As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches without a single openly LGBTQ+ male player in the tournament, Antwerp-based artist Fallenium says statistics suggest a different reality on and off the pitch.
The release of a new single by Belgium-born artist Fallenium has unexpectedly reignited a discussion about one of football‘s most persistent taboos: the absence of openly LGBTQ+ players in the men’s game.
While ‘Devils With Pretty Faces‘ was originally written as a song about obsession, attraction and desire, many listeners have interpreted it as a stadium anthem. That reaction prompted Fallenium to reflect on a striking contradiction ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
According to publicly available information, none of the 1,248 players expected to participate in the expanded tournament are openly LGBTQ+. In fact, no openly gay or bisexual male footballer has ever played at a men’s World Cup.
“Statistically, there are almost certainly LGBTQ+ players in every squad,” Fallenium said. “The fact that nobody feels able to say so publicly remains unfortunate.”
Football’s last major taboo
The contrast with women’s football is significant. At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, nearly 100 openly LGBTQ+ athletes and outspoken allies participated in the tournament.
For Fallenium, the absence of openly LGBTQ+ players in men’s football is increasingly difficult to reconcile with demographic data. Recent Gallup research suggests that around 9% of adults identify as LGBTQ+, while among adults under 30 the figure rises to approximately 23%.
According to the artist, those numbers make it highly likely that non-heterosexual players are present throughout professional football.
“I know many gay and bisexual men who play football and who love football,” Fallenium said. “They are just as competitive, just as passionate and just as emotionally invested in the game as anyone else. Yet they are rarely reflected in the stories that are told about football.”
The timing is particularly notable, with the discussion emerging during Pride Month in June.
Fallenium also points to personal experience. The artist grew up in a family where Belgian club Royal Antwerp F.C. occupied a central place and says many friends within the LGBTQ+ community are active football players or dedicated supporters.
“The idea that football is exclusively a heterosexual world simply does not match the people I know,” Fallenium said.
A song that sounds like a stadium anthem
Although ‘Devils With Pretty Faces’ was never intended as a sports song and has no connection to any football organisation, club or national team, listeners have repeatedly associated the track with football culture.
Fallenium said the finished recording immediately evoked images of packed stadiums, supporter chants and thousands of fans singing together.
“The saxophone, the group energy and the collective ‘oh-oh-oh’ moments made it feel like something designed to be sung by a crowd,” the artist said.
Rather than resisting that interpretation, Fallenium welcomes it.
“Football belongs to everyone. It belongs to LGBTQ+ people too. If someone feels represented by this song, I see that as a compliment.”
Football and emotion
The artist also highlights what they describe as football’s often-overlooked emotional dimension.
Beneath its stadium-ready sound, ‘Devils With Pretty Faces’ explores themes of obsession, toxic attraction and the tension between reason and desire. Lyrics such as “Love is brutal, love is cruel” and “A rebel against the devil can never win” examine the power certain people can hold over others.
Fallenium argues that supporters understand irrational emotional attachment better than most.
“You do not choose your club with logic. You choose it with your heart,” the artist said. “Even when it frustrates or disappoints you, you keep coming back. That is emotion rather than reason.”
The artist believes football is fundamentally built around universal human experiences such as passion, identity, friendship, hope, disappointment and belonging.
“Perhaps football is far more inclusive than its public image suggests,” Fallenium said.
From ‘Absinthe’ to ‘Devils With Pretty Faces’
The origins of the song stretch back several years.
The track was initially written for another artist under the title ‘Absinthe‘ and focused on the darker side of attraction. Although an early version was recorded, it remained unreleased for years before Fallenium decided to completely rework it for a solo release.
The original title was eventually abandoned because it did not feel authentic.
“I do not use drugs and I do not drink alcohol, so a title like ‘Absinthe’ never felt right for me,” Fallenium explained.
The final title emerged after revisiting the 2002 album ‘Angels with Dirty Faces‘ by Sugababes.
“Suddenly everything clicked,” the artist said. “The song is about irrational attraction and obsession. About people who look beautiful but create chaos in your life. The most dangerous devils often have the prettiest faces.”
Looking ahead to the World Cup
Whether ‘Devils With Pretty Faces’ will ultimately find its way into football culture remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that discussions about inclusion and representation in men’s football continue.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on 11 June across the United States, Canada, and Mexico and, with 104 matches, will be the largest World Cup in history.
Fallenium’s new single ‘Devils With Pretty Faces’ is now available on major streaming platforms.
About Fallenium
Fallenium is an Antwerp-based non-binary producer and songwriter whose work blends pop, electronic music, rock and folk influences. The artist first gained attention with the 2024 debut album ‘Immortals Who Die‘ and later released the follow-up album ‘I’m Not He‘.
In 2024, Fallenium launched the independent label Purple Moon. The songwriter has previously written material for Eurovision performer Serhat and Belgian comedian Els de Schepper.
Known for combining personal stories with broader social themes, Fallenium describes the project as an effort to promote critical thinking, empathy, self-reflection and inclusion through music.
