Several Bundesliga clubs have announced that they will light their stadiums with rainbow colors during the Euro 2020 clash between Germany and Hungary after UEFA refused the Munich Mayor's request to light up the Allianz Arena.
Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann and Gerard Pique as well as Arsenal's Katie McCabe have also expressed their support for lighting up the stadium on social media.
Chelsea and Denmark star Pernil Harder also posted a picture of UEFA's statement on Instagram and captioned it: "Same game?"
Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter said he wanted to light up stadiums in Hungary in protest of a new law that bans the dissemination of material in schools promoting homosexuality and gender change, but UEFA requested was rejected saying it was a "political statement".
🌈✊🏼 pic.twitter.com/YlGwTcwPOu
— Antoine Griezmann (@AntoGriezmann) June 22, 2021
Wolfsburg, Hertha Berlin, Eintracht Frankfurt and Cologne have announced that they will display rainbow colors during the games in support of the LGBT community.
Barcelona also posted a photo of their crest with a rainbow flag in the background and captioned it: "Pride and honour."
Bayern president Herbert Hainer issued a statement on Tuesday saying the club stands for tolerance.
Unsere Volkswagen Arena morgen Abend! 🌈#VfLWolfsburg pic.twitter.com/IJfgg41HiX
— VfL Wolfsburg (@VfL_Wolfsburg) June 22, 2021
"We would have liked that Allianz Arena could have been lit up in rainbow colors on Wednesday," he said in a statement posted on Twitter.
"Open mind and tolerance are the fundamental values for which our society and FC Bayern stand. That is why FC Bayern have illuminated their stadium in the colors of diversity, for example on Christopher Street Day, for many years."
UEFA suggested that alternate dates be used for gestures during the tournament, such as Christopher Street Day commemorating the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion of the gay community in New York.
Former Germany midfielder Thomas Hitlsperger - who came out as gay after retiring in 2014 - also called on UEFA to change its decision.
Dear @EURO2020, don’t be offended by the 🌈. Think about those who still get discriminated. They need support. Your support, too!
— Thomas Hitzlsperger (@ThomasHitz) June 22, 2021
He tweeted, "Dear @Euro2020, don't be offended by [Rainbow]. Think of the people who still discriminate. They need support. Your support too."
UEFA's decision not to allow Allianz Arena to display the rainbow flag comes after UEFA asked Germany captain Manuel Neuer and the German Football Association (DFB) not to face any disciplinary action for wearing a rainbow armband during the tournament. The day comes later.
To show DFB's support for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month, Neuer, 35, wore an armband against France and Portugal.
UEFA was investigating whether it violated its rules by not allowing athletes to make political statements. But UEFA said in a statement on Sunday that Neuer was "promoting a good cause" and opted to take further action.
Hungary is still under investigation by the governing body over "potentially discriminatory incidents" during their games against Portugal and France at Budapest's Puskas Arena.
During Hungary's opening match against Portugal on Tuesday, images on social media showed banners with "anti-LMBTQ" on them – the Hungarian abbreviation for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer.