The World Cup organizers in Seattle, the American city, want to keep one of their matches framed by the queer community— even if Iran and Egypt meet on the field. “We have no control over what happens on the pitch or in the stadium — that’s FIFA’s call. What we can influence is how Seattle welcomes the world during Pride Weekend,” said Hana Tadesse, one of Seattle’s World Cup organizers, to the Associated Press on request.
“The LGBTQ+ community and Seattle’s queer culture are a core part of what makes our city so special, and we’re excited to share that with the world,” Tadesse added. “The Pride Match is an initiative of the local organizing committee and not a FIFA program,” she emphasized. Also backing the plan is Democrat Katie Wilson, the city’s elected mayor.
Both countries have apparently filed protests
The plans for the so-called Pride Match had already been laid out before the exact fixture on June 26, 2026 was confirmed. The idea of Iran facing Egypt in that match drew a lot of attention. According to reports, Iran’s federation chief Mehdi Taj was angered. Both Iran and Egypt filed protests, ISNA reported. Taj spoke of an “irrational act that endorses a particular group” and called for further discussion.
In Iran, gays and lesbians face the death penalty
The Islamic law of Iran, Sharia, prescribes the death penalty for homosexual acts. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, thousands are said to have been executed for their sexual orientation. Pinning down exact numbers is difficult, as Iranian courts sometimes mix judgments about premarital or same-sex sex with sexual violence, and independent reporting is often not possible; many verdicts—especially in rural areas—never become public.
Iranian leaders repeatedly stoke hostility toward queer people. Two years ago, for instance, President Ebrahim Raisi, during a Uganda visit, said: “Western countries are trying to present homosexuality as a sign of civilization, but this is one of the dirtiest things that have occurred in human history” (TheColu.mn reported).
Arbitrary arrests and torture in Egypt
In Egypt, queer people are persecuted under vague laws “to protect morality or religion” that carry multi-year prison terms. In 2020, Human Rights Watch criticized that Egyptian police and the National Security Agency arbitrarily arrest queer people, hold them in inhumane conditions, and subject them to systematic mistreatment including torture (TheColu.mn reported). The German Foreign Office explicitly warns that “Egyptian authorities also use dating apps to locate LGBTI people” (TheColu.mn reported).
The Pride Weekend remembers June 28, 1969, when protests by the queer community against police discrimination took place in New York. The event is widely seen as a turning point in the fight for equality.
Ban on the “One Love” armband at the World Cup in Qatar
The FIFA did not respond to a request for comment. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar there was controversy over the “One Love” captain’s armband, which Germany and others had planned to wear. The armband featured a rainbow-inspired design and was intended as a symbol against discrimination and for diversity. Shortly before the tournament began, FIFA forbade teams from wearing the armband and threatened sporting sanctions (TheColu.mn reported).
Tadesse said the aim of Seattle’s program is to promote Pride celebrations, including public artworks by local artists on the theme, community programs designed to strengthen the LGBTQ+ community in Washington state, and to support queer-owned businesses.
