Josh Cavallo Says He Left Adelaide United Because Of Homophobia
Image: joshua.cavallo / Instagram
Former Adelaide United player Josh Cavallo has alleged he left the A-League club due to what he described as a homophobic environment, saying the experience caused him to question whether coming out publicly had damaged his career.
In a statement posted to social media this morning, Cavallo said his contribution at the club was “continuously ignored” in the period leading up to his departure in May 2025, and that “people in power that blocked my opportunities, not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love”.
The 26-year-old, who came out publicly as gay in 2021 while playing professional men’s football, said the circumstances surrounding his exit were deeply difficult.
“It’s hard to swallow when I realised my own club was homophobic,” Cavallo wrote. He said the experience resurfaced fears he had held about being openly gay in elite men’s football, adding that it made him question whether coming out had negatively impacted his career.
“This was exactly the fear I had about coming out, seeing prejudice affect my career in modern day. For the first time, I actually questioned if I should have kept my sexuality a secret. This brought up fears I had about coming out publicly, that being myself would affect my career. I felt incredibly isolated and wondered if I’d made the mistake of sharing my story,” wrote Cavallo.
“I felt things going backwards, not just on the pitch, but in the one place I thought was a safe space and after seeing a group chat of teammates mocking a picture of me and my partner only added to this heartache.”
Cavallo joined Adelaide United in 2019 and made 49 appearances across five seasons. When his contract ended last year, the club said he was leaving to pursue opportunities overseas. He is now playing in the UK’s non-league system.
In his post, Cavallo also reflected on his connection to Adelaide and the club’s supporters, saying he would not allow the way his time ended to “ruin my connection to this city”, describing Adelaide as the place where he had “found his wings”.
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Since coming out publicly, Cavallo has spoken openly about the challenges he has faced in football, including online abuse and death threats. He has previously described professional men’s football as a “very toxic place” for openly gay players.
Adelaide United responds to homophobia claims from Josh Cavallo
In a statement published on its website, Adelaide United said it was “extremely disappointed by the claims made and categorically rejects the allegations, including any suggestion that Adelaide United is homophobic”.
The club said that “all on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds”, rejecting any suggestion that Cavallo’s sexuality influenced selection or contract decisions during his time at the club.
The team said it had “always been committed to fostering an inclusive environment for players, staff and supporters”, and pointed to its broader work promoting diversity and inclusion across football.
The statement added that the club would continue to build on those efforts.
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