The Australian Professional Leagues (APL), alongside
Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), is proud to announce the continuation of the leagues annual Pride Celebrations, signifying the code’s ongoing commitment to make
football accessible and inclusive for everyone.
Set to take place from March 14 to 30, across both the Ninja A-League Women and
Isuzu UTE A-League Men, the 2025 celebration is again grounded in education and
builds on the success of the past two seasons where the A-Leagues became the first
league in the world to hold simultaneous men’s and women’s Pride Celebrations.
Over the last three-and-a-half-years, APL and PFA’s partner Pride Cup has developed
and delivered a series of training programs for players, staff, executives and partners.
In 2025, the A-Leagues will once again provide LGBTIQ+ inclusion training to all
players and key stakeholders. The training content will focus on the challenges faced
by LGBTIQ+ supporters and players, and how clubs can support inclusion for everyone
regardless of faith, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender.
The March celebrations will be headlined by the annual Pride Cup double-header
between Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United at AAMI Park on March 29. Across
the weekends, clubs will also celebrate Pride in their own way including engaging
community groups, rainbow corner flags, rainbow armbands, while some clubs will
play in special bespoke kits.
A-Leagues Executive Chair, Stephen Conroy, said: “We began this journey with Pride
Cup and the PFA in 2021 as part of our ongoing commitment to make football
accessible and inclusive for all.
“We are proud to be holding our third league-wide Pride Celebration grounded in
player education and the ambition to make a long-term impact. We’ve taken strides
forward in Australia and New Zealand to make football more inclusive for fans and
players, and we look forward to continuing to play our part in 2025.
“Whether you are watching in the stands or playing on the pitch, we want everyone to
feel welcome at the A-Leagues.”
PFA Player Representative and Adelaide United defender Ryan Kitto said: “Football is
about bringing people together, and everyone should feel welcome in our game, that’s
why Pride celebrations in the A-Leagues are so important. They send a message that
football is for everyone, no matter who you are.
“I wear the Pride armband every week because I want to show that Adelaide United
stands for inclusivity, respect, and equality, which is something we truly believe in as a
club, and I’m proud to be part of that.”
Western United defender Chloe Logarzo said: “The Pride Celebration is really
important. I was here for the first round, and I’m excited to see it continue.
“Inclusivity within the community matters, and football provides a space where we can
express ourselves freely. Having the ability to be our true selves is incredible – it
makes me feel like the best version of myself.”
Pride Cup, Chief Executive Officer, Hayley Conway said: “LGBTIQ+ people exist in
every culture in the world, so it’s only fitting that the world game continues to
celebrate inclusion and pride. Through celebration and education, we are making
inclusion a reality for everyone involved in football.”
