Common Goal's Play Proud aims to tackle discrimination in football

Eight soccer clubs are helping make the 2026 Men's World Cup the most inclusive yet

In a bid to ensure that the 2026 World Cup is the most inclusive men’s football tournament in history, Common Goal has launched Play Proud, represented by clubs across Canada and the United States.

At a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack worldwide, global impact movement for football, Common Goal, plans to fight discrimination in the sport.

Through its Play Proud initiative, Common Goal is working in regions fighting against discriminatory bills and in 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup host cities.

Represented by clubs from Major Leauge Soccer (MLS), the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), United Soccer League (USL) and the Canadian Premier League (CPL), the Play Proud cohort will come together for 100 hours of in-person diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training to help meet its goals.

Play Proud takes a holistic and collective approach to creating inclusive football communities with a focus on under-resourced and marginalised populations.

Focused on fighting back against discrimination, the initiative provides participating clubs and organisations with training, resources and support to help them create inclusive policies and practices within their establishments, enabling access to football programmes in under-represented communities and upskilling youth-focused coaches in trauma-informed practices.