As the future governing body of LGBT soccer in the region, we strive to represent and connect all forms of soccer and the promotion of the sport within and to the LGBT community. NAGSA stems from the need to organize, develop and advance the stated mission in the US. A national governing body for LGBT sporting has been identified as the necessary component to advance our sport forward as a unified front, much like that of NAGAAA (Gay softball) and NAGVA (Gay Volleyball).
Our Mission
Promote amateur sports competition, particularly soccer, for all persons regardless of age, sexual orientation or preference, with special emphasis on the participation of members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.
Evolving our Game
We’ve positioned our org to bring equity, inclusion and opportunity to the LGBTQ+ soccer community. Through partnership with ALL of North America, the clubs and players drive progress. Here are just a few of things we’re here to do:
1 – Prioritize LGBTQ+ soccer clubs and players first in North America,
2 – Collaborate on tournament site selection, bids and hosting of tournaments in our region (without the burden, corruption and cost of IGLFA sanctioning).
3 – Support clubs from large cities to small towns, to revitalize the soccer scene to ensure sustainable tournaments and growth of queer participants in the sport. We’re seeking to build our network to be as relevant as the GFSN or London Unity League in the UK.
4 – Form a combined association to build a soccer infrastructure that supports lgbt+ advocacy in sport, and puts our continent in a position to be a heavier influence in equality in sport, in particularly the sport of soccer.
The North American Gay Soccer Association (NAGSA) was founded by generous contribution of funds and volunteerism from members of Minnesota Gray Ducks. We recognize the roots of our work are in thanks to the work of the NY Ramblers and other clubs that began 25 plus years ago. While the IGLFA (International Gay & Lesbian Football Association) serves the global community, NAGSA has been created to serve the regional interests of our clubs. The have been some rather turbulent years of IGLFA leadership that have lost the trust and confidence of most clubs in our region. The IGLFA must regain the trust of the clubs, and rely on regional bodies to advise them instead.
It is our belief that the North American soccer community would be best served by representation of only clubs and persons from our area. In recent years, we’ve seen North American clubs spend thousands of dollars on propping up poorly run tournaments, failed Outgames, subsidized travels of referee directors and corrupt IGLFA Presidents, failed commitments, and an inability to advocate within the US or elsewhere by the organizations who say they will. Europe, in particularly the UK, is far exceeding North America in it’s progress of advancing LGBT soccer among the community, let alone extended advocacy from youth to professional levels, and well into the Olympics. We are here to end the corruption that has plagued progress in advancing LGBT soccer in Canada, the US, and Mexico. Please join us in taking back our future. We at NAGSA request that the IGLFA revise their sanctioning to no longer include mandates on officiating. Officials should be assigned by respective local assignors, and any officials from out of town interested in participating in an event should make that interest known to each tournament director for inclusion
Officials
We’d like to partner with officials to build out a robust network of LGBT and Allied math officials seeking to network for professional growth, and participation in NAGSA endorsed tournaments. Our desire is to reinvent this association of officials so that it grows exponentially, and it does not serve only a select few individuals.
Coaches
We’re here for you too, and we need you. We’re seeking to aid coaches from all levels of soccer who identify as LGBTQ+ or who want to promote inclusivity in their club as an Ally be a part of an accessible and inclusive group of coaches. Ideally we would partner with United Soccer Coaches, however the LGBTQ+ committee is too exclusive and there is no open networking possible as we feel is necessary.
Front Office
LGBTQ+ persons working in the front office of sporting clubs remains rare, especially for them to be out. We’d like to work with front office persons from any sporting club, whether out or simply willing to be an ally. We’d like to promote careers and help break down the barriers that exist in this capacity of sport. Many of our clubs have Pride partnerships and more, and we are happy to liaise those relations and would like to be USMNT and USWNT go to partner.