Out gay footballer Josh Cavallo accuses old club of homophobia
Joshua Cavallo now plays for Stamford AFC. (Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Gay footballer Josh Cavallo has accused his former club, Adelaide United, of homophobia, but the club has rejected the allegations.
The 26-year-old Stamford AFC player, who came out as gay in 2021, has spent the majority of his career so far at Adelaide United FC.
In May 2025, after failing to make a single on-pitch appearance during the 2024-2025 season, Cavallo released a joint statement alongside the club to announce his departure.
However, Cavallo has since shared a new statement in which he accuses the team of homophobia.
In an Instagram post published on Monday (12 January), Cavallo wrote: “It’s taken me a while to digest how my time at Adelaide United ended, but I think the fans deserve honesty.
“Leaving the club had nothing to do with football. Decisions were made by people in power that blocked my opportunities, not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love.”
‘It was internal homophobia that kept me on the bench’
The footballer went on to claim that “under new management” he “wasn’t allowed on the pitch because of politics”.
He continued: “It’s hard to swallow when I realised my own club was homophobic. I was angry because people thought I was sidelined based on injuries, when in reality, it was internal homophobia that kept me on the bench.”
Cavallo added that his attempt to improve in the game was “ignored”, which he said impacted his “wellbeing as a professional footballer”.
He said the experience realised his fear about coming out publicly and led him to feel “incredibly isolated”.
He also accused his former teammates of engaging in homophobic behaviour. “In the one place I thought was a safe space and after seeing a group chat of teammates mocking a picture of me and my partner only added to this heartache,” he wrote.
Cavallo then shared that his “fresh start in the UK” has enabled him to “fall back in love with the sport”.
“Despite the way it ended behind the scenes, I refuse to let it ruin my connection to this city. Adelaide is where I found my wings. To the fans and supporters: thank you for your passion and backing. You deserve honesty and success. You were incredible to play in front of. Thank you,” he concluded the post.
His partner, Leighton Morrell, responded to the post, writing: “Proud of you. Even this post doesn’t really do justice to how heavy that time actually was to live through. We won’t forget the ones that continued to show up and show out for you. Onto the next chapter.”
In response to the claims, Adelaide United published a statement which read: “The Club is extremely disappointed by the claims made and categorically rejects the allegations, including any suggestion that Adelaide United is homophobic. All on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds.
“Adelaide United has always been committed to fostering an inclusive environment for players, staff and supporters and we remain proud of our ongoing work to promote inclusion across football.
“Strengthening inclusivity must remain an ongoing focus for the game, and the Club looks forward to hosting the fourth annual Pride Cup this weekend against Melbourne Victory.”
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