Iran and Egypt have raised formal objections to plans in the United States to promote their 2026 World Cup group stage meeting in Seattle as a Pride themed event, a dispute that emerged after the tournament draw placed the nations together last week.
Local organisers in Seattle had intended to stage the fixture on 26 June as part of the city’s Pride Weekend, referring to it publicly as a “Pride Match”. However, Iranian and Egyptian football authorities have pushed back against the branding, citing cultural, religious and political sensitivities.
Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s Football Federation, said both countries had registered “objections against the issue”, describing it as an “irrational move that supports a certain group”. He did not directly reference the proposed Pride branding, but Iranian state television later reported that Tehran would “appeal” to FIFA.
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran under Islamic law and can carry the death penalty. Egypt does not explicitly outlaw same sex relations, although authorities frequently use broad morality laws, such as those related to “debauchery”, to prosecute people.
The Egyptian Football Association confirmed it had sent a formal letter to FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom rejecting in “absolute terms” any LGBTQ linked activities around the match. The EFA argued such initiatives would conflict with the “cultural, religious and social values” of both countries and urged FIFA to ensure that the fixture remains focused solely on football. It also cited FIFA’s neutrality statutes, insisting matches should not be used to promote causes that are “sensitive or of a contentious nature”.
The match forms part of a tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and will be Iran’s seventh World Cup appearance. Political tensions remain high between Iran and the United States, who have had no diplomatic relations since 1980, and Iran initially threatened to skip Friday’s draw after the US denied visas to several members of its delegation before relenting.
Taj added on Tuesday that some Iranian players could still face visa complications due to their military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which the US designated a terrorist organisation in 2019. “For the World Cup, we must work on having replacement options, and we have already started that,” he said.
