Love for Football, Football Matches vs. Dating: How to Combine It?
Football is the world’s most popular spectator sport, enjoyed throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and America, and capable of attracting audiences running into billions.
This popularity means football also makes an ideal backdrop for socializing. If you’re single and seeking a partner, tracking down someone sharing your passion for ‘the beautiful game’ would be a great place to start.
Here, we’ll take a closer look into balancing football with dating, particularly from an LGBT slant. So, if you’re from that demographic, read on for pointers about combining football and romance!
Top places to find love
Brighton would be an excellent starting point. Known as ‘London by the sea,’ this resort on England’s southeast coast is renowned for its Bohemian atmosphere and inclusivity.
Anyone eager to get into lesbian dating will find a pool of prospective talent waiting to be tapped into, with a high percentage of potential dates liable to spend their Saturdays dressed in the club colours of blue and white stripes.
You don’t even need to travel to Brighton to mix with kindred spirits. All you have to do is search for a lesbian chat room. Entering these three magical words into your browser could give you access to exciting and interesting singles.
Don’t worry if you’re relatively new to online matchmaking platforms – you’ll soon discover the other site users gravitating to these chat rooms are always amenable.
Achieving a work/life balance
Another reason why the digital environment is the place to go for gay football fans (or, any fans for that matter), is that the sheer convenience of these outlets means you can dip in and out of the sites and apps.
We all live increasingly busy lifestyles, so what better way to organise your social life than accessing a digital resource, available 24/7? Part of being a football fan is dreaming big.
Take the example of Brighton and Hove Albion FC. Not so long ago, the Seagulls were languishing in the fourth tier of English football. Relegated to Division 3 in 1997, they eventually clawed their way out and were promoted, in successive seasons, all the way to Division 1.
There followed a spell of yo-yoing between this division and the Championship, before destiny called on Monday 17 April 2017. Vying with Huddersfield Town for promotion to the Premier League, Brighton defeated Wigan Athletic 2-1, while Town could only draw away to Derby County.
The rest, as they say, is his history, with Brighton being firmly ensconced in England’s top division ever since. Not only that, at the end of the 2022/23 season, Albion qualified for European football for the first time.
This meant fans used to trips to Sheffield, London, or Newcastle, could now add Rome to their itinerary. Although the 3,500 fans who trekked to the Eternal City had to endure a 4-0 thumping by the Italians, that’s not the point.
It’s the possibility of sneaking a result when the odds are stacked against your side that makes football so addictive. Many of the supporters who made their way to the 70,000-seater Stadio Olimpico will have memories of less glamorous sorties, such as the relegation decider in 1997 when Brighton visited Hereford, to battle to remain in the league!
Cupid in the stands
Assuming you’ve tracked down someone on your wavelength, the next step would be inviting this person to a match. Football stadiums were not always such welcoming venues for females in general or members of the LGBT community.
They were often seen as bastions of male chauvinism, with poor facilities, and outbreaks of soccer-related violence. All that has changed in recent years.
There are hospitality suits, and all-seater fan accommodation geared to comfort and unspoilt views of the action. The game is so much more inclusive, with women’s football getting more attention.
Those billions of spectators mentioned at the top of the article are being added to regularly. Emerging football markets include the Middle East and the Far East. One report estimated the number of enthusiasts in China alone had reached 200 million in 2022.
Further tips
In conclusion, it would be worth pointing out that, much as football is incredibly enjoyable and nail-biting, it isn’t necessarily the be-all and end-all of entertainment.
When tracking down a lesbian Brighton fan to share the experience of cheering on the Seagullls, you should be aware of several key factors.
Firstly, people have varying degrees of fanaticism. What if you meet someone who insists you visit the American Express Stadium as religiously as a pilgrimage?
The legendary Liverpool manager, Bill Shankly, once stated, “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
This was undoubtedly a tongue-in-cheek remark. But it might be healthier to temper your enthusiasm. If only a little bit!
