England’s official LGBTQ fans group will not attend FIFA World Cup games in ‘unsafe’ USA
Three Lions Pride, the group for England supporters who are LGBTQ, says it will not travel to the USA to follow the team at this year’s FIFA World Cup; 3LP was founded before Russia 2018 and has grown to 350 members; the group says FIFA has made “appalling decisions” around the tournament…
The official LGBTQ supporters group of the England football team has announced it will not have a visible presence at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, citing serious concerns over fan safety, human rights, and FIFA’s approach to ticketing and accessibility.
In a strongly worded statement, Three Lions Pride said hopes that the tournament would allow travelling LGBTQ fans to focus on football rather than personal safety had been “well and truly shattered”.
The men’s FIFA World Cup, due to be hosted across the USA, Canada and Mexico, had been seen by many supporters as offering a contrast to recent tournaments held in Russia and Qatar. In both nations, laws that are hostile to the LGBTQ community were the focus of criticism and concerns.
England are among the favourites to win FIFA World Cup 26, but for Three Lions Pride (3LP), a “dangerous rollback of human rights” in the U.S. means they will not be in attendance this summer.
The group, which has around 350 members – many of whom regularly attend games home and away – says it no longer has confidence that the tournament will provide a safe and inclusive environment.
In particular, 3LP have highlighted the heightened risks of discrimination and violence in the U.S. and how these could impact members who are trans or gender non-conforming.
“This is unsafe and unacceptable,” said 3LP in its statement, adding that the group could not guarantee the security of its members if it attended the World Cup in an organised, visible way.
England will play all three of their Group L games in the U.S., against Croatia (in Dallas, June 17), Ghana (in Boston, June 23) and Panama (in New York/New Jersey, June 27).
Should they progress into the knockout stages by winning their group, Thomas Tuchel’s side would also play matches in one or more of Atlanta, Mexico City, and Miami.
Finishing second in Group L would present potential trips to one or more of Toronto, Dallas and Los Angeles. Eight teams that finish third in their groups will also go through.
There are 16 host cities in total, and the Pride House United 2026 project is hoping to offer welcoming venue spaces for LGBTQ people and allies in every one. “We see this as an enormous opportunity to show up for LGBTIQ+ human rights while participating in a sport that we love,” says the official website.
In its statement, 3LP also raises broader human rights issues, including U.S. travel bans affecting certain nationalities, visa refusals linked to social media activity, and fears around immigration enforcement disproportionately impacting fans of diverse ethnicities.
It cited the recent killing of an American citizen by ICE agents in Minneapolis as evidence of the risks posed by aggressive policing and law enforcement.
Issues of accessibility for fans with disabilities and the dynamic pricing ticketing system are criticised in the 3LP statement as well. It is “FIFA’s choice to extort fans for financial gain whilst generating revenue of $483 million in 2024 alone (exceeding their 2024 budget by 65%),” the group said.
The group’s announcement comes amid suggestions of a potential boycott by other supporters’ associations, and the wider community of football fans, stakeholders and even governments.
Pressure is mounting on European powers as a result of the current U.S. administration’s attempts to purchase Greenland from Denmark through the threat of tariffs on its European allies, as reported by The Guardian.
A foreign policy spokesperson for the German chancellor’s party has suggested that four-time winners Germany could threaten to boycott the World Cup “as a last resort in order to get Trump to see sense on the Greenland issue”.
A recent poll from Bild suggests that, should the US annexe Greenland, 47% of Germans would be in favour of a boycott, with 35% against.
For its part, 3LP says it cannot endorse FIFA’s “appalling decisions” in relation to the World Cup “by tacit acceptance through our visible attendance as a group”.
However, it stresses it will continue to support LGBTQ England fans attending the tournament independently, offering remote advice, key contacts and guidance.
“This is a tournament that had so much promise,” the 3LP statement concludes, warning that the event risks empty seats, exclusion of loyal fans and “numerous human rights violations based on disability, race, gender and sexuality”.
In closing, 3LP issued a direct rebuke of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, saying he “should feel ashamed” over his organisation’s handling of the tournament.
Further reading…
Three Lions Pride on Football v Homophobia Podcast special (June 2024)
6 burning questions for LGBTQ athletes and sports events for 2026 (Outsports, January 2026)
10 reasons to register for the Football v Homophobia Month of Action (January 2026)
Sports Media LGBT+ is a network, advocacy, and consultancy group that is helping to build a community of LGBTQ+ people and allies in sport. We’re also a digital publisher and can help with your content requirements. Learn more about us here.
We’re interested in your news and stories. Share with us and tap into a worldwide audience through our Google News affiliate website, which attracts thousands of visitors, and our popular social channels. Contact us to discuss how we can help you.
