World Cup turmoil: Iran pushes back against LGBTQ+ pride game with Egypt
Seattle had designated this meeting to coincide with Pride weekend on June 26.
A new controversy has erupted at the World Cup. The city of Seattle had designated the match between Iran and Egypt on 26 June as the LGBTQ+ Pride Game, since the date coincides with the start of Pride Weekend in the US city. The local organising committee had selected this match, before the final teams were known, as a gesture of support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Mahdi Taj, the President of the Iranian Football Federation, has now criticised the decision on Iranian television. “Both we and Egypt have protested. It is an unreasonable decision that seems to favour a particular group. We will certainly address this matter,” he said, according to the EFE news agency.
The Seattle Pride Match Advisory Committee (PMAC), which is not affiliated with FIFA, has stated that it will continue with its planned celebrations despite the awkward situation. Same-sex relationships are illegal in both Iran and Egypt, and both teams reject the idea of their match being used to mark LGBTQ+ Pride Day.
We have been drawn into Group G with 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇪🇬 Egypt, and 🇮🇷 IR Iran for the 2026 FIFA World Cup 🇳🇿🏆 pic.twitter.com/PXBZU7yQNJ
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) December 5, 2025
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