Rainbow Laces has returned for its 11th year in English football, and reaction to the campaign has been mixed.
The initiative was started by the LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall in 2013, with the aim to reduce queer based hate in sports and promote equality.
Its return to football saw Women’s Super League and Premier League clubs celebrating the scheme and promoting inclusivity in the game.
Isobel Trapnell-Hoyle, the captain of Royal Holloway Women’s three’s football team, said: “It’s showing that players are visible, regardless of their sexuality or identity.
“It’s really positive that people can feel seen, not just players on the pitch who are queer but also players who are happy to wear the rainbow laces and support the cause.”
There are many ways to support the cause.
Many wear the colourful laces sold by Stonewall or wear the rainbow captain’s armband.
The clubs across both men’s and women’s leagues also changed their corner flags around the main stadia pitches for the fixtures.
Despite wide acceptance in the women’s game, there has been many controversies this season in the men’s, with players refusing to wear the armband or writing on it to express their opinions.
