In Brief
- Jackson Irvine has expressed his support for a new rule by FIFA aimed at combating racist and homophobic verbal abuse.
- The Socceroo has used his platform to call for inclusivity in the game before.
Jackson Irvine hasn't seen much game time in the Socceroos' FIFA World Cup run, but the midfielder made waves off the pitch with his support of a new FIFA rule banning players from covering their mouths during a confrontation.
The rule, established in April, led to a red card for Paraguay's Miguel Almirón in the first half of the match against Türkiye on Saturday — the first time a player has been carded for that reason since the rule was introduced.
Also called the 'Vinícius law', the rule was introduced after Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior accused a Benfica player of racial abuse during a UEFA Champions League match in February.
"If you can't be seen saying it, then it shouldn't be said," Irvine told reporters during a press conference this weekend.
"When you look at what's happened in the past, especially with the incident with Vinícius Júnior. I think it takes everything out of the equation."
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It's not the first time Irvine has been outspoken on social issues; the midfielder has a notable track record in shining a light on professional football's most pervasive issues.
Who is Jackson Irvine?
With bleached locks, painted nails, and a penchant for vintage fashion, Irvine doesn't cut the figure of a typical footballer.
"As someone who's spent my entire life in the bubble of professional sport, I know more than most how easy it can be to fall into stereotypes," Irvine told ABC radio in late 2025.
"We're not overly encouraged to be too expressive with the way we feel."
Born in Melbourne, the 33-year-old midfielder made his professional debut in the Scottish Premier League at 17, playing for Celtic and later Kilmarnock FC.
Along with fellow Socceroo Connor Metcalfe, Irvine plays for St Pauli in Germany. Based in Hamburg, the club, which was relegated from the top-tier Bundesliga at the end of last season, is known for its left-wing politics and rejection of neo-Nazi hooligans in football culture.
"It's a cult club, as everybody likes to call it. It's got an international reputation more for its off-field positions than its on-field," Irvine told ABC radio.
The same could potentially be said about Irvine.
A track record of activism
"Let's be clear here: homophobia in football is still a problem," Irvine wrote in an essay for FIFPRO, the organising body of professional football unions, back in 2022.
Irvine used his platform as then-executive member of union Professional Footballers Australia to call for more inclusivity in the game. Now, as co-president, he continues to call for greater diversity in the game.
"I think players have become far more aware of how language and words that were previously used without the intention to be hateful are unacceptable and outdated. That’s been a huge change I’ve noticed in the last few years," Irvine wrote in 2022.
When FIFA awarded United States President Donald Trump an inaugural peace prize to honour "the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people", Irvine couldn't stay quiet.
"Decisions like the one that we saw awarding this peace prize makes a mockery of what they're trying to do with the human rights charter and trying to use football as a global driving force for good and positive change in the world," Irvine told Reuters in April.
Irvine attracted controversy in 2025 when he was photographed at a music festival wearing an FC Palestina tee — a brand that makes football-style shirts and donates a portion of profits to pro-Palestinian causes.
He faced accusations of antisemitism, including some from his own club, St Pauli.
"What I would rather focus on is the amazing level of support we've had from fans, from people in our community," he told ABC about the criticism.
When the Socceroos faced the Palestinian team in a World Cup qualifier in 2023, they donated a portion of their match fees to humanitarian causes in Gaza.
"It's unfathomable to comprehend," Irvine told SBS News at the time. "You're talking about one of the most complicated geopolitical issues of the last 100 years."
The Socceroos speak out
The Socceroos themselves are no strangers to speaking up.
Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the team issued a collective statement criticising human rights abuses.
On the eve of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the squad showcased their diversity in a video celebrating the migrant and refugee origins of the squad in a time of rising anti-migrant sentiment.
Despite the 2026 FIFA World Cup being Irvine's third with the team, the midfielder hasn't been part of the starting 11 for the first two matches.
Reflecting on the tournament in Sunday's press conference, Irvine said he was extremely proud to contribute.
"Ultimately, I'm a football romantic, and being here and being at the World Cup and seeing all the different stories that come together at this time ... it's the most amazing thing to be a part of."
You can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ live, free and exclusive on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.
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