Posted on 13th February 2026
Fans for Diversity: Winter 2025-26 round-up
It’s been a busy winter for our Fans for Diversity campaign, with a range of activities empowering supporters of all backgrounds taking place across the country. Find out what’s been going on below…
LGBTQ+ History Month
February is LGBTQ+ History Month and as ever there’s lots of activity going on to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in football. We’ve teamed up with Pride in Football to host a hub meeting where we’ll be discussing February’s LGBTQ+ campaigns, exploring mental health support for LGBTQ+ fans and more.
The EFL’s Rainbow Ball campaign will also be returning this month. Several key fixtures have been selected by Sky Sports for broadcast and will focus on the Rainbow Ball, LGBTQ+ fan groups and the LGBTQ+ community.
It will feature at Ewood Park on Friday 20th February for Blackburn Rovers vs Preston North End, then at Bramall Lane on Sunday 22nd February for the Sheffield derby and at St Mary’s on Tuesday 24th February for Southampton vs Queens Park Rangers.
David McArdle director of equality, diversity and inclusion at the EFL said: “We are once again very excited to be introducing the Rainbow Ball for the third season.
“The ball will be used across two game weeks, and with the continued support of Puma, who will once again donate to FootballvHomophobia for every goal scored during this period, and we are proud to further strengthen our collective impact.
“This initiative offers a fantastic opportunity for clubs and fan groups to come together and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community across the EFL.”
Supporters mark Hanukkah
Back in December the Fans for Diversity campaign supported three Hanukkah events at Queen’s Park Rangers, Fulham and Watford.
At Loftus Road, Jewish supporters were invited to attend the event, which marked the fifth night of the festival and brought together fans young and old. It was attended by Rabbi Vogel of Western Marble Arch Synagogue who conducted the ceremonial lighting of the Hanukkah menorah.
Fans for Diversity campaign manager Nilesh Chauhan said: “We were delighted to support these Hanukkah events. It’s really positive to see the community come together again to do this. There was real passion in the room at Loftus Road.”
The event was a first for the recently-formed QPR Jewish Supporters’ group, who were joined by representatives from other fan groups and community members while club chairman Lee Hoos hosted.
David Fraser, of the Jewish Supporters’ Group, said: “It was incredibly special to light the Chanukah candles at Loftus Road for the first time and to welcome Jewish supporters and friends from across the fanbase.
“QPR has a deep and proud connection with the Jewish community, and we are so grateful to have been invited to do this by the club. In particular, I must thank Charlotte Edwards, the club’s head of diversity & inclusion for all her help and support in making it happen.
“The whole evening was inspiring and full of joy and underlines what an incredible club and community we are all part of.”
Hanukkah at Craven Cottage © Fulham FC
December was the second year in a row that a Hanukkah event had been held by the Fulham Jewish Supporters Group and club at Craven Cottage.
The evening included keynote speeches from Eleanor Rowland (director of safeguarding and inclusion at Fulham), Ben Sweiry (Fulham Jewish Supporters Group) , Samuel Okafor (chief executive at Kick It Out) and Sky Sports commentator Richard Kaufman who is also a life-long Fulham fan.
Hannah Kumari, Fans for Diversity campaign manager, represented the FSA.
“It was a really moving and emotional evening,” Hannah said. “I’m so glad we have been able to support events like these, it went really well.”
And at Vicarage Road, more than 150 supporters attended the celebration led by the Jewish Hornets supporters’ group.
AFCON watch parties
Last month we helped fans from across the midlands come together for an African Cup of Nations final watch party.
Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in a dramatic final and Fans for Diversity held a watch party for the match in conjunction with Leicester for All and Leicester African fans.
Watch parties are just one example of how the Fans for Diversity fund can be used by fan groups to support their activities.
My Boro, My Shirt
Middlesbrough’s “My Boro, My Shirt” fan portrait exhibition has been revitalised and is now on show at the town’s train station, greeting home and away fans as they disembark for the Riverside Stadium.
Rob Nichols, fanzine editor of Fly Me To The Moon, was a big driving force behind the campaign, along with Ellen Sowerby, which showcases 15 portraits on Middlesbrough railway station’s Platform Two.
Rob and other supporters worked with their club, MFC Foundation, Middlesbrough Council, and Borderlands Creative People and Places on the exhibition. It is based on the FSA’s Fans for Diversity “My Club, My Shirt” initiative which has proven to be popular across the country.
You can read more about the launch of the exhibition at Middlesbrough station here.
Fans For Diversity is a campaign programme run in partnership between the FSA and Kick It Out. Fans For Diversity encourages, funds and supports initiatives by fan groups to promote diversity and inclusion in football, and to challenge all forms of discrimination. For more information, contact Nilesh Chauhan or Hannah Kumari.
