The 2018 World Cup in St Petersburg, Russia will get an unofficial LGBT Pride House during the tournament to offer safe spaces for LGBT athletes and fans. These temporary locations will have athletes, volunteers, and visitors. The first Pride House was created in Vancouver for the 2010 Olympic Games, but they have since sprouted up at international sporting events around the globe.

There has been much criticism from the international community for hosting the event in a country where gay people are regularly legally harassed and arrested, and this is partially why Russia is allowing the Pride House.

“Pride House International does have a history working with local LGBT+ activist organizations to develop safe spaces for LGBT+ fans, athletes, and allies and we have been in talks with local activist groups to strategize around the 2018 World Cup but this initiative in St. Petersburg is unknown to us,” the statement read. “Although we at Pride House International are learning about these plans for the first time, we would invite the local Russian activist group to reach out to us for support.”