Women’s World Cup gay players feature image photos: SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images // Erin Chang/ISI Photos/Getty Images // James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is finally here! It kicks off on July 20th with co-hosts Australia (against Ireland) and New Zealand (against Norway)! And you, of course, are wondering if there are any Women’s World Cup gay players. Friends, yes! In fact, this just might be the most openly queer sporting event in history — which is saying something, as you know, if you’ve been following our WNBA coverage this year.
And not just players; there are so many LGBTQ storylines to follow. It’s Megan Rapinoe’s (United States) final World Cup. It’s 37-year-old Marta’s (Brazil) sixth World Cup, and her last, and she continues to recover from an ACL tear she suffered in a NWSL Challenge Cup match. After becoming the first first Australian player to score a hat trick at a World Cup tournament in 2019, and becoming a household name among soccer fans and queer humans, Sam Kerr is looking to lead the co-host Matildas to a World Cup title. Canada, which boasts five queer players and coaches, is in an equal pay fight with its governing body, much like the one the USWNT battled for years. Also, Matilda Sam Kerr and USWNT star Kristie Mewis are probably the most famous couple of this World Cup, thanks in part to THEY’RE LESBIANS, STACEY.
The 2023 World Cup goes from July 20th through August 20th. It’ll be held in ten stadiums and nine cities, split almost evenly between Australia and New Zealand. The time difference is mind-bending: From the US east coast, Melbourne is 14 hours ahead and Auckland is 16 hours ahead. From the US west coast, Melbourne is 17 hours ahead and Auckland is 19 hours ahead, so: basically fully a whole day the future. In the United States, the World Cup will air on FOX, FS1, FOXSports dot com, and the FOX Sports App.
And now, onto the Women’s World Cup gay players! They’re listed below, sorted first by their World Cup Group and then by their country. As always, if we’ve missed anyone, please let us know in the comments!
GROUP A
New Zealand
Michaela Foster
Annalie Longo
Ria Percival
Hannah Wilkinson
Norway
Frida Maanum
Maren Mjelde
Guro Reiten
Anja Sønstevold
Ingrid Syrstad Engen
Philippines
Tahnai Annis
Switzerland
Ramona Bachmann
https://www.instagram.com/p/CtZSbVAKwBE/
Head Coach Inka Grings
Alisha Lehmann
Noelle Maritz
Lia Wälti
GROUP B
Australia
Mackenzie Arnold
Ellie Carpenter
Alex Chidiac
Caitlin Foord
Katrina Gorry
Alanna Kennedy
Sam Kerr
Teagan Micah
Hayley Raso
Kyah Simon
Emily van Egmond
Cortnee Vine
Tameka Yallop
Republic of Ireland
Isibeal Atkinson
https://www.instagram.com/p/CuKsf6WLbdZ/
Diane Caldwell
Megan Connolly
Sinead Farrelly
Ruesha Littlejohn
Katie McCabe
Grace Moloney
https://www.instagram.com/p/CgU5MChLEAQ/
Áine O’Gorman
Louise Quinn
Lucy Quinn
Canada
Kadeisha Buchanan
Head Coach Bev Priestman
Quinn
Kailen Sheridan
Shelina Zadorsky
No gays we know (yet?): Nigeria
GROUP C
Spain
Teresa Abelleira
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLCuJlEJnr3/
Ivana Andrés
Irene Paredes
Alba Redondo
Costa Rica
María Paula Elizondo
Gabriela Guillén
No gays we know (yet?): Zambia, Japan
GROUP D
England
Lucy Bronze
Jess Carter
Rachel Daly
Bethany England
Lauren Hemp
Jordan Nobbs
Denmark
Pernille Harder
Janni Thomsen
No gays we know (yet?): Haiti, China PR
Group E
United States
Kristie Mewis
Kelley O’Hara
Megan Rapinoe
Netherlands
Kerstin Casparij
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cen_FO1oE60/
Daniëlle van de Donk
Stefanie van der Gragt
Merel van Dongen
Sherida Spitse
https://www.instagram.com/p/CO4n_8TJ7Nu/
Jacintha Weimar
Lynn Wilms
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmwRUaiMI0K/
Portugal
Dolores Silva
No gays we know (yet?): Vietnam
Group F
France
Pauline Peyraud-Magnin
Constance Picaud
Brazil
Adriana
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp-ZSXCOmKL/
Andressa
Bárbara
Debinha
Kathellen
Lauren
Letícia Izidoro
Marta
Head Coach Pia Sundhage
Tamires
Jamaica
Becky Spencer
No gays we know (yet?): Panama
Group G
Sweden
Filippa Angeldahl
Hanna Bennison
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cgw7mTsICLM/?img_index=2
Nathalie Björn
Magdalena Eriksson
Jennifer Falk
Lina Hurtig
Caroline Seger
Linda Sembrant
South Africa
Thembi Kgatlana
Kaylin Swart
Italy
Lisa Boattin
Manuela Giugliano
Elena Linari
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cgjnf2RDpQ5/
Argentina
Lorena Benítez
Vanina Correa
Julieta Cruz
https://www.instagram.com/p/CsABPUEtzHC/
Yamila Rodríguez
Vanesa Santana
Group H
Germany
Ann-Katrin Berger
Sara Doorsoun
Svenja Huth
Lena Oberdorf
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctb-59CsHMb/
Felicitas Rauch
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cslo2rHsMhJ/?hl=en
Lea Schüller
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmCTye6rtza/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Head Coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
Morocco
Rosella Ayane
Colombia
Linda Caicedo
Daniela Montoya
Leicy Santos
No gays we know (yet?): South Korea
Comments
100! holy shit! it is just so beautiful to see the progress on these lists every 4 years.
Voss-Tecklenburg, the German coach, is married to a man for decades. I don’t think she’s lesbian
She used to be in a long-ish relationship with then teammate, now head coach of another team Inka Grings. So yes, probably not a lesbian, but not straight either.
Just stunning.
So many out queer players (and some coaches) 😊
Fun fact about Germany’s Svenja Huth, btw: her partner Laura is pregnant and they’re going to have a baby sometime after the world cup ⚽️🙂
Almost all of these pictures are empty. They just say “view on instagram”. Is it too much to ask to post photos of the players here, not just links to insta?
Thanks for making this, 10/10 wholesome. For South Africa, there is also Gabriela Salgado.
STACEY, what a legend! I’m so excited for the world cup. Thank you for this list–I will absolutely check it every game so I know which gays to root for!
For Denmark you have missed Janni Thomsen https://www.instagram.com/p/ChQDEBztLzj/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
And wonderful list, thank you!!
Thanks for sharing, @twejlgaard. I’ve updated the list.
I admit I am surprised there are only 3 out folks on the US team. There might be others who aren’t out or questioning or whatever. But then I went down the roster and this is one of the cishet-er rosters the US has had in a while. That is neither good or bad but kinda interesting. I love the teams with 6-8 (or more!) out queers like Brazil, AUS, etc.
I do feel badly for the folks on teams where there is strong resistance to people being out. That must be rough. We know you all are out there and we’re rooting for you too!
“I do feel badly for the folks on teams where there is strong resistance to people being out.”
This point is spot on, Gretchen. I feel like buying a Tahnai Annis kit for that reason alone.
There are likely 3 others not publicly out, I’m sure in time they will feel more comfortable.
Thanks for this. What a list… so sporty, fit and fine. And queer!
I’m always surprised that even though there are so many openly out players, so few of them have short hair. I make it around 10%. Why is that?
Surely it would be easier to play without the annoying ponytail (I state boldly, as a relatively recent short hair convert).
Although even with longer hair there is sooo much queer energy leaping out of these pictures. I’m excited to watch as much of the world Cup as I can manage.
I’m excited too! Unfortunately the game starting times don’t work well for people outside Australia/NZ, so I probably won’t be watching most of the games live. But online streams can still be watched at a later point :-)
As for the long hair thing, I guess the players just get used to having a ponytail swinging around their heads? (Disclaimer: this is coming from a softball player who’s had short hair for several years and even when I wore it longer, was able to tuck it partly under my cap or batting helmet, which football players obviously don’t wear.)
PS. There’s also the opposite of long haired gay players: Germany’s Paulina Krumbiegel (pictured) who afaik is straight ;-)
Germany’s Paulina Krumbiegel has made my day ;)
What an incredible list and celebration!
Great list, thanks. For Colombia you are missing at least two: Leicy Santos & Linda Caicedo :)
Thanks Ingrid! I love learning about Linda Caicedo…she’s one of the young players I’m most excited to see play in the WWC. Can you believe that this will be her third World Cup in the last year? Unreal.
(Also: funny enough, Caicedo doesn’t have a lot of pics on her Instagram that aren’t soccer/family related so I was like…”hmmm, I don’t know.” But then I remembered that she’s 18 and I had to go to Tiktok for the confirmation I was after.)
The US west coast is definitely not ahead of Australia, time wise. California is 17 hours behind Sydney, for example. I just don’t want you all to miss the games!
Do they even let straight folks play in Australia 😂
No 💖.
(Actually they let Steph Catley on for diversity)
Amazing list! I have a player to add for Jamaica: Becky Spencer, @beckyspencer91 on ig.
Thanks for the tip, Emily.
I didn’t think Guro was out? That makes me a bit uncomfortable.
That’s an understandable reaction, Megan, which is why I work hard to ensure that we’re listing only players who are truly out, rather than sharing rumors.
In the case of Guro Reiten, my understanding is that she came out following the 2022 Oslo mass shooting that, seemingly, targeted LGBT people during Pride.
Yes, Guro is out. How ever I don’t think Maren Mjelde is.
However both Hege Riise and Ingvild Stensland, Norway’s coaches, are gay.
Hege lost her wife in childbirth (https://www.vg.no/sport/i/9md0pw/hege-riise-vi-trodde-jo-vi-skulle-vaere-tre-som-dro-hjem-fra-foedestua-saa-ble-det-bare-meg).
Ingvild came out ages ago. https://www.nettavisen.no/artikkel/norske-menn-har-langt-darligere-holdninger-enn-norske-kvinner/s/12-95-3720935
And Norway’s kick ass football president Lise Kalveness is a lesbian
https://www.nordhordland.no/lise-klaveness-eg-er-g-sarbar/f/5-33-554699
Is Mjelde with Kirby? I don’t think either of them are publicly out.
Thank you for your service to the community, this list is amazing. (Outsports only listed 87 out players/coaches, clearly they need to step up their social media sleuthing game.)
This WWC is tough for US fans – so many queer ladies but such a big time difference! (Says the woman, aka me, who woke up at 4am to watch women’s soccer matches during the Olympics. More than once.)
Same, @thesaturnyear. I was joking to Heather earlier this week that I was thrilled about this being the eve of the World Cup but my sleep schedule definitely did not share my excitement. Gonna be a long but exciting month.
If I didn’t have a day job I would be up at all hours to watch, but alas. I do plan to wake up at 6am tomorrow to watch AUS vs IRL. No shade to NZ vs Norway, but 3am on a work day is pushing it.
This has made my morning, thank you for sharing so much queer joy!
Thank you for this list, Natalie! A few questions:
1. Do we have confirmation on Shelina Zadorsky and Rosella Ayane? If so, please let me know. I must have missed that.
2. Is Vivianne Miedema not playing for the Netherlands for this World Cup?
Vivianne and her girlfriend Beth Mead are both out with ALC.
Yes! They dated back in 2021/maybe into 2022 I think? They were all over each other’s Instagrams but it seems to all be deleted now, along with a YouTube video they did together. If you Google their names together though you can see some screenshots of pics on them on dates, on vacation, etc.
If you’re talking about Shelina and Rosella – the breakup was recent, I think. A month ago, I swear I still saw the pictures. They also live(d) together. I was sad when I noticed the deleted pictures on their IG and noticed they don’t follow each other anymore. :(
I am, yeah! Such a bummer, they were super cute.
Thanks, @ej. The source for both Shelina Zadorsky and Rosella Ayane was Diva Magazine’s list of LGBT players in the WSL.
I suspect that Shelina Zadorsky & Rosella Ayane were together & broke up & deleted or archived their posts toghather, very recently. I hope that it wasn’t because of tradition and bigotry making Ayane unable to handle that much pressure; Because that would be sadder than a typical breakup.
I suspect that Shelina Zadorsky and Rosella Ayane were together & broke up very recently. I hope that it wasn’t because of tradition and bigotry making Ayane unable to handle that much pressure; Because that would be sadder than a typical breakup.
This is incredible work as always. So grateful that you take the time to do this. I *think* that Uchenna Kanu on Nigeria is gay/queer — there isn’t anything obvious on her own account, but I think this is her gf: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CttiT64ogw2/?igshid=YzcxN2Q2NzY0OA==.
You realize it’s illegal to be gay in Nigeria, yeah? Maybe chill on this.
So many gays injured, Beth Mead, Leah Williamson, Vivianne Miedema and now Sam Kerr.
Unfair!
The opening goal of the tournament was scored by a lesbian. This is the way! Hannah Wilkinson!
It was so great! We would’ve had two goals but the crossbar is homophobic and blocked the Percival PK.
I came here to say this! Can we get a “goals scored by gays” tracker on AS? I’d up my A+ membership for it. 😉
Thank you for your exhaustive work in compiling this list!
Australia vs. Ireland is maximum football and drama. Littlejohn and McCabe of Ireland split recently and rumors are that McCabe is now with Foord (of Australia).
If we’re counting Zadorsky and Ayane, who never publicly confirmed either, I think it’s fair to put Sinclair on there. Keira Walsh should be on there for England. Neither she nor Bronze ever really confirmed but Walsh was recently linked with a German player (Laura Feiersinger)
Couples on two different national teams:
Harder-Eriksson
Kerr-Mewis
Carpenter – van de Donk
Carter-Berger
Bjorn-Galli
Also Sembrant – Boattin.
Laura Feiersinger is austrian, not german. ;)
Thank you for the correction and sorry for the mistake!
Despite these lists including her for years now, I still have never seen where exactly Lucy Bronze has ever come out or talked about her sexuality. Wikipedia says nothing about it either last time I checked.
Yeah, I’ve never seen any public acknowledgment ever. Articles about her have talked about the fact that she is assumed to be with Walsh, but neither of them ever publicly confirmed their relationship.
Even stranger, while the lists have always included Bronze, they still avoid mentioning Walsh! But maybe we’re so used to them being private, that if they have been more open, we’re not noticing how open?
I don’t think Lauren Hemp or Alanna Kennedy are queer? Also Alanna Cook is openly queer.
One of Alanna Kennedy’s ex girlfriends (unfortunately) wrote a memoir about dating her, so I think it’s safe to include her on this list 😉
Thank you! Sorry for the mistake.
Sorry, I was trying to post this somewhere else.
Yes – Kennedy dated Kyah Simon for years and more recently Becky Spencer from Jamaica after her break-up with Sophie Cachia, who wrote the memoir featuring her.
Apparently, Alanna Kennedy is with Kyah Simon and Sophie Cachia is her ex. hemp is gat too.
Don’t forget Hege Riise, coach of Norway. Sadly, her partner died in childbirth. https://www.vg.no/sport/i/9md0pw/hege-riise-vi-trodde-jo-vi-skulle-vaere-tre-som-dro-hjem-fra-foedestua-saa-ble-det-bare-meg
I was at the Spain v Costa Rica game last night and me and my gf used this great handy article to educate ourselves. We thought including the jersey number would enhance the gay spotting no end. Probably too much of a retrospective ask, maybe next time!
I am pretty sure Argentina’s Banini and Bonsegundo not only belong to this list, but are actually a couple, too.
Yes! You are correct. Banini used to date Yanara Aedo from Chile and is now with Bonsegundo.
Maelle Lakrar for France. In 2020 she posted a pic with her then gf for their 2 years anniversary. https://www.instagram.com/p/CE7YQxlpcpZ/
I’m pretty sure Clare Polkinghorne is also gay (and out) – there’s a Star Observer article which mentions it.
Also, I want to mention two out gay players who are Matildas (Australian national players) but unfortunately just missed out on selection due to a bad run with injuries/recovery:
1) Chloe Logarzo
2) Emily Gielnik
Damn the Matildas are the best 😂 💛💚
Polkinghorne is also gay!
I just wanted to share for some countries it may be best to not include players based on the fact it may put them in danger of harm or criminality in their home countries. I’m especially thinking about Morocco. Or at least a line at the top that not all players can be included out of their own safety, especially if they haven’t shared the fact that they’re out directly on social media.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/07/reporter-slammed-for-asking-moroccan-soccer-player-if-she-has-gay-teammates/
The Morrocan player recently broke up her relationship, I really hope that it wasn’t because of pressure :(
I have a player to add from the Philippines team – I just saw on Sarina Bolden’s Instagram that their bio line says “i just wanna have fun an b gay”
Also just learned about Sandie Toletti for France
https://www.instagram.com/p/Clgw0-eL_b8/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
As a Dad of a gay daughter it’s just so inspiring to see all these wonderful women. These super athletes who are doing just wonders for not only young gay girls but all girls and young boys as well. Hopefully they will help to change the views of the many who have probably not had much to do with gay people and carry on old misguided views.
Alexia Putellas and Jenni Hermoso for Spain are both out gays.. and were once together. Also Kira Walsh with the Lionesses is Lucy Bronze’s partner. I also didn’t know Guro is out.
I just wanted to share for some countries it may be best to not include players based on the fact it may put them in danger of harm or criminality in their home countries. https://nfrpost.com/news/prca-announces-2023-polaris-remuda-awards/141/
Whooooop!
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The opening goal of the tournament was scored by a lesbian. This is the way! Hannah Wilkinson!
I don’t think Lauren Hemp or Alanna Kennedy are queer? Also Alanna Cook is openly queer.