Homophobia has been widespread in men's association football, also known as soccer, throughout the world. There are a number of openly LGBTQ players in women's association football, with relatively few in the men's game. Most of the men's players have come out after retirement.

Background In 2006 journalist Simon Barnes wrote that homophobia in football was entrenched and would never change, and in 2009 journalist Matt Williams wrote that being a gay professional player in football was still a taboo, Football magazine When Saturday Comes described homosexuality as a "continuing taboo" in the sport in 2013. One male player who came out after retiring said that there are at least as many closeted gay male players as there are openly LGBT+ female players. John Amaechi, the first NBA player to come out, in 2014 blamed football's "toxic" culture for the lack of openly gay players, while English former footballer Clarke Carlisle called for more education to be given to players to combat homophobia.

In June 2022, it was revealed that homophobia made up the majority of online abuse aimed at footballers, 40% for men and 27% for women.

In July 2023, Quinn became the first openly transgender player at a World Cup.

By country

Africa and the Middle East Egypt In June 2026, the Iran vs. Egypt World Cup match was designated a 'Pride Match'; homosexual relations in both countries remain illegal.

Iran In June 2026, the Iran vs. Egypt World Cup match was designated a 'Pride Match', which Iran's manager Amir Ghalenoei said his team would ignore.

Qatar Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, LGBT fans were told to be "respectful of the host nation" by British politician James Cleverly; same-sex activity is illegal in Qatar. LGBT organisations in England called on pubs and bars not to stream games.

Saudi Arabia In July 2023, English player Jordan Henderson, known for his support of LGBT rights, was criticised for signing for a Saudi Arabian club.

South Africa Eudy Simelane (1977–2008), a player on the South Africa women's national football team, was an openly lesbian player who was raped and murdered for being gay.

Phuti Lekoloane was an openly gay male player who played in the South African third division.

Americas

Canada Former MLS player David Testo, having been released by Montreal Impact the previous month, affirmed he was gay in an interview on the French Canadian division of Radio Canada that was published on 10 November 2011.

United States

On 15 February 2013, midfielder Robbie Rogers, who had been released by Leeds United a few weeks earlier, came out after announcing his retirement from professional football. Rogers later stated that being openly gay was "impossible" in the sport. He later returned to football, signing a multi-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Rogers stated in December 2013 that he had not received any contact from other, secretly, gay players.

In October 2020, San Diego Loyal FC player Collin Martin, who is openly gay, accused a Phoenix Rising FC opposition player of homophobic abuse in a match. San Diego Loyal walked off in protest, forfeiting the game. A few days later Phoenix Rising player Junior Flemmings received a six-match ban for the incident, and was placed by Phoenix Rising officials on administrative leave for the remainder of his contract term, which concludes on 30 November 2020. Flemmings has denied making the alleged comments.

Several female players have come out as LGBT as well. Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, and Ali Krieger are notable examples.

In March 2025, San Diego FC's opening home match of the 2025 MLS season was marred by repeated homophobic chants from the crowd, which the club condemned.

Mexico In June 2018, Mexican fans engaged in homophobic chanting during the 2018 FIFA World Cup game against Germany.

Mexican football fans are known for shouting out (a Spanish homophobic slur), when the opposing team's goalkeeper is about to perform a goalkick. The chant has been shouted during Liga MX matches as well as in matches with the Mexico national team. However, these chants have led to fines and have also led Liga MX, FIFA, and CONCACAF to implement protocols regarding them.

The first time these protocols were initiated were during a series of matches between Club León and Monarcas Morelia in 2019.

During the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Finals, fans chanted out the homophobic chant during both the semifinal against Costa Rica and the final match against the United States. This has led CONCACAF to initiate their anti-discrimination protocol by stopping the match in order to warn fans of getting ejected for saying the chant.

In June 2021 the Mexican Football Federation were punished by FIFA for alleged homophobic chants from their fans during the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship. They were fined up to $65,000 and were forced to have the Men's National Team to play two World Cup qualifying games behind closed doors.

In June 2023, during the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League semi-final between Mexico and the United States, there were homophobic chants from Mexican fans.

Brazil In 2007, Richarlyson was named on Brazilian television as gay by the administrative manager of a rival team. When Richarlyson undertook legal action, the complaint was thrown out by the judge, who stated "football was a virile masculine sport and not a homosexual one." Richarlyson would later come out as bisexual in 2022.

Jamerson Michel da Costa, nicknamed Messi, is the first Brazilian footballer who came out as homosexual while pursuing his professional career, in September 2010.

In January 2019, former Botafogo footballer Douglas Braga said that he had quit football aged 21 as it was not possible for him to be both gay and a footballer.

Many Brazilian footballers refuse to wear shirt number 24 for fear of being labelled as gay, as the number 24 is associated with homosexuality in Brazil. This derives from the number 24 in Jogo do bicho being assigned to the deer – in Portuguese, which sounds like , a slur for a gay man – and from the Portuguese for 24, , sounding like ("I came on all fours", making reference to the doggy style position).

After the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a shout imported from Mexican fans "oooh, puto" was adopted as a sensation by several fan groups organized as "oooh, bicha", shouted at rival team goal kicks. After interruptions due to homophobic demonstrations and the COVID-19 crisis, the shout fell into disuse.

Several renowned Brazilian women's internationals are openly lesbian, including Bárbara, Cristiane, Debinha and Marta.

Emerson Ferretti, historic goalkeeper for EC Bahia, was elected president of the club in 2023. Ferretti had declared himself homosexual in August 2022.

In 2024, the minor league football player Polidoro Júnior, famous for affairs with Brazilian celebrities, claimed to have had a relationship with Pabllo Vittar.

Europe

Austria In March 2024, national team manager Ralf Rangnick dropped three players for homophobic chanting following a club game.

Bulgaria In 2006, PFC Levski Sofia president Todor Batkov called referee Mike Riley a "British homosexual", following Riley's controversial sending off of Cedric Bardon during the UEFA Cup quarterfinal game against Schalke 04.

Czech Republic In 2019, Barbora Votíková, a Paris Saint-Germain FC and Czech Republic women's national football team player, came out as gay.

In February 2023, Sparta Prague and Czech Republic national team midfielder Jakub Jankto came out as gay, the first active men's international player to do so.

Denmark Anders Lindegaard is one of the few footballers to have spoken out against the intolerance of homosexuality in football and the absence of openly gay players from the professional game, in 2012.

England

In England, women's football has historically been more welcoming than men's football. English Football Hall of Fame inductee Lily Parr was openly lesbian at a time when female homosexuality, whilst (unlike male homosexuality) not illegal, was very much a taboo in British society. In August 2010, England coach Hope Powell was named in 68th place on The Independent newspaper's Pink List of influential lesbian and gay people in the UK. In 2011 the Belfast Telegraph reported the formation of the Belfast Braves, who claimed to be the first lesbian football team in the UK. In recent years far more players have come out with several high-profile players entering civil partnerships or marriage with their partners once they became legal in 2005 and 2015 respectively.

Justin Fashanu, older brother of fellow footballer John Fashanu, was the first men's professional footballer to come out as gay, after he agreed to an exclusive with tabloid newspaper The Sun on 22 October 1990. Fashanu was interviewed for the July 1991 cover story of Gay Times, and Fashanu revealed that no club had offered him a full-time contract since the story first appeared. He committed suicide in May 1998.

In 2013, David Haigh became the first openly gay managing director of an English football club. Liam Davis, a non-league player with Gainsborough Trinity, revealed in 2014 that he had been out as gay for four years; he is the country's only openly gay male semi-professional player.

On 16 May 2022, Blackpool player Jake Daniels came out as gay, making him the only current gay male professional footballer in the UK. He said that doing so would allow him to be "free and confident", and it was described by the BBC as a "watershed moment".

No player has ever played in the English Premier League while openly gay; German player Thomas Hitzlsperger, who had played in the league while closeted, stated in January 2014 that he thought it would be a long time before this happened. Players such as John Ruddy, Richarlison and Lucas Digne have spoken about their belief that a gay teammate would be accepted and supported. In July 2020, a current Premier League player revealed he was gay but would or could not come out.

On multiple occasions there have been reports of homophobic chanting by fans attending matches, and arrests made or fines issued to fans and clubs. , there are no openly gay male footballers in England's top four men's divisions, with Jake Daniels having left Blackpool F.C. when his contract expired in June 2025.

France Olivier Rouyer came out after retiring as a player and coach.

A gay amateur team operates in Paris under the name Paris Foot Gay. The club's highest-profile supporter from within the professional game has been former France national football team player Vikash Dhorasoo (who is heterosexual), whilst a number of leading French professional clubs have signed their charter against homophobia. The club ran into controversy in 2009, however, when an amateur side, Creteil Bebel, refused to play them due to the "principles" of Paris Foot Gay. Additionally, Ouissem Belgacem left Toulouse FC after five years of having to hide his homosexuality. In 2021, he published his autobiographic novel ["Goodbye to my shame"] to denounce homophobia in association football.

The issue returned to the spotlight in 2010 when amateur FC Chooz refused to register Yoann Lemaire, who had been with the club for 14 years, due to him being gay as they claimed it might lead to "trouble" with his teammates.

In March 2019, former player Patrice Evra denied making homophobic comments against Paris Saint-Germain.

In August 2019, a Ligue 2 match between Nancy FC and Le Mans FC was halted following homophobic chants from the stands against the league. France's Secretary of State for Equality, Marlene Schiappa reacted on Twitter and congratulated the referee for interrupting the match. Later that month a game between Nice and Marseille was halted due to homophobic chanting.