The Premier League has officially ended its partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, bringing the popular Rainbow Laces campaign to a close after eight years.
The campaign, which encouraged players to wear rainbow-coloured laces and captains to use rainbow armbands, was meant to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in football. However, the league has decided to stop the campaign in its current form.
Instead, the Premier League says it will launch a new inclusion initiative. This new campaign will be managed internally and will take place during LGBTQ+ History Month in February. It will also involve clubs and focus on promoting equality and respect.
The decision comes after growing debates about freedom of expression in football. In recent seasons, some players refused to wear rainbow symbols due to personal or religious beliefs, and others added their own messages to armbands. These incidents raised questions about how to balance inclusion efforts with individual values.
With this move, the Premier League aims to continue promoting diversity while also respecting different opinions within the sport.