On 11 October, International Coming Out Day, the Dutch football world will issue a joint statement to promote LGBTI acceptance in football. The joint campaign will take place in Dutch club football from 11 to 20 October.

As in the past two years, captains in professional football will wear special rainbow armbands. This will take place during the match weekend of 11 and 13 October in the Eredivisie Women and from 18 to 20 October in the Eredivisie, Keuken Kampioen Divisie and amateur football.

The joint statement on LGBT acceptance in football is an initiative of the players' union VVCS and the John Blankenstein Foundation.
Foundation. This year, the Eredivisie (ECV), Keuken Kampioen Divisie (CED), Coaches Betaald Voetbal (CBV), the KNVB referees and FOX Sports are also fully on board with the campaign.

Players, coaches, referees, and reporters
The captains of the Eredivisie, the Keuken Kampioen Division and the Eredivisie Women will wear the
rainbow bracelet. The clubs are supporting the message with a joint statement on social media. In addition, coaches, referees and FOX Sports presenters are wearing a special rainbow pin, and FOX Sports is using special rainbow microphones for the occasion.

VVCS chairman Evgeniy Levchenko: “The armband campaign has been a powerful statement over the past two years. This year, the voice against homophobia will be even louder, with the cooperation of coaches, referees, clubs and FOX Sports. We will show and make it clear from every angle that homophobia has no place in the world of football.”

Amateur football and other sports are also participating
Not only professional football, but also amateur footballers and other sports are participating. As part of the #AllTogetherChallenge, amateur footballers can request the rainbow armband via rainbowband.nl/knvb and all other athletes can order armbands for their teams via regenboogband.nl. Last year, this was done no fewer than 10,000 times. These armbands will also be worn during the weekend of 19 and 20 October.