Event to mark start of anti-discrimination campaign’s annual activation period will be held at Toughsheet Community Stadium on Wednesday 29 January; clubs, leagues and County FAs signing up as FvH Champions and designating matchdays and events to #FvH2025 – see list here…
This year’s Football v Homophobia Month of Action will be launched with a community event and panel discussion at Bolton Wanderers FC.
Guests from across the North-West region and further afield will be heading to the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Wednesday 29 January to kick off #FvH2025.
The venue is easily reachable by train both from central Manchester and from Preston in approximately half an hour’s travel time. Parking is also available at the stadium.
After a welcome address, a panel discussion will offer advice and support to leagues and clubs on how to effectively tackle the rise of homophobia in the game.
The FA’s recently published Grassroots Disciplinary Review reflected a near 20% increase in reports of anti-gay language and behaviour in matches at Steps 5 and below. The Review also shows more proven charges of homophobia at grassroots level than for any other type of discrimination.
Meanwhile, data from Kick It Out released last year suggests anti-LGBTQ+ hate related to football is continuing to rise online. The charity, which is funded by the game’s governing bodies, also said that reports received of transphobia online have climbed by 183%.
FvH, which has been running for over 15 years, is an initiative delivered by Pride Sports UK that seeks to reduce discrimination related to sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity at all levels of the game through education, resources and awareness-raising.
Every February, clubs, leagues, fan groups and organisations are invited to register as FvH Champions and reaffirm their commitment to creating LGBTQ+-inclusive football spaces in which everyone can be themselves and thrive.
At the Bolton Wanderers FC event on January 29, guest speakers will include:
- Caz Simone, the Football Black List’s LGBTQ Award winner in 2024 – they play for Huddersfield Town FC and are a TikTok influencer and spoken word artist
- Hannah Bermudez, the director of People and Operations at Salford City FC, overseeing club matters such as ED&I, welfare and wellbeing, and fan experience
- Bertie Moores, communications officer of Village Manchester FC, one of the world’s oldest LGBTQ+-inclusive football clubs
- Jordan Mason, Northamptonshire FA’s Football Development Manager and Inclusion Lead, who was previously with Lincolnshire FA, winners of the County FA category at the Football v Homophobia Awards in the last two years
Attendees will be invited to share their experiences and offer solutions as part of a Q&A following the panel discussion. There will also be a showcase of the award-winning work done by Bolton Wanderers in the Community to support its LGBTQ+ Youth Club.
Read about FvH’s 2024 launch event which was held at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.
The FvH Month of Action will begin on Saturday 1 February, in what is also LGBT+ History Month in the UK. A number of clubs and organisations have already confirmed the dates of their designated games / tournaments, while the London FA and Amateur FA have announced a free-to-attend “Creating a Community Through Football” event to be held at City Hall in the capital on the evening of Monday 10 February.
Following the conclusion of the Month of Action, the sixth annual FvH Awards will be staged at a special gala ceremony in Glasgow on the night of Friday 7 March, hosted by FvH Scotland. The shortlists in 12 categories were announced this week.
Not yet registered for the FvH Month of Action? Show your support – fill in the form to sign up and get added to the FvH Champions page.
Interested in attending our launch event at Bolton Wanderers FC on 29 January? Places are limited – contact FvH ASAP.
#FvH2025 calendar of confirmed events and designated FvH matches so far – check back for updates and request to have your matchday / event added
- Wed 29 Jan (from 6pm): FvH Month of Action launch event (Bolton Wanderers FC)
- February: FvH Month of Action
- Feb: LGBT+ History Month (UK) – theme for 2025: ‘Activism and Social Change’
- Sat 1 to Fri 7 Feb: Hornets Pride Week (HPW) (Watford FC)
- Sat 1 Feb: Watford v Norwich (HPW); Leyton Orient v Stockport
- Sun 2 Feb: Charlton Women v Blackburn (+ “Run to the Valley”); Watford Women v Ipswich (HPW); Sheffield Wed Ladies v Sheff Utd; Mersey Marauders vs Sefton Unison
- Thu 6 Feb: Time to Talk Day
- Sat 8 Feb: Preston v Wycombe (FA Cup); Sheffield Utd v Portsmouth; Huddersfield v Reading; Rotherham v Shrewsbury; Barrow v Gillingham; York City v Woking
- Sat 8 Feb: Nottingham Lions 5-a-side tournament (2pm)
- Mon 10 Feb (6.30pm): London FA, Amateur FA etc “Creating a Community Through Football” event (London City Hall)
- Wed 12 Feb: West Brom v Blackburn; York City Ladies v M’boro Women
- Fri 14 Feb: QPR v Derby
- Sat 15 Feb: Sheffield Wednesday v Coventry; Carlisle v Colchester
- Sat 15 Feb (from 11.30am): West London Queer Project Festival of Football (Grasshoppers RFC, Isleworth)
- Mon 17 Feb: Leeds Utd vs Sunderland
- Wed 19 Feb: International Day Against Homophobia in Sports
- Sat 22 Feb: Charlton v Exeter
- Sat 1 March: Zero Discrimination Day (UNAIDS)
- Fri 7 Mar (evening): FvH Awards gala night (Glasgow)
- Tue 25 to Mon 31 Mar: Football v Transphobia Week of Action – #FvT2025
- Mon 31 Mar: International Transgender Day of Visibility
Previous #FvH2025 designated matches – 25 Jan: Bury FC; 26 Jan: Rugby Borough WFC.
A version of this article was first published on Sports Media LGBT+.