An LGBTQ+ women’s football team from South Africa is set to make its international debut as it prepares to compete at the Gay Games XII in Valencia this June.
The multi-generational squad, brought together with the support of the Muholi Art Institute, will take part in the 11-a-side (D1) tournament in Spain, marking a significant milestone for queer visibility in African sport.
A Team Bridging Generations
The 25-player team brings together two generations of trailblazers: veterans who won bronze at the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago and former Banyana Banyana internationals, including Portia Modise, Pinkie Majekane and Phumla Masuku.
Together, they represent both the past and future of women’s football in South Africa, carrying the hopes of a community that continues to face discrimination despite constitutional protections.
“YAG stands for GAY,” explains team representative Phuti Matlou. “We are using sport as a platform to open doors for every LGBTQI+ person who has been pushed to the side. This is about building confidence, creating real opportunities, and showing that Africa can lead an inclusive sports movement where players thrive both on and off the pitch.”
Inspired by a Legacy of Courage
Many of the players began their football journeys on township streets, often in environments where being openly queer could come at great personal cost. For the 2006 veterans, competing internationally was a transformative experience.
“It was an eye-opener,” Matlou says. “We walked into a space where nobody judged you for who you love. We played without fear. We felt welcomed. We brought bronze home, but this time we are going for gold. The memory of that freedom is what we carry into Valencia.”
For former national team players, the journey has also been deeply personal, with many having navigated the challenges of coming out in elite sport. Today, increased visibility and support structures are helping to create safer spaces for younger athletes.
“This team is the bridge,” Matlou adds. “It shows how women’s football in South Africa really started, not just in the national jersey, but on those same dusty streets. We want every South African to see this as continuation and progress, not something separate.”
Muholi Art Institute Backs the Journey
The Muholi Art Institute, founded by acclaimed visual activist Zanele Muholi, is playing a central role in supporting the team. Beyond financial assistance, the organisation is helping coordinate logistics, training, and documentation of the team’s journey.
“Each player carries her own story,” asserts Muholi. “Together we are creating one story that the world needs to hear, the South African ‘I am’ story, the ‘it’s a YAG thing’ story. This moment deserves to be preserved, just as we have always preserved our lives through art.”
Muholi, who documented the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago, emphasises the significance of that moment.
“I watched them play without fear, win bronze, and come home changed forever. Twenty years on, the Muholi Art Institute stands fully behind SA YAG Games in Valencia because this is not just sport, it is our living archive, our loudest protest, and our proudest celebration of who we are. We document, we support, we rise. The world is about to see South Africa’s queer sports shine.”
Funding Challenges Remain
Despite the excitement, the team faces significant financial hurdles. Many players are unemployed or live far from training venues, limiting regular practice sessions to Sundays due to transport costs.
The squad still requires funding for flights, accommodation, visas, stipends, and proper kit to ensure all 25 players can travel.
“We are asking sponsors to become co-authors of this story,” Matlou says. “Help us write a new chapter of inclusion, identity and real transformation through sport. We want partnerships that build legacy, not just visibility for your brand, but real programmes in health, wellness, empowerment and economic opportunity for queer athletes.”
Building a Lasting Legacy
Looking beyond Valencia, the team aims to launch Gauteng’s first local Gay Games in 2027, alongside youth soccer clinics, corporate inclusion programmes, and community tournaments.
“The Gay Games are a global celebration of humanity,” says team member Portia Modise. “Through sport we become one family, playing as our true selves. South Africa has come a long way since the Bill of Rights. Now sport must finish the job, expanding transformation and showing the world what real inclusion looks like.”
As the team prepares to take the field in Valencia, they carry more than just national pride. Their presence represents visibility, resilience, and hope — a powerful reminder that every goal scored is also a victory for LGBTQ+ inclusion back home.
