In a city with a homophobic reputation and just a handful of gay bars, LGBT Muscovites and World Cup guests have found an unlikely new place to socialise -- a match-screening area for gay and ethnic minority football fans.

As the England-Belgium game played through a projector on Thursday, a young crowd of mainly gay men and women were drinking beers, lounging on bean bags or sitting on the astroturf carpet in 'Diversity House' in central Moscow.

Even the Russian security service agents who have been assigned to monitor events at the house have on occasion got into the spirit of things -- eating rainbow cake and sipping champagne at one recent party, according to organisers.

The temporary venue, backed by the international anti-discrimination network FARE, is located in what what is normally an alternative theatre space and hosts exhibitions as well as talks from activists.

"It's actually a space where gay people can come and behave as they want, meet in a normal atmosphere, and I haven't heard of any places like that in Moscow before," said 22-year-old Viktor Tronin. Read more via Yahoo