Premier League ends partnership with LGBTQ+ Charity Stonewall

The Premier League has officially ended its partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, bringing the long-running Rainbow Laces campaign to a close.

The move signals a shift in how the league approaches inclusion, as it prepares to launch its initiative focused on LGBTQ+ History Month in February.

Launched in 2017 by the Premier League and originally introduced by Stonewall in 2013, Rainbow Laces aimed to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in football.

Players across the top flight wore rainbow-coloured laces and captains donned rainbow armbands as a visible show of support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities in the sport.

According to the Daily Telegraph on Friday, the decision marks a strategic shift, although sources told the BBC that the Premier League remains committed to fighting discrimination, with educational resources and club support still in place.

“Rainbow Laces has benefited from a wide range of partners with a natural ebb and flow reflecting cultural and sporting changes. The campaign has reached more diverse audiences, especially through the growing women’s game,” said a spokesperson for Stonewall.

The Rainbow Laces campaign, which launched in 2013, had once been backed by all Premier League clubs.

But support has appeared to wane in recent years. Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy declined to wear the rainbow armband last season, citing religious beliefs. Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi wrote “I ❤ Jesus” on his instead. Manchester United reportedly scrapped plans for an LGBTQ+ support jacket after a player refused to wear it.

In a related development, Premier League players have agreed to continue taking the knee during the upcoming 2025/26 season — but only twice, both in October, as part of the “No Room for Racism” campaign during Black History Month.

This comes on the heels of the England women’s team announcing they will no longer take the knee before matches.