LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- One year before the FIFA World Cup kicks off , 26 teams of gay and lesbian footballers are battling for global supremacy in the Gay Soccer World Championships . Players from the London Stonewall Lions hold the 2008 Gay World Soccer Championship trophy aloft . Co-ordinated by the International Gay & Lesbian Football Association ( IGLFA ) , the tournament , which began on Sunday , is being hosted by the Federal Triangles club in Washington D.C. , and supported by the local Major League Soccer ( MLS ) side D.C. United . IGLFA spokesman Michael Pranikoff told CNN that the competition has been running annually since 1992 . `` We started very small . There were just a few clubs from around the world . But we have gone from strength to strength . Last year the tournament was in London and sanctioned by the Football Association . '' Pranikoff said there are no professional players involved , but the standard of play is strong and the teams in the top divisions are very competitive . Although the tournament involves club sides -- rather than national teams , there is still a strong international feel with players from the U.S. , United Kingdom , Ireland , Canada , Germany , Australia , Denmark , Belgium , Sweden , Argentina , Italy , and Norway all taking part . The London Stonewall Lions are the reigning champions in the men 's division and expected to figure in Sunday 's final at Trinity Washington University , he said . Despite the competitive nature of the event , Pranikoff said there are also less serious divisions where there is a more important message . `` When you are on the pitch it 's all about the game . But it 's also about providing an environment where people can be free to be who they are . `` It 's a lot about camaraderie too . There are a lot of places in the world where gays and lesbians are n't accepted . '' So , is the competition restricted to only gay and lesbian players ? Not at all , said Pranikoff . `` It 's very open , we do n't discriminate . '' He said gay , lesbian , bi-sexual and heterosexual players were all welcome to play . Pranikoff said he is happy with how the 2009 event is unfolding , despite numbers being slightly down on what was expected -- due to the effects of the recession , swine flu and the upcoming Out Games in Denmark which has made attending the football tournament unaffordable for some teams . `` This year we did n't have as big a global turnout as we hoped for but there have been a lot of challenges -- so we 're pleased to have 26 teams here . '' Outside of organizing the current world championships , the IGLFA has also been involved in helping other organizations at stamping out homophobia , Pranikoff said .
The Gay International Soccer Championships are being held in Washington . Twenty - six teams with players from 12 different countries are competing . Major League Soccer team D.C. United have won the tournament .