The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has formally requested that FIFA cancel planned LGBTQ+ “Pride Match” celebrations set to take place during Egypt’s 2026 World Cup fixture against Iran in Seattle. The match, scheduled for 26 June at Lumen Field, falls during Seattle’s annual Pride celebrations and two days before the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a landmark event in LGBTQ+ rights history.
Seattle’s local organising committee had previously announced that the match would include celebrations highlighting and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. However, these plans were made long before the World Cup draw or the identification of the teams that would play in the fixture. The initiative is organised solely by the Seattle committee and is not an official FIFA programme.
Following confirmation that the Group G encounter would feature Egypt and Iran—two nations with strict policies against same-sex relationships—the EFA wrote to FIFA secretary-general Mattias Grafström, rejecting what it called “in absolute terms” any LGBTQ+-related activities during the match. In its lengthy statement, the EFA argued that such celebrations would be incompatible with the “cultural, religious and social values” of both countries.
The statement went on to cite FIFA’s own statutes on political and social neutrality, stating that World Cup matches should not be used to promote messages or causes that could provoke division between fan groups. According to the EFA, the Pride Match initiative breaches the principle of respecting the beliefs and identities of participating nations.
“The Egyptian Football Association explained in the letter that, while FIFA is committed to ensuring a respectful and welcoming environment for all fans, it is necessary to avoid including activities that could provoke cultural and religious sensitivities between fans present from both countries,” the statement said. The EFA insisted the match should focus solely on football and demanded that “no events or performances related to supporting homosexuality” take place inside the stadium on matchday.
The plans have also drawn criticism within Iran, where same-sex relationships carry severe legal penalties. Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, was quoted by state-linked media calling the Pride Match concept an “irrational move that supports a certain group”. He also indicated that both Iran and Egypt had expressed their objections to FIFA. However, the BBC understands that Iran has not filed an official appeal to the governing body.
Despite the objections, the Seattle Pride Match Advisory Committee (PMAC), a group formed to guide the event’s organisation, has insisted that the celebrations will continue as planned. The committee says logistical constraints make moving the Pride Match to another fixture extremely difficult. Seattle is hosting six matches in total, but several already carry designated themes or involve teams from nations with similarly strict laws on LGBTQ+ issues, limiting the alternatives.
For instance, the USA’s 19 June match in Seattle has already been assigned to mark Juneteenth, a celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, making it unsuitable for reassignment. Other group-stage matches in the city involve Egypt, Iran, or Qatar, another country with anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
Eric Wahl, a PMAC member, expressed support for maintaining the Pride theme despite the controversy. “The Egypt v Iran match in Seattle in June just happens to be the Pride match, and I think that is a good thing,” he wrote on social media. “There are LGBTQAI+ people everywhere. All are welcome to be themselves in Seattle.”
This is not the first time LGBTQ+ advocacy has clashed with cultural or political sensitivities at a World Cup. During the 2022 tournament in Qatar, FIFA banned captains from wearing the OneLove armband supporting LGBTQ+ people, warning that doing so would result in a yellow card. The event also drew criticism when then–UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly suggested that LGBT fans attending the tournament should show “a little bit of flex and compromise” to respect local laws—remarks widely condemned by activists.
As of now, FIFA and Seattle’s local organising committee have not issued a public response to the EFA’s request. The debate highlights the ongoing tension between global football’s campaigns for inclusivity and the differing cultural perspectives of its member nations ahead of the expanded 2026 World Cup.
