a rise in serious case allegations related to sexual orientation. 1/2

🇯🇵 Huge news in Japan, as volleyball player Rui Takahashi becomes the first athlete in the history of men’s pro sports in the country to come out as gay. For @outsports.com, Olympians Erik Shoji, Tim Koleto and Javier Raya have all shared their thoughts and sent goodwill messages to Rui… 🏳️‍🌈 #LGBTQ

Volleyball player is 1st out gay athlete in Japanese men’s pro sports - Outsports

Volleyball player Rui Takahashi is the first gay male pro athlete in Japan to come out publicly. He has support from his brother, who was also his teammate.

outsports.com

If you haven't yet watched Kylie's AFL Grand Final pre-game show, go check it out! Thanks to Chris at @joy949.bsky.social's "GayFL" for giving me the queer lowdown on what happened at the MCG, and the awesome podcast he's created with his husband, Brendan. For @outsports.com #LGBTQsports #AFL

Kylie and 'GayFL' delivered the most gay-friendly Grand Final ever - Outsports

Kylie Minogue’s epic show set the stage for an AFL Grand Final with record ratings. The ‘GayFL’ radio show tells Outsports why.

outsports.com

⚽️🌈 ICYMI over the weekend - a new episode of the FvH Podcast is OUT, previewing this Saturday’s FSA and @prideinfootball.bsky.social forum event in Nottingham. 🎧 Listen here - pod.fo/e/65801d 👀 Info + 🎟️ link - www.footballvhomophobia.com/lgbtq-fan-gr... #StrongerTogether #LGBTQfootball

Football v Homophobia: 'Visibility isn’t enough': So what do LGBTQ football fans want? With Rainbow Devils and Proud Forest

For the first time in more than seven years, LGBTQ supporters’ groups from across British football are gathering for a major event.There are now more than 50 groups within the Pride in Football a...

pod.fo

NEW: A summit for football fans who are #LGBTQ or allies is being held in Nottingham on Saturday. Martin Hyland, founder and chair of Proud Forest, tells the FvH Podcast that the event is “a great starting point” for anyone new to the game’s queer community… #LGBTQfootball @proudforest.bsky.social

‘You find people like you’ - LGBTQ football fans recommend ‘Stronger Together’ event

A summit for football fans who are LGBTQ or allies is being held in Nottingham on October 3; Martin Hyland, founder and chair of Proud Forest, says the event is “a great starting point” for anyone new...

sportsmedialgbt.com

Big in Japan: Meet the giant athlete who’s the only out active pro player in his sport - www.outsports.com/2026/9/23/24...

NEW: The FvH Podcast returns, with an episode focusing on #LGBTQfootball supporters groups ahead of the ‘Stronger Together’ event in Nottingham on October 3. Cass from @rainbowdevils.bsky.social and Martin from @proudforest.bsky.social join Jon for a chat! 🎧⚽️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @prideinfootball.bsky.social

Football v Homophobia: 'Visibility isn’t enough': So what do LGBTQ football fans want? With Rainbow Devils and Proud Forest

For the first time in more than seven years, LGBTQ supporters’ groups from across British football are gathering for a major event.There are now more than 50 groups within the Pride in Football a...

pod.fo

🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🌈 It’s been so uplifting to see Kyle Tayler-Woolston’s rugby story reaching so many people… check out the short film by S4C featuring the Newport RFC flanker, his husband George, and teammate Chay (Interviews are in English) @igrugby.bsky.social @pridesportscymru.bsky.social #LGBTQsports

Kyle Tayler-Woolston, y chwaraewr hoyw agored cyntaf yn Super Rygbi Cymru | S4C #Rygbi

YouTube video by S4C Chwaraeon

youtu.be

🗣️“People who are our friends, teammates and supporters have been detained or jailed... They are part of the closest circle around our groups.” The anti #LGBTQ crackdown in Turkey is impacting on queer sports clubs. For @outsports.com, I spoke to leaders of two teams who fear for their future.

Turkish LGBTQ sports clubs hit by arrests in anti-gay crackdown - Outsports

LGBTQ sports clubs in Turkey have told Outsports that their teammates are among those arrested in the Erdogan government’s crackdown.

outsports.com

🎥 September 2016 saw the premiere of WONDERKID, an independent short film about a young professional footballer who is gay and is struggling to come out. Written and directed by Rhys Chapman, the drama had a huge impact and within months, it was being broadcast to the nation by Sky Sports.

NEW: 15 #LGBTQsports clubs from across London and the South-East have been shortlisted in the various categories of the Out For Sport Awards 2026. It’s the fifth edition of the Awards, and Out For Sport’s co-chair David Lionetti says the strength of nominations reflects the power of the community.

Out For Sport Awards shortlist revealed as London's LGBTQ+ sports community gears up for gala night

Fifth edition of awards event celebrating achievements of LGBTQ+ inclusive sports clubs across London and the South-East will be held on October 16; 15 different teams, groups and organisations repres...

sportsmedialgbt.com

"For one day, they created a space where queer people could run, dance, compete and celebrate together without apology." 👏 Loved this uplifting photo-essay about the courageous attendees of the inaugural Pride Playoffs in Ibadan, Nigeria. ✍️ Temiloluwa Johnson, @autostraddle.bsky.social #LGBTQ

PHOTOESSAY: Nigeria's First Pride Playoffs

What does it look like when queer people create traditions of their own? This is it.

autostraddle.com

NEW: #BiVisibilityDay can be a reminder of just how rare the representation is for athletes from that part of our community. When Jack Dunne came out publicly in 2021, he'd already been welcomed by his teammates. He's still the only out male player in elite pro rugby. An @outsports.com interview

On Bi Visibility Day, pro rugby player Jack Dunne is glad to be out - Outsports

Jack Dunne, the only out active player in elite men's rugby, tells Outsports about 'culture shock' of Japan and why Bi Visibility Day matters.

outsports.com

Today is Bi Visibility Day, particularly significant among the awareness days in the LGBTQ calendar, because bi+ folks make up the majority of our community, but don’t see themselves represented so often - not least in sports. 🩷💜💙 Sharing a quote about how Freddie Mercury helped to inspire the day…

A champion to celebrate: Bisexual icon Freddie Mercury, the fabulous new Wembley Stadium mural, and his favourite sports

The legendary singer, who would have turned 80 this month, helped to inspire Bisexual Awareness Week.

sportsmedialgbt.substack.com

🗓️ Keeping it real on Bi Visibility Day with some handy sports-specific advice… 🩷💜💙

Football v Homophobia@footballvhomophobia.com · 3w ago

🩷💜💙 With a little extra awareness, we can all help to make our football and sports spaces more welcoming for everyone… 🗓️ September 23 is Bisexual Visibility Day, originally titled as Celebrate Bisexuality Day ⚽️🌈 To mark the day, we’re sharing 3️⃣ ways to be an ally to bi people in sports…

It’s Bi Awareness Week, leading up to Bi Visibility Day on Wednesday 🩷💜💙 Ahead of marking the day, we’re re-sharing our chat with Lewis from @proudskyblues.co.uk Interested in helping us celebrate the bi+ community in football? Reach out! 📧, DM or tag us in 🙌 #LGBTQ #BiWeek #BiVisibilityDay

Proud Sky Blues founder Lewis Wale on Bi Visibility Day

Coventry City’s LGBTQ+ and allies fan group, Proud Sky Blues, is celebrating its second anniversary founder Lewis Wale talks about the journey so far and the importance of Bi Visibility Day on Septemb...

footballvhomophobia.com

'Plans have collapsed for a £10 million “Visit Ghana” campaign that could have attracted gay fans of England’s Sunderland AFC football/soccer team to the West African nation that’s close to enacting a bill that would jail LGBTQ+ tourists and their supporters' 76crimes.com/2026/09/15/g...

Ghana's £10m deal is dead; gay fans won't be lured to homophobic nation

Plans have collapsed for a £10 million “Visit Ghana” campaign that could have attracted gay  fans of England's Sunderland AFC football/soccer team to the West

76crimes.com

an anonymous editor just gave 2,480 characters to “Gay Gooners”. No one asked; no one will pay. They spent their hours making the world a little more complete anyway.

Gay Gooners

The Gay Gooners, occasionally stylised as GayGooners, are the official LGBTQ supporters' group for Arsenal F.C., a British association football club. Formed in February 2013, they are widely recognised as the first LGBTQ supporters' club in English football and the first LGBTQ supporters' group in UK football to march at Pride in London. They have since grown to become the largest such group in England, with more than 2,000 members and allies as of 2025, according to the club. Their Bluesky account states that the group now has over 2,500 members, making them the world's largest LGBTQ+ football fan group.

en.wikipedia.org

UK 🇬🇧 A new 30ft mural at Wembley Park Stadium is celebrating bisexual icon Freddie Mercury, whose September birthday helped inspire Celebrate Bisexuality Day. Sports Media LGBTIQ explore his enduring legacy. buff.ly/VoMGN7V

NEW: Could LGBT+-inclusive grassroots football leagues fit into the new FA-affiliated mixed adult football format? In its 20th anniversary year, the London Unity League recently considered this option - but it’s not being pursued, at least for now. Here’s a look at the reasons why... #LGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈⚽️🏳️‍⚧️

‘Inappropriate to proceed’ - why an LGBT+ league said no to FA-affiliated mixed football

In the second part of a series of articles on the FA’s new offering of affiliated mixed adult football, Sports Media LGBT+ reports on challenging discussions within the London Unity League.

sportsmedialgbt.substack.com