US EditionEgypt and Iran complain about planned World Cup ‘Pride’ match in Seattle
The Pride Match, planned as part of Seattle's annual Pride weekend, faces objections from Egypt and Iran, where LGBTQ+ identities face legal penalties, yet organizers affirm events will proceed.
- On June 26 the Seattle-hosted Group G match at Lumen Field will be the World Cup's first `Pride Match`, featuring Egypt national team and Iran national team.
- Seattle organisers say the Pride Match programming was planned well before teams were assigned and organised by SeattleFWC26 independent of FIFA to celebrate Washington state Pride events and create lasting cultural impacts.
- Mehdi Taj, head of Iran's Football Federation, said Tehran and Cairo raised objections and called the branding an `irrational move`; Iranian state television said Tehran would `appeal` to FIFA and the Egyptian Football Association wrote to FIFA rejecting activities supporting homosexuality during the match.
- Seattle PrideFest, which attracts over 200,000 participants, will follow the match on 27 and 28 June, with community programming and art displays proceeding as planned, says Seattle PrideMatch Advisory Committee.
- FIFA faces renewed scrutiny after the Pride Match, as Egypt and Iran criminalize same-sex relations and Iran can impose the death penalty, challenging FIFA's neutrality and anti-discrimination rules.
163 Articles
163 Articles
Will FIFA cancel its LGBTQ Pride match for Iran and Egypt?
FIFA looks set to face its first major scandal of the 2026 World Cup – if you don’t count the exorbitant cost of the tickets, that is. The Egyptian FA has made a formal request for the cancellation of an LGBTQ+ celebration planned to take place at their Group G game against Iran on June 26 in Seattle. The game roughly coincides with the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots of 1969. The Seattle Pride match committee are planning to combine celebrat…
Egypt and Iran to play World Cup 'pride match'
Egypt and Iran will play against each other in the World Cup’s “pride match”, despite both nations criminalising same sex relationships. Both countries’ football federations objected to the plan, but organisers say the celebrations will continue as part of the host city’s LGBT weekend in June 2026. Seattle will hold its events outside the stadium, and FIFA will allow rainbow flags inside the venue. Local organisers say the Pride programming refl…
In Seattle, the Iran-Egypt World Cup poster was chosen as LGBT+ "Pride Match", giving rise to many festivities in the city. A decision that is offended
The LGBT+ "Pride Match" will be held well in Seattle during the "Pride Weekend" even though both selections protested with the Fifa.
Egypt and Iran protest being drawn to play in World Cup gay pride match
Sporting officials in Egypt and Iran, two countries where homosexuality is severely punished, protested after being drawn to play the “Pride Match” in Seattle during next year’s World Cup. Seattle’s plan to designate the June 26 game as a Pride Match, as it coincides with the city’s Pride weekend, was made before World Cup matchups were drawn last week. The event Friday at the Kennedy Center, attended by President Donald Trump, sorted the teams …
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