Sports
Josh Cavallo Accuses Adelaide United of Homophobia
In an explosive statement, Josh Cavallo, football’s first openly gay player, has accused his former club of ‘homophobia’. The Australian played for Adelaide United between 2021 and 2025, and has now claimed that his sexuality had an influence on how he was treated by the A-League team.
During his first year with Adelaide, having joined in February 2021, Cavallo came out as gay in October of the same year. In a statement at the time, he said: “I hope that in sharing who I am, I can show others who identify as LGBTQ+ that they are welcome in the football community.”
At the time, no other active footballers were openly out as gay, and his actions helped pave the way for other LGBT+ footballers and athletes, such as former Blackpool player Jake Daniels, who, in 2022, became the first professional male player in Britain to come out as gay since Justin Fashanu in 1990.
Having left Adelaide in 2025, and now playing in the UK with semi-professional side Stamford AFC, Cavallo, who played for Australia at U20 level, has claimed that he previously ‘wasn’t allowed on the pitch because of politics’.
During his final campaign with Adelaide United, which was the 2024/25 season, Cavallo failed to make a single appearance for the Australian club. The left-back only made it to the bench on eight occasions and then left at the end of the season, briefly signing for Peterborough Sports before ending up at Stamford.
Josh Cavallo Blames Lack of Game Time at Adelaide United on “Internal Homophobia”
The 26-year-old has now shared a lengthy statement via his Instagram account, alleging that homophobia was to blame for his struggles. In full, he wrote: “It’s taken me a while to digest how my time at Adelaide United ended, but I think the fans deserve honesty.
“Leaving the club had nothing to do with football. Decisions were made by people in power that blocked my opportunities, not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love. Under the new management, it became clear that I wasn’t allowed on the pitch because of politics. It’s hard to swallow when I realised my own club was homophobic. I was angry because people thought I was sidelined based on injuries, when in reality, it was internal homophobia that kept me on the bench. I stayed professional, kept my head down, and worked hard every day which I’m proud of. Yet no matter how much I produced or improved, my contributions were continuously ignored. It brought a lot of negativity and affected my wellbeing as a professional footballer.
“This was exactly the fear I had about coming out, seeing prejudice affect my career in modern day. For the first time, I actually questioned if I should have kept my sexuality a secret. This brought up fears I had about coming out publicly, that being myself would affect my career. I felt incredibly isolated and wondered if I’d made the mistake of sharing my story. I felt things going backwards, not just on the pitch, but in the one place I thought was a safe space and after seeing a group chat of teammates mocking a picture of me and my partner only added to this heartache.
“This fresh start in the UK has helped me breathe again and I hope I can fall back in love with the sport that means everything to me. Despite the way it ended behind the scenes, I refuse to let it ruin my connection to this city. Adelaide is where I found my wings. To the fans and supporters: thank you for your passion and backing. You deserve honesty and success. You were incredible to play in front of. Thank you.”
Adelaide United Reject Cavallo’s Allegations
Adelaide United, currently eighth in the A-League, have since come out with their own official statement, firmly rejecting any of the allegations made against them. The club said:
“Adelaide United is aware of a statement published on social media this morning by former player Josh Cavallo.
“The club is extremely disappointed by the claims made and categorically rejects the allegations, including any suggestion that Adelaide United is homophobic. All on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds.
“Adelaide United has always been committed to fostering an inclusive environment for players, staff and supporters and we remain proud of our ongoing work to promote inclusion across football.
“Strengthening inclusivity must remain an ongoing focus for the game, and the club looks forward to hosting the fourth annual Pride Cup this weekend against Melbourne Victory.
“The club will not be making any further comment at this time.”
