Everton’s trip to Southampton today offers another chance to demonstrate a joint positive stance on LGBTI+ issues.

Both clubs, sponsored by technical partner hummel, wore specially designed warm-up shirts ahead of the opening Premier League game of the season at Goodison Park back in August.

Designed as a mash-up of all flags recognised by the LGBTI+ community, the shirts, also worn by Everton women during a pre-season friendly against Brighton, underpins #YouAreIncluded, which was the overall theme of Copenhagen 2021.

An auction of the Everton shirts went on to raise £12,472, which Everton in the Community ring-fenced to fund new, inclusive football sessions - delivered to offer a safe space to people aged 16+ and who identify as LGBTI+.

More on these sessions can be found HERE.

And ahead of the return meeting at St Mary’s, hummel have invited Rainbow Toffees Laura Carter and Kerry Croxford, along with members of the Rainbow Saints, as their guests.

Laura and Kerry will be interviewed pitchside before kick-off. Watch out for their interview on our social channels.

The initiative to support the fight for diversity and inclusivity in professional football is part of hummel's wider backing for Copenhagen 2021 World Pride and the EuroGames celebration, which took place in August 2021.