Iran and Egypt protest World Cup match scheduled amid Pride celebrations
Rainbow flags will be allowed inside the Seattle stadium.
Iran and Egypt both throw LGBTQ people in jail, so it’s no surprise that each of them is upset that their 2026 World Cup match is scheduled in Seattle in the midst of Pride celebrations.
In Seattle, LGBTQ rights supporters aren’t backing down despite plans by both Iran and Egypt and to take their protest to FIFA, the global governing body for football/soccer.
The Australian Broadcasting Company reported:
Egypt and Iran complain to FIFA over potential LGBTQ+ pride match at World Cup
[The] president of Iran’s Football Federation Mehdi Taj … said Iran would bring up the issue during a FIFA Council meeting in Qatar next week. The longest-serving member of the 37-person council chaired by FIFA president Gianni Infantino is Egypt’s Hany Abo Rida.“Both Egypt and we have objected, because this is an unreasonable and illogical move that essentially signals support for a particular group, and we must definitely address this point,” Taj said. State TV on Tuesday confirmed a complaint would be sent to FIFA.
The Egypt soccer federation, led by Ado Rida, said it “completely rejects such activities, which directly contradict the cultural, religious and social values in the region, especially in Arab and Islamic societies”.
It urged FIFA to stop the celebration to “avoid activities that may trigger cultural and religious sensitivity between the presented spectators of both countries, Egypt and Iran, especially as such activities contradict the cultures and religions of the two countries.”
LGBTQ+ events to go ahead at World Cup game despite Egypt and Iran objections
Organisers confirm ‘Pride Match’ activities will take place
Plans to celebrate LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms in Seattle during the World Cup next summer will continue despite objections from the Egyptian and Iranian football federations over the “Pride Match” due to take place in the city.
Seattle organisers have confirmed that they are “moving forward as planned” with Pride activities in the city when Egypt face Iran in Group G on 26 June. Rainbow flags will also be allowed into the stadium by FIFA
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, and in Egypt morality laws are often used to prosecute LGBTQ+ people. The Egyptian football federation said this week that it had written to Fifa’s general secretary to complain about the Pride Match, saying it did not want to be associated with celebrations that “directly contradict the cultural, religious and social values … in Arab and Islamic societies”. The head of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, was quoted by the local news agency ISNA as saying it too had raised “objections against the issue”.
The organising committee for Seattle said in a statement that its plans for activities were outside the stadium and would go ahead. “As the local organising committee, SeattleFWC26’s role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium,” said Hana Tedesse, the vice-president of communications for Seattle Fifa World Cup 2026.
“SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.”
Fifa has operational control of stadiums on matchdays, and it is understood there have been no plans in place to acknowledge Pride weekend inside the ground. Although Fifa prohibits banners and flags with political messages from being taken into stadiums during the tournament, it allows flags expressing “sporting and social symbols”, which includes the rainbow flag. This policy was applied at the last World Cup in Qatar, and reinforced after reports of rainbow flags being seized by local authorities.
The Pride Match concept was devised by the Seattle committee and highlights “our city’s proud history of advocating for equality” while the world’s eyes are on the city. It has commissioned a design contest to create images to commemorate the occasion, with one webpage illustrated by a photo of the rainbow flag being paraded through Seattle Stadium.
Tedesse said the organising committee would work to ensure all fans felt welcome in the city during the 48-team tournament next summer. “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian‑American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle,” she said in a statement.
“We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect and dignity that defines our region.”
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