ALBAWABA - Despite strong laws that ban LGBTQ+ activity in Iran and Egypt, FIFA World Cup announced the first-ever "Pride Match" on Saturday, June 27. Iran and Egypt are set to play on June 26 in Seattle.
The national teams of Iran and Egypt are scheduled to play in the first-ever FIFA World Cup Pride Match Saturday at Lumen Field in Seattle, as FIFA says it expects a lot of LGBTQ+ flags in the football stands.
Both countries are anti-LGBTQ+; however, the picking of their match was a coincidence. The Seattle World Cup host committee designated the Group G match on June 27 the first-ever Pride match.
Will World Cup 'Pride Match' between Iran and Egypt be canceled?
Despite calls to cancel it or postpone it to another match, the Seattle organizing committee confirmed that it won't reschedule the Pride Match, stressing that it will go ahead as planned.
FIFA said that Pride flags are allowed in stadiums for World Cup matches, despite threats to stop games over them by Tehran.
Hedda McLendon, Seattle FQC26's senior vice president of legacy, said in a statement to Outsports: "We anticipate a lot of rainbow flags in the stadium and T-shirts with rainbow flags on them. Let’s welcome people to Seattle. It's the World Cup. And let's show them how we Pride. It's not a day, it's not a weekend here. It's a month."
Iran requested FIFA to ban Pride flags from stadiums during the national team's World Cup matches as part of a list of demands. However, FIFA rejected the request, confirming that LGBTQ+ flags are allowed.
According to the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic, only officially recognized national flags should be displayed during matches.
Additionally, the Football Association in Egypt, where Human Rights Watch notes LGBTQ+ communities face persecution and punishment, requested in a statement to FIFA "categorically rejecting any activities related to supporting homosexuality during the match."
