Former A-League star Josh Cavallo has sensationally claimed he was forced out of Adelaide United due to his sexuality.
Cavallo, 26, confirmed he was gay in October 2021 – and appeared to have the support of the Reds, who labelled the defender a ‘symbol of courage’ following his ground-breaking announcement.
But across the 2024–25 A-League season, Cavallo failed to make the starting side before leaving the club at the end of the season.
On Tuesday, Cavallo declared on Instagram that ‘leaving had nothing to do with football’ before bluntly adding Adelaide United was a ‘homophobic’ club in his eyes.
‘It’s taken me a while to digest how my time at Adelaide United ended, but I think the fans deserve honesty,’ his lengthy post began.
‘Leaving the club had nothing to do with football. Decisions were made by people in power that blocked my opportunities, not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love.
Former A-League star Josh Cavallo has sensationally claimed he was forced out of Adelaide United due to his sexuality
Cavallo, 26, confirmed he was gay in October 2021, becoming the world’s only known gay male professional footballer still actively playing
Pictured: Cavallo’s lengthy post, in which he claims he was frozen out ‘due to who he loves’ and that prejudice took a toll on his football career in Australia
‘Under the new management, it became clear that I wasn’t allowed on the pitch because of politics. It’s hard to swallow when I realised my own club was homophobic.
‘I was angry because people thought I was sidelined based on injuries, when in reality, it was internal homophobia that kept me on the bench.
‘I stayed professional, kept my head down, and worked hard every day which I’m proud of.
‘Yet no matter how much I produced or improved, my contributions were continuously ignored. It brought a lot of negativity and affected my wellbeing as a professional footballer.
‘This was exactly the fear I had about coming out, seeing prejudice affect my career in modern day.’
Cavallo added that being sidelined made him ‘for the first time question if I should have kept my sexuality a secret.’
‘I felt incredibly isolated and wondered if I’d made the mistake of sharing my story,’ his post continued.
‘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.
On Tuesday, Cavallo declared on Instagram that ‘leaving the A-League had nothing to do with football’ before bluntly claiming Adelaide United is a ‘homophobic’ club
When Cavallo departed in May 2025, Adelaide United described him as a ‘symbol of courage’ whose legacy would ‘transcend the game’
Cavallo is now on the books of Peterborough Sports FC, an English National League North side
On January 12, Adelaide United stated in a media release they are ‘proud to take part’ in this weekend’s fourth annual Pride Cup match, which ‘reinforces the club’s commitment to diversity and inclusion’ (pictured)
‘This fresh start in the UK has helped me breathe again and I hope I can fall back in love with the sport that means everything to me.
‘Despite the way it ended behind the scenes, I refuse to let it ruin my connection to this city.
‘Adelaide is where I found my wings. To the fans and supporters: thank you for your passion and backing. You deserve honesty and success. You were incredible to play in front of. Thank you.’
After playing youth football with Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City, Cavallo made his A-League debut with Western United in 2019 before joining Adelaide two years later.
On Monday, Adelaide United stated in a media release they are ‘proud to take part’ in this weekend’s fourth annual Pride Cup match, which ‘reinforces the club’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and ensuring football remains a welcoming space for everyone.’
The Pride Cup Match will be held during the Adelaide United versus Melbourne Victory clash on January 17 at Coopers Stadium.
Adelaide United have since responded to Cavallo’s claims.
‘Adelaide United is aware of a statement published on social media by former player Josh Cavallo,’ a statement read.
‘The club is extremely disappointed by the claims made and categorically rejects the allegations, including any suggestion that Adelaide United is homophobic.
‘All on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds.
‘Adelaide United has always been committed to fostering an inclusive environment for players, staff and supporters and we remain proud of our ongoing work to promote inclusion across football.
‘The club will not be making any further comment at this time.’
