The Wellington Phoenix say they are proud to confirm the club will again be part of the A-Leagues’ Pride Celebrations.
The women’s final round match against Western Sydney Wanderers at Porirua Park on Saturday March 30, 2024, will be the Phoenix’s Pride game, when the club will celebrate diversity and inclusivity in football.
In collaboration with Paladin Sports, a one-off Pride shirt has been designed. The playing shirts will be auctioned off after the match, with the proceeds going to a local LGBTIQ+ charity.
More details about the fixture will be made available soon.
The A-Leagues’ Pride Celebrations will start in Australia over the second weekend of March.
They will be headlined by the annual Pride Cup double-header between Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory.
The celebrations will look to build on the success of last year as the competition became the first league in the world to hold simultaneous men’s and women’s Pride Celebrations.
Main photo: Phoenix players take part in the post-match Pride celebrations in 2023.
Over the last two-and-a-half-years, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has developed and delivered a series of initiatives, including a comprehensive training program for players, staff, executives and partners, and the roll out of GoBubble technology to help moderate online hate.
In 2024, the A-Leagues are once again providing LGBTIQ+ inclusion training to all players and key stakeholders. The training content is being uniquely designed for players by players by partnering with the PFA and our delivery partner, Pride Cup.
“The Pride Celebration is another example of how welcoming and inclusive football is as a sport for everyone in Australia and New Zealand,” A-Leagues commissioner Nick Garcia said.
“We began this journey with Pride Cup and the PFA in 2021 and are looking forward to continuing what is an extremely important initiative within our game.
“We are proud of the efforts that football in Australia and New Zealand has made to make football more inclusive for fans, players and staff and we look forward to continuing to play our part in 2024.
“The Pride Celebration is grounded in education and training with the ambition of seeing every person involved within our game in Australia and New Zealand feeling safe and included.”
Pride Cup CEO Hayley Conway says the A-Leagues Pride Celebration is the first of its kind in the world.
“It brings together inclusion training and iconic rainbow-themed matches across both men’s and women’s professional leagues.
“Every club, every player, and every fan can play a part in bringing pride to every pitch and learning to every locker room.
“With just 6% of LGBTIQ+ young people feeling safe to play sports, Pride Cup initiatives are critical to making sure that everyone can play.”
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This story is published with the help of the Wellington Phoenix.
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