The relationship between English football and homosexuality has changed significantly in recent years. However, research examining this area of study has predominantly focused on the attitudes of ostensibly heterosexual men. By drawing on semi-structured interviews with 35 ‘out’ gay male fans, this article is the first to focus explicitly on LGBT fans’ sense of place in English football. Contrary to previous research, these gay male fans represent ‘authentic’ notions of fandom through their passion for football and respective clubs. The recent emergence of LGBT Fan Groups has provided sexual minority fans increased visibility, and a sense of belonging and community. Finally, despite ongoing concerns about football stadia’s hypermasculine and heteronormative environment, these fans believe that they have become an increasingly inclusive space. Accordingly, this article demonstrates that sexual minority fans are central to English football and argues that future research must acknowledge their increased prevalence.

近年来，英国足球与同性恋之间的关系发生了巨大变化。但是，研究这一研究领域的研究主要集中在表面上是异性恋男人的态度上。通过对35位“出去”的男同性恋粉丝进行半结构化访谈，本文是第一个明确关注LGBT粉丝在英国足球中的位置感的文章。与以前的研究相反，这些男同性恋粉丝通过对足球和各个俱乐部的热情，代表了“真实的”狂热观念。LGBT粉丝团体的最新出现为少数族裔粉丝提供了更高的知名度以及归属感和社区感。最后，尽管人们持续关注足球场的超男性化和异规范环境，但这些球迷仍认为他们已成为一个越来越具有包容性的空间。