Three Lions Pride
England's official LGBTQ+ football fan group, which announced a boycott of the 2026 World Cup in the United States citing unsafe conditions.
Last refreshed: 22 March 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can LGBTQ+ fans safely attend the World Cup on US soil?
Timeline for Three Lions Pride
Mentioned in: ICE director confirms Cup security role
2026 FIFA World CupEngland LGBTQ+ fans boycott US World Cup
2026 FIFA World CupWhat is Three Lions Pride?
Why is Three Lions Pride boycotting the 2026 World Cup?
Is the 2026 World Cup safe for LGBTQ+ fans?
Background
Founded to advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in football, Three Lions Pride is formally recognised by the Football Association and embedded in the England supporter network. The group presses both the FA and FIFA on anti-discrimination policy at domestic and international level, giving it standing that informal fan groups lack when challenging governing bodies on safety and inclusion.
Three Lions Pride, England's official LGBTQ+ fan group, announced on 19 January 2026 that it would boycott US-hosted matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, calling conditions there "unsafe and unacceptable" for LGBTQ+ supporters. PinkNews issued a concurrent travel warning for the United States on the same day. By March 2026, ICE acting director Todd Lyons confirmed to Congress that immigration enforcement would form part of the World Cup security apparatus at US venues.
The boycott placed the FA in an uncomfortable position: stand with its affiliated LGBTQ+ fans or protect its standing within a tournament it has invested in. For FIFA, protest from a formally-recognised national supporter group is harder to dismiss than individual disquiet, and ICE's confirmed presence inside venues removes the deniability the governing body had relied upon.