Josh Cavallo has accused his former A‑League club, Adelaide United, of homophobia, claiming internal politics and discrimination prevented him from playing after he came out as gay in 2021.
The 26‑year‑old left the club last year and has since relocated to England, where he now plays non‑league football. Cavallo signed with Stamford AFC in the Southern League Premier Division Central last month.
“Leaving the club had nothing to do with football,” the former Australian under‑20 international wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.
“Decisions were made by people in power that blocked my opportunities, not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love.”
Cavallo said that during his time at Adelaide United, “it became clear that I wasn’t allowed on the pitch because of politics”.
“It’s hard to swallow when I realised my own club was homophobic,” he added.
Club Rejects Allegations
Adelaide United strongly denied the claims, saying it was “extremely disappointed by the allegations” and “categorically rejects any suggestion that Adelaide United is homophobic”.
“All on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds,” the club said in a statement.
“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.”
Injuries, Selection and Growing Frustration
Cavallo was a regular starter during the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons, playing more than 1,000 minutes across those campaigns. His opportunities declined after rupturing his Achilles tendon, with his final A‑League Men appearance coming against Sydney FC in February 2024, when he was substituted after just nine minutes due to a quad injury.
Despite recovering by October, Cavallo did not play a single minute during the 2024–25 season, although he was named on the bench multiple times. His last inclusion came in a 4–4 draw with Auckland last March.
“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 said.
“I stayed professional, kept my head down, and worked hard every day which I’m proud of. Yet no matter how much I produced or improved, my contributions were continuously ignored. It brought a lot of negativity and affected my wellbeing as a professional footballer.”
Cavallo declined to name individuals at the club but alleged he saw a group chat involving teammates “mocking a picture of me and my partner”.
Pride Cup and Public Support
The accusations come as Adelaide United prepares to contest its fourth Pride Cup during a double‑header against Melbourne Victory at Coopers Stadium this weekend.
Chief executive Nathan Kosmina said the match was an opportunity to reinforce the club’s values.
“Adelaide United is for everyone, and the pride cup match is a meaningful chance to celebrate that and recognise the strength of football’s inclusivity,” he said.
“We want every player, member, and supporter to feel safe, respected, and welcome at Coopers Stadium – on this matchday and every matchday.”
A Heavy Cost of Visibility
Cavallo became the only active top‑flight male professional footballer to come out when he publicly shared his sexuality in 2021. He later told FIFPRO that his only regret was not coming out sooner.
His profile has grown significantly since then — he now has more than one million Instagram followers and is a Ralph Lauren ambassador — but he says his experience at Adelaide United was far more difficult than it appeared publicly.
“This was exactly the fear I had about coming out, seeing prejudice affect my career in modern day,” he said.
“For the first time, I actually questioned if I should have kept my sexuality a secret.”
Cavallo described his move to England as a “fresh start”.
“It’s helped me breathe again,” he said, adding that he hopes to fall back in love with football. Despite everything, he said he still holds affection for Adelaide — a city where he says “I found my wings”.
