Arsenal Football Club hosted the inaugural Arsenal for Everyone Cup at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, May 21.
The 11-a-side tournament brought together three teams committed to tackling homophobia in football with Stonewall FC, the UK’s longest standing and most successful openly gay football club, running out winners.
The tournament formed part of the club’s Arsenal for Everyone campaign which strives to make everyone connected to the club feel an equal sense of belonging whoever they are, wherever they are from.
Stonewall FC were joined for the tournament by a team of Arsenal staff and a Parliamentary XI. Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow MP featured alongside Paul Farrelly MP, Graham Evans MP, David Burrowes MP and Rob Wilson MP. Local MP Jeremy Corbyn also came down to the Emirates to support the day.
Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis said of the day: "The tournament was a great way to celebrate the work of the Arsenal for Everyone campaign with some of the people leading the fight for greater inclusivity in sport, and our society as a whole. It was played in a good spirit and I’d like to congratulate Stonewall FC for their victory."
Mr Bercow added: "Arsenal for Everyone is a great initiative to promote equality in football. The club deserves our warm congratulations for showing leadership on this crucial subject. Thanks also to Arsenal for staging a friendly competition between its own staff, members of the parliamentary football club and Stonewall FC. It was a hugely enjoyable morning with a serious message."
Arsenal season ticket holder and Stonewall FC Trustee and Player, Jamie Feldman said: "Stonewall FC was very proud to take part in the Arsenal for Everyone Tournament, and especially to have won it!
"It was absolutely fantastic that such a prestigious club showed its support for diversity and inclusion in sport by holding an event like this, and inviting us to take part.
"We hope that this is the first of many opportunities that will arise between the two clubs, and Stonewall FC look forward to working with Arsenal in the future."
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