ST KILDA and Essendon are in talks to hold the AFL'S first "Pride Cup" next season, to celebrate diversity and stamp out homophobia in football.

Club executives met this week to discuss staging the match next season in a bid to make gay supporters feel more welcome at the game.

St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis said the success of a Pride Cup match earlier this month between Victorian country teams Yarra Glen and Yarra Junction - spearheaded by openly gay player Jason Ball - was part of the inspiration behind the move.

At the game, AFL football operations manager Mark Evans said the AFL would throw its weight behind a Pride Cup at elite level if two clubs were willing to get involved.

"The Pride Cup at a grassroots level was such a great initiative and received widespread support and if there's an opportunity to extend the scope of that concept at an elite level then we would love to be part of it," said Mr Finnis.