Homosexuality in English football has been described as a taboo subject by both players and the media. , there are no openly gay male footballers in England's top four men's divisions, with Jake Daniels having left Blackpool F.C. in 2025. Some, such as Peter Clayton, who chairs the FA's "Homophobia in Football" working group, have argued that, in some clubs, there are barriers to male players "coming out", as they are commercial assets which may be damaged. This is complicated by the owners of many clubs being from countries where homosexuality is criminalized.
Conversely, several high-profile England women's players have come out as lesbian including Lily Parr, Lianne Sanderson, Casey Stoney, Kelly Smith, Fara Williams, and Beth Mead, with attitudes around the women's game being more tolerant than the men's.
Homosexuality in England and Wales (but not Scotland or Northern Ireland) was decriminalised in 1967, leading to more liberal public attitudes. While many openly gay politicians and entertainers have remained elected and popular with little comment on their sexuality, men's football has not experienced the same degree of openness. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, rumours in the press or joking between fans and players and even hostile homophobic abuse continue to feature within the game.
In a 2009 survey, most fans said they would like to see homophobia taken out of football, that the FA were not doing enough to tackle the issue and that they would be comfortable to see a player on their team come out of the closet.
Players and staff in men's football
Prior to 1967 In 2025, author Grant Bage revealed that while researching former England and Ipswich Town manager Alf Ramsey, he had discovered documents indicating an unnamed Ipswich player had been charged with and had admitted in court to committing an act of gross indecency in 1955, prior to the legalisation of homosexual activity in the United Kingdom. Bage also reported that other documents indicated that Ramsey had supported the player, arguing with the club's directors in favour of his inclusion back in the squad following his conviction.
1990s
Justin Fashanu, older brother of fellow footballer John Fashanu, was the first professional footballer to come out as gay, after he agreed to an exclusive with tabloid newspaper The Sun on 22 October 1990. Fashanu claimed to have had an affair with a married Conservative MP who he first met in a London gay bar. A week later, John Fashanu publicly distanced himself from his brother, describing Justin as an "outcast", while Justin's manager Brian Clough famously described him as a "bloody poof". 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. In the morning of 3 May 1998, he was found hanged in a deserted lock-up garage he had broken into, in Shoreditch, London, after visiting Chariots Roman Spa, a local gay sauna. In his suicide note, he stated: "I realised that I had already been presumed guilty. I do not want to give any more embarrassment to my friends and family," in reference to allegations of sexual assault made against him.
2010s
In February 2013, American Leeds United player Robbie Rogers came out as gay, becoming the second male soccer player in Britain to do so after Justin Fashanu in 1990. Also 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.
Following a series of injuries, German player Thomas Hitzlsperger retired from football in September 2013. After his retirement, he came out as gay, the highest-profile male footballer in the world to do so. In November 2017, Pink News credited David Haigh along with Robbie Rogers and Thomas Hitzlsperger with paving the way for LGBT players and managers in football. Hitzlsperger had played in the Premier League while closeted. He stated in January 2014 that he thought it would be a long time before an active player in the league would come out. Players such as John Ruddy, Richarlison and Lucas Digne have spoken about their belief that a gay teammate would be accepted and supported.
In August 2017, Ryan Atkin came out as gay, becoming the first openly gay match official in English football. In 2025, former Premier League referee David Coote came out as gay, saying he had hidden his sexuality during his career for fear of receiving abuse.
In July 2019, an anonymous Twitter account called 'The Gay Footballer' announced that they were a professional footballer playing in the EFL Championship. After saying they intended to come out publicly, they later deleted the account.
2020s
In June 2020, retired player Thomas Beattie came out as gay in an interview with ESPN. In February 2022, he told Goal.com that his career-ending injury was the catalyst for revealing his sexuality.
No player has ever played in the English Premier League while openly gay. In July 2020, a current Premier League player revealed he was gay but would or could not come out.
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".
In 2025, retired defender Tony Powell publicly came out as gay. His experiences of being a closeted gay footballer were explored in the documentary The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel. He had, incidentally, been a teammate of Justin Fashanu at Norwich City during the 1970s and 1980s.
, 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.
Homophobia in men's football The gay rights group Stonewall published a report in August 2009 which described English football as "institutionally homophobic". In January 2022, manager Ian Holloway said he felt English football was homophobic. In August 2025, Kick it Out reported a rise in sexism and transphobia.
Against homosexual players Justin Fashanu, the first black £1 million footballer, became in 1990 the first footballer to be openly gay. In his autobiography, Brian Clough recounts a dressing down he gave Fashanu after hearing rumours that he was going to gay bars: Where do you go if you want a loaf of bread?' I asked him. 'A baker's, I suppose.' 'Where do you go if you want a leg of lamb?' 'A butcher's.' 'So why do you keep going to that bloody poofs' club?. Fashanu died by suicide in 1998 after he was questioned by police when a seventeen-year-old boy accused him of sexual assault, and it has been suggested that the tragedy and hostility that struck his life after publicly coming out persuaded other gay footballers that coming out would not be a good idea. The coroner said the prejudices he experienced, plus the sexual assault charge he was facing at the time of his death, probably overwhelmed him.
Gay player Thomas Hitzlsperger wrote in his 2024 autobiography that while playing at West Ham, a teammate made a homophobic comment in the dressing room, which caused Hitzlsperger to continue concealing his homosexuality. He added that when that teammate ironically asked the rest what it would be like to have a gay player in the dressing room, another player angrily replied: "And what would be the fucking problem if there was one?"
Against heterosexual players
Heterosexual players, such as Sol Campbell, Ryan Allsop, Billy Gilmour and Conor Gallagher have been the victim of homophobic abuse by fans. Another heterosexual player, Graeme Le Saux, was homophobically abused by fellow player Robbie Fowler.
Graeme Le Saux, an England international left-back, endured homophobic taunts despite being married to a woman with children. The rumours allegedly began because of his "unladdish hobbies", which included antique collecting, and his university background. He later admitted he had considered quitting the game because of the abuse and the humiliation he felt. One example of the public abuse he suffered came in a Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool on 27 February 1999. Le Saux became involved in a running series of taunts with Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler. With Le Saux preparing to take a free-kick, Fowler repeatedly bent over and pointed his backside in the Chelsea player's direction. Despite the obvious taunts, Le Saux, who refused to take the free-kick, was booked for delay of play. Unseen by the match officials, Le Saux later struck Fowler on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area. Both were later charged with misconduct by the FA.
In 2008, Sol Campbell received homophobic abuse from Tottenham Hotspur fans while playing for Portsmouth. Campbell is also married to a woman with three children. Prior to this, in 2005, his brother was jailed for 12 months after assaulting a classmate who suggested that the defender was gay. In 2009, a man and a boy were found guilty of shouting homophobic chants at Campbell in a match between Portsmouth and Spurs. In January 2019, Campbell spoke out about the homophobic abuse he had recently received. He had also been the victim of similar abuse in 2014.
In February 2026, Hull City fans were arrested for homophobic chanting at Chelsea players and fans. Later that month, Cardiff City were charged by the FA following homophobic chanting by its fans, also against Chelsea. Hull were later fined £30,000 for the incident, and some fans were banned.
In March 2026, Manchester United player Jack Fletcher received a 6-match ban after using a homophobic slur during a match.
By fans On multiple occasions there have been reports of homophobic chanting by fans attending matches, and arrests made or fines issued to fans and clubs. In December 2011, a Southampton fan was banned for three years for homophobic chanting. In August 2019, Bristol Rovers were fined by the FA for homophobic chanting by their fans. In December 2019, Brighton players were subjected to homophobic abuse by Wolves fans; two people were arrested. On 1 February 2020, two West Ham United fans were arrested in London Stadium by the police for directing homophobic chants towards Brighton & Hove Albion fans during a Premier League match.
In January 2023, there were alleged homophobic chants by Nottingham Forest fans, aimed at Chelsea fans, by Manchester United fans against Everton manager Frank Lampard (who used to play for Chelsea), by Manchester City fans, also aimed at Chelsea, and by Liverpool fans against Chelsea, for which three people were later arrested. The FA said that they would charge the clubs whose fans had targeted Chelsea, with the chant in question having been defined as a homophobic slur by the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2022. In March 2023 there were homophobic chants during a match between Leeds United and Brighton, with Leeds later being fined £150,000. In April 2023, three Wolverhampton Wanderers fans were arrested following homophobic chanting during a match against Chelsea. In July 2023, a Fulham fan was banned for three years for homophobic chants, and later that month, Wolverhampton Wanderers were fined £100,000 due to homophobic chants by their fans. In May 2023, a LGBTQ+ Manchester United supporters group criticised chanting from their own fans against opposition players.
In September 2024, Tottenham Hotspur fans engaged in homophobic chanting against Man Utd. The club was later charged by the FA. In November 2024, a Port Vale fan was ejected for alleged homophobic abuse during a match against Wrexham.