A-Leagues Host Fourth Pride Celebration Grounded In Education

• A-Leagues and PFA host fourth Pride Celebration grounded in education.
• Clubs to activate the Celebration at select fixtures across January-March.
• Former A-Leagues player, Hannah Wilkinson, to deliver player training.

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL), alongside Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) and Pride Cup, is proud to host the A-Leagues’ annual Pride Celebration.

Now in its fourth season, the A-Leagues’ Pride Celebration is grounded in education and signifies the code’s ongoing commitment to making football accessible and inclusive for all.

Taking place at select fixtures across January to March, the A-Leagues’ 2026 Pride Celebration was once again headlined by the annual Pride Cup double header between Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory which was played in front of a jubilant sold out crowd at Coopers Stadium.

The Celebration will continue across the Isuzu UTE A-League and Ninja A-League with participating Clubs celebrating inclusivity at select matches across February and March with activations including bespoke kits, community group engagement and rainbow corner flags and armbands.

Building on the successful training programs from the last three seasons, this year’s player education has been created and led by Melbourne City and Football Fern great, Hannah Wilkinson alongside Pride Cup.

Delivered to men’s and women’s squads across Australia and New Zealand, the training content will focus on the challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ supporters and players, and how Clubs and players can support inclusion across the game regardless of faith, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender.

A-Leagues CEO, Steve Rosich said: “We’re proud to continue our Pride Celebration, in partnership with the PFA and Pride Cup, for the fourth consecutive year. Grounded in education, the celebration is focused on making our game more inclusive and accessible - whether you’re watching in the stands or playing on the pitch, we want everyone to feel welcome at the A-Leagues.”

PFA Chief Executive, Beau Busch commented: “Each Pride match is an opportunity for Australian football to take a positive step forward to make the A-Leagues more inclusive and represents a celebration of the courage of our members who have used their platforms for progress.“

“While there has been positive progress, there remains much to do to challenge homophobia in sport and to make sure everyone feels they belong on and off the pitch.”

Pride Cup CEO, Hayley Conway said: “Pride celebrations are a signal that everyone is welcome at football no matter who we are, who we love, or where we are from.”

With Hannah Wilkinson, Pride Cup Elite Sport Coordinator adding: “It's a privilege to be able to educate professional clubs on the importance of LGBTQ inclusion and visibility. Revisiting these clubs and using my experience as an out player is empowering, and it's such an important opportunity to create meaningful and positive change in the elite football space.”

For more information on the A-Leagues, head to www.aleagues.com.au.

About A-Leagues:

The A-Leagues represent the pinnacle of professional football in Australia, comprising Isuzu UTE A-League Men's and Ninja A-League Women competitions. The 2025/26 season will see 12 clubs compete in the Isuzu UTE A-League Men and 11 in the Ninja A-League Women.

The A-Leagues, operated by Australian Professional Leagues (APL), is delivering against its bold ambition to develop top-tier professional football talent in Australia, drive engagement across the leagues and to build on football’s undisputed position as the country’s most popular participation sport.

About Pride Cup:

Pride Cup works with sports codes at all levels to create inclusive environments and host iconic rainbow-themed game days, known as Pride Cups, PrideGames, and PrideRounds. Pride Cup has reached over 831 teams and 30+ different sports across Australia in its first five years. Any club can host a Pride Cup, just sign up at pridecup.org.au

About Professional Footballers Australia (PFA):

The PFA is the exclusive representative body and collective bargaining agent of Australia’s elite professional footballers, including the A-Leagues, Socceroos and Matildas players. The PFA was established in 1993 with two key objectives: to support the players and build the game within Australia. pfa.net.au

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