Rainbow armbands are banned in the Premier League
The Premier League have ended their eight-year partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, bringing an official close to the annual Rainbow Laces campaign ahead of the 2025/26 season.
According to The Telegraph, the decision was announced during a meeting with all the 20 club captains on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
As part of the move, players will no longer wear rainbow-themed captain’s armbands or laces during matches.
Instead, the league plans to launch its own initiative in February to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month, while continuing to prioritize inclusion and education through its community programmes.
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The Rainbow Laces campaign was first introduced in 2013 to encourage solidarity with LGBTQ+ individuals within football, gaining Premier League support the following year.
For more than a decade, the visibility of rainbow-coloured kits, armbands, and promotional material became a fixture in the English football calendar, usually in November and December.
The decision comes after a season in which the campaign drew mixed headlines.
Crystal Palace captain, Marc Guehi was formally reprimanded by the FA last year for writing “I love Jesus” on his rainbow armband, while Ipswich skipper, Sam Morsy faced no action for opting out of wearing it due to his religious beliefs.
While some see the move as a shift in how the league engages with social causes, officials insist that diversity and inclusion remain central to its values.
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The continuation of players taking the knee before matches reflects the league’s ongoing stance against discrimination.
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