by Joe Siegel

This summer’s World Cup games have attracted thousands of foreign tourists to the United States. However, not everyone is being given a warm welcome, and that is affecting LGBTQ media.

“Some European governments and a number of LGBTQ+ rights organizations have done everything from issuing travel advisories to recommending boycotts of World Cup games taking place in U.S. cities … due to the numerous anti-LGBTQ+ laws and policies in place in the U.S. in general and especially here in Texas,” David Taffet wrote for the Dallas Voice on June 19.

“The German government’s warning is to transgender and non-binary travelers whose passports list their gender as X rather than male or female. They warn that the United States does not recognize X as valid for sex and recommend contacting a U.S. diplomatic mission before traveling to the U.S.”

Host cities for the games, including Boston, San Francisco, and Dallas, have not seen the tourism boost that had been expected.

“Itʻs pretty quiet,” said Michael Yamashita, publisher of San Francisco’s Bay Area Reporter. “You wouldn’t know the World Cup was being played nearby. San Francisco tourism and hotels are not experiencing a bump.”

According to a story from SFGate.com, “Hotel rooms remain undersold and at flat rates. At a conference in summer 2025, the San Francisco travel industry discussed how the World Cup would be the next great sporting event to create another economic boom for the city’s tourism industry.”

Keith Pepper, publisher of Rough Draft Atlanta, owner of Georgia Voice, hasn’t seen a noticeable difference in advertising revenue due to the World Cup.

“We’ve seen tremendous engagement with our guide to local World Cup events, but did not see a big uptick in advertising, either online or in print,” Pepper said.

In Dallas, “We had one restaurant that did an ad in reference to World Cup,” said Leo Cusimano, publisher of Dallas Voice. “We have seen some watch parties, but no promotion or advertising. For our current issue of Dallas Voice, most of our coverage has been negative editorially. We cannot find a positive LGBTQ story or an out player.”

Mark Segal, publisher of Philadelphia Gay News, had a happier story to share, in part because his city is an epicentre for the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations.

“Tourism in Philadelphia is exceeding expectations this year,” Segal said. “While FIFA may not yet have brought the economic impact to PGN, it has to gayborhood restaurants and shops. But it is really just one piece of the much larger America 250 celebration, which was always expected to have a tremendous impact in a city so deeply connected to our nation’s history.”

“What has been especially encouraging is the way Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community has been embraced by both the City and the Commonwealth,” Segal continued. “That support can be seen in the funding and opening of the Philly Pride Visitor Center, the nation’s first LGBTQ visitor center located in a historic gayborhood. Many LGBTQ organizations have also received support for their America 250-related programs and celebrations. Equally important, museums and cultural institutions throughout the city have made LGBTQ history part of their exhibits and storytelling, recognizing that our community’s contributions are an important part of both Philadelphia’s story and America’s story.”

Outsports highlighted 26 of the most influential out LGBTQ people in men’s soccer, including players and coaches, referees, leaders of fan groups, media members and executives.

“Our goal is to highlight out people in men’s soccer at all levels because visibility is so important. Despite there being no out gay or bi players or coaches in the World Cup, LGBTQ people will have a presence at the event and beyond in men’s soccer,” said Outsports co-founder Jim Buzinski. “One of them is Thomas Hitzlsperger, who will be a World Cup analyst. The former German national team member, who played in the 2006 World Cup, came out as gay after retiring and says he often has people coming up to him to thank him for speaking his truth.”

Outsports also reported about a same-sex kiss at a Mexico City watch party that turned into “one of the World Cup’s biggest viral moments.”

“Issac Flores and Edson Gonzalez weren’t trying to make a statement, they were just celebrating a goal, but the photo has now picked up more than 20,000 likes in a soccer culture that still struggles with anti-gay slurs from fans,” said Buzinski. “As Flores put it, ‘We are love.’”

TOP STORY
Volume 28
Issue 5