Homosexuality in English football

Common card · No. 404576

Homosexuality in English football has been described as a taboo subject by both players and the media. As of January 2026, 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...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Longbomb, CC BY 3.0