LGBTQ+ Team Reports Homophobic Abuse During Acton Match
London Titans calls for more action from pitch operator
London Titans in action. Picture: Instagram
A dispute has broken out between London Titans FC and pitch operator Hire a Pitch after a league fixture at Club des Sports in Acton was abandoned when players and officials said they were subjected to homophobic abuse. The incident occurred during the Titans’ GFSN (Gay Football Supporters Network) League match against Nottingham Lions on Saturday 25 April.
According to London Titans, a group of young males repeatedly entered the pitch during the second half, disrupting play and directing sustained homophobic verbal abuse at players and match officials. The referee abandoned the game after the confrontation escalated and a physical altercation took place.
The club has since provided witness statements to the Metropolitan Police and reported the incident to Ealing’s LGBTQ+ liaison officer. It has also submitted formal complaints to both Club des Sports, which owns the site, and Hire a Pitch, which manages bookings.
In its public statement, the club expressed concern about what it described as a lack of site control during the booking, despite having paid £400 for exclusive use of the 4G pitch. The Titans allege that the on-site representative failed to intervene effectively and, when the group blamed by London Titans for the disturbance eventually left, apologised to them rather than to the teams affected. The club has rejected what it calls inaccuracies in Hire a Pitch’s written response and has urged the company to cooperate fully with the police investigation, including preserving and releasing CCTV footage and incident reports.
London Titans, one of the UK’s longest-running LGBTQ+ inclusive football clubs, said the incident undermined its mission to provide a safe and welcoming environment for players of all backgrounds. In correspondence with Hire a Pitch, the club has called for clearer protocols, improved staff training on handling abusive or discriminatory behaviour, and stronger measures to prevent unauthorised pitch access.
After what it describes as insufficient engagement from Hire a Pitch, the Titans have ended their five-year relationship with the company and moved their home fixtures to new facilities.
Club chair Thomas Croxall-Ingram said the abuse directed at players was unacceptable but extended an invitation to the young men involved to train with the team and “discover the shared humanity that makes forgiveness possible.” He criticised Hire a Pitch for what he described as a lack of constructive engagement and urged the company to improve its handling of hate-related incidents.
The GFSN, which oversees the league, also expressed concern. Chair Paul Williams said it was “profoundly disappointing” that matches were still being disrupted by such incidents in 2026 and called on facility providers to ensure safe, inclusive environments for all participants.
Hire a Pitch, however, disputes key elements of the Titans’ account. In a detailed statement, the company said that while it had received allegations of homophobic abuse, these claims had not yet been substantiated with evidence. It said its staff member arrived after a scuffle had already begun and observed what appeared to be Titans participants acting aggressively, including physical contact involving a minor. Without access to CCTV footage, which it says it does not control, the company said it could not determine exactly what happened.
The company also noted that the venue is a large site and said no attempt was made to contact its phone, email or live-chat channels during the incident, which it argues would have enabled additional staff to respond. Hire a Pitch expressed concern that the matter was being framed primarily as an LGBTQ+ issue, stating that there was no evidence the disturbance occurred because the fixture involved an LGBTQ+ team. It rejected any suggestion that it is indifferent to the safety or inclusion of LGBTQ+ players and said it remains committed to providing a welcoming environment for all users.
The company acknowledged that administrative errors have occurred in the past but said these were unintentional and not motivated by discrimination. It described the Titans as valued long-term customers and expressed disappointment that the matter had been escalated publicly.
The police investigation is ongoing.
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