Gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer soccer players who are publicly out — now at least 87 in total — make up nearly 12% of all the athletes competing in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. There are dozens of out LGBTQ+ athletes competing this year, far higher than any other previous World Cup. That’s about one in every nine players. It’s an astounding number for an international competition at the highest level of a sport. That does not include the many other LGBTQ+ athletes who are not publicly out. It’s a testament to how far major international women’s sports have come in the presence and acceptance of LGBTQ+ athletes. This group of out athletes is more than double the size of the out LGBTQ+ group of athletes who competed in the 2019 Women’s World Cup. While the number of teams in the tournament has grown by a third — from 24 to 32 — over the last four years, the number of out athletes has more than doubled. That reflects the growth of acceptance. Almost all of these athletes are from the Americas, Europe, and the host nations of Australia and New Zealand, where laws regarding LGBTQ+ people are generally more favorable than in Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. #Queer Up Sports