Adelaide United's Josh Cavallo has alleged internal homophobia forced his exit from the club. The 26-year-old claimed he was kept out of the team by the Australian club's hierarchy not because of injury but due to his sexuality.

What happened?

Cavallo publicly came out as gay in October 2021, becoming the only openly gay men's top-flight professional player at the time. He departed Adelaide in May for Peterborough Sports in English football's sixth tier, before joining seventh-tier Stamford in December.

Why it matters for Adelaide United

Adelaide United categorically rejects the allegations, including any suggestion that the club is homophobic. The club insisted all on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds.

Current context

As of 28 Jun 2026, Adelaide United sits 2nd in the A-League with 43 points from 26 games, recent form WWDDW. Their last result was a 0-3 loss to Auckland on 2026-05-15. Here is a summary of their current standing: | Category | Value | | --- | --- | | League standing | 2nd in A-League | | Points | 43 | | Recent form | WWDDW | | Goals this season | 46 scored, 36 conceded | | Title race | 5 points behind leaders Newcastle Jets |

Cavallo did not play a first-team match for Adelaide during the 2024-25 season and was an unused substitute in the A League on eight occasions. He spent a year out with an Achilles tendon injury between February 2023 and January 2024 and was sidelined for the final three months of the 2023-24 season with a muscular injury. Cavallo alleged his lack of game time during his last season at the club was attributed to injury and claimed it was instead internal homophobia that kept him on the bench. Adelaide United has always been committed to fostering an inclusive environment for players, staff, and supporters and remains proud of their ongoing work to promote inclusion across football.