Chelsea Pride

Chelsea Pride is an LGBTQ+ community group affiliated with Chelsea Football Club. Their aim, to create an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ fans and allies, promoting equality and combating discrimination within the football community.

Chelsea Pride stands for the following principles:

Striving to make football a welcoming space for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, ensuring that LGBTQ+ fans feel safe and valued at matches and club events.

As a group they work to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues within the football community, challenging homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. Engaging in campaigns and initiatives to educate fans and promote positive attitudes.

Chelsea Pride provides a support network for LGBTQ+ fans, fostering a sense of belonging and solidarity, by organising social events, gatherings, and activities to build a strong, connected community.

Collaborating with Chelsea FC, other supporter groups, and organizations to advance LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports. They have an incredible partnership with the club, which helps integrate LGBTQ+ friendly policies and practices within the broader football culture.

By championing these values, Chelsea Pride aims to ensure that football is an inclusive sport where everyone can enjoy and participate without fear of discrimination or exclusion. 

2026, brings with it a strong powerful diverse committee, with a 5 year plan ready to make a difference. With hate on the rise, the Chelsea Pride team will be working hard to combat this. 

Football v Homophobia (FvH) is a year-round initiative tackling anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and building inclusive communities at all levels of the game, all around the world.

Every year, FvH focuses its work in February, which is the campaign’s Month of Action. 

They invite clubs, teams, fan groups, leagues and organisations to share the ‘Football for Everyone’ message and reaffirm their commitment to create safe and welcoming spaces in which LGBTQ+ people can thrive.

The Football v Transphobia week of action takes place from 25th to 31st March 2026, ending on Transgender Day of Visibility.

They encourage clubs, fans and other football stakeholders to get involved.

The FvH Awards is a unique event and gala occasion which celebrates achievements in LGBTQ+ inclusion in football, at all levels of the game, in the UK and overseas.

A number of community trusts / foundations in the men’s and women’s games  have registered to be FvH Champions, often alongside their respective clubs and fan groups.

FvH want to grow this support and raise greater awareness of the damaging impact of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in football.

In the professional game, we have seen a rise in the number of Premier League and EFL matches at which anti-LGBTQ+ incidents are being reported.

While reports of transphobia made to Kick It Out in the 2024/25 season doubled in number.

In grassroots football, there has been another rise in the number of offences linked to Homophobia.

Pride In Football are the network of UK LGBT+ football fans groups.

It’s estimated that around 6% of the population are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Trans+, including those who identify as Non-Binary or Gender-Diverse. 

In footballing terms, that’s more than 2000 LGBT+ fans at an average Premier League game or 5000 to watch England play at Wembley.

From 2013 onward, supporters at a range of clubs took the initiative by setting up LGBT+ fans groups. 

This allowed them to establish a dialogue with their respective clubs in order to improve their match day experience. 

Initially focusing on improvements in areas such as Steward Training, Incident Reporting and Signage.

It has also allowed fans to work with their club to promote the visibility of the LGBT+ fanbase. 

This has been achieved through various methods which have included displaying banners at grounds and through achieving club presence and participation in Pride events and parades.

Despite the progress that has been made over the last 10 years, more needs to be done to curb LGBT+phobic chanting and discrimination. 

Sadly, this still occurs regularly in English and Welsh Football stadia. 

Such incidents do little to make LGBT+ supporters feel welcome at games. 

They can even be enough to put them off attending games in person altogether.

Pride in Football exists to share good practice between our members, help new groups to form and represent the needs and views of LGBT+ supporters to footballing administrators and other key stakeholders. 

They have actively participated in the annual Rainbow Laces campaign and also work with allies and organisations such as Football v Homophobia and Kick It Out, as well as with supporters in general. 

It is by working together wherever possible that we are able to raise awareness of why seemingly harmless ‘banter’ isn’t acceptable.

The West London Queer Project (WLQP) is a non-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) driven by the desire to connect, support and give voice to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and other sexual and gender identifying (LGBTQ+) people in West London. ​

Our organisation aims to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people in West London and beyond. 

We offer fun events, a safe space, a welcoming, supportive and safe environment to uplift, empower, and connect as well as advocacy, awareness-raising and change making activities among local policy-makers.

The landmark ‘Festival of Football ’ community tournament brings together teams from across supporter networks, GFSN, the NHS and local businesses including dedicated FLINTA* divisions championing representation in football.

Homophobia and transphobia remain significant issues within Football, undermining the sport’s claim of inclusivity and equality. 

While progress has been made in promoting diversity, discrimination persists, not only through homophobia but also in the marginalisation and exclusion of the trans community from participation and recognition within the game. 

The festival aims to challenge discrimination and is working to create pathways for full participation. 

WLQP believes that football has a powerful opportunity to live up to its reputation as the beautiful game, one that truly welcomes everyone.