Egypt and Iran have objected to their FIFA World Cup match scheduled next June in Seattle, where local organizers plan Pride-related events for that weekend.
Both countries have conservative laws and social norms around sexuality and gender. In Iran, same-sex sexual activity can carry the death penalty and other expressions of gender or sexuality can lead to imprisonment or flogging. In Egypt, morality laws are used to criminalize same-sex relationships, and human rights groups report arrests and police harassment of people suspected of being gay.
The Egyptian Football Association said it “categorically rejects the holding of any activities related to supporting homosexuality” during the June 26 match and has sent a formal letter to FIFA asking the organization to act to “avoid including activities that could provoke cultural and religious sensitivities” at the Seattle game.
Iranian officials also raised objections. Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj told state television that Iran had protested and called it “an unreasonable and illogical thing [for a match between the two teams] to support a specific group.” Iran’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, said Iran had complained directly to FIFA. FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
SeattleFWC26, the local organizing group, said it will “move forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament.” Spokesperson Hana Tadesse told NPR that the Pacific Northwest is home to sizable Iranian-American and Egyptian communities and that organizers are committed to ensuring residents and visitors experience “warmth, respect, and dignity.”
FIFA oversees the matches inside stadiums, while local host groups coordinate events outside venues and work with city officials and businesses. Organizers expect more than 750,000 visitors in Seattle over the tournament. The June 26 game coincides with the city’s annual Pride festival and parade, which will march from downtown to the Seattle Center. SeattleFWC26 has described hosting a match on Pride weekend as “a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact.” Another Seattle match on June 19 (the U.S. vs. Australia) will include Juneteenth activities.
Match dates for the 2026 World Cup were set years ago; which teams would play each game was only determined by FIFA’s recent draw, which placed Iran and Egypt in the Seattle fixture. New Zealand and Belgium are scheduled to play the same day in nearby Vancouver; those countries allow same-sex marriage. FIFA has not said whether the two games could be swapped.
The dispute recalls controversies at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal and disputes arose over rainbow armbands and other displays. Several European teams dropped plans for rainbow armbands after FIFA warned of disciplinary action, some fans said they were asked to remove rainbow clothing before entering stadiums, and FIFA’s handling of those incidents drew criticism for being slow.