The Rainbow Laces campaign for 2019 launched on Friday, with the Premier League and EFL joining hands with other sports to promote LGBT+ inclusion in sport.
Clubs in the Premier League will designate a home match in support of the campaign on one of the two match weeks from December 2nd to December 8th, while EFL clubs have also been invited to do likewise starting from this weekend.
Leeds United have confirmed that their home fixture against Middlesbrough will be dedicated to the campaign.
Saturday's #LUFC fixture against Middlesbrough will be dedicated to @stonewalluk ’s Rainbow Laces campaign
— Leeds United (@LUFC) November 27, 2019
The campaign is looking to kick discrimination out of sport as, according to Stonewall research, four in 10 LGBT people (43 per cent) think public sporting events aren't welcoming for them.
The Football Association is helping to provide non-league and grassroots clubs with Rainbow Laces, while Scottish Professional League clubs, Cymru Premier clubs, and those in the FA Women's Super League and Championship are also set to participate and engage their fanbases.
Outside of football, other sports are also getting involved with British Gymnastics taking Rainbow Laces to Tokyo at the Trampoline World Championships, while the British Horseracing Authority will be showcasing LGBT role models in equestrianism.
England Rugby is also having a rainbow makeover at the Red Roses' Quilter International meeting with Italy Women in Bedford on Saturday.
‘Rainbow Laces Day’ takes place on Wednesday November 27th and over 100,000 pairs of laces have been sent out in recent weeks.
Robbie de Santos, Stonewall's director of sport, said: "At a time when society feels increasingly divided, sport has this unique ability to bring people together from all walks of life. That's why it's so inspiring to see more and more sports come together each year to support Rainbow Laces.
"We can't just rely on LGBT people to make sports more inclusive - we all have to play our part. While wearing a simple shoelace might seem like a small gesture, for LGBT people it's a powerful symbol of acceptance.
"If you love sport and care about equality, then join us and take responsibility for making LGBT people feel welcome. The more players, fans, clubs and organisations that stand up for equality, the sooner we reach a place where all LGBT people, from fans to players, are accepted without exception."
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