Iran and Egypt square off in Seattle on Friday in what will decide the winner of Group G at the 2026 World Cup.
Egypt currently lead the group with four points, with Iran and Belgium following just behind with two points a piece.
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All final group stage matches will kick off at the same time, to prevent match fixing, but in the lead up to their game, Iran – who have faced strict travel restrictions to the US during the tournament – have had their latest request to FIFA denied.
The Iran Football Federation wanted FIFA to prevent any ‘ceremonies or promotional activities’ in support of the LGBTQ+ community at the much discussed ‘Pride Match’, although the name itself was something FIFA President Gianni Infantino has attempted to play down.
“I must clarify that there will be no ‘Pride Match’ at the (FIFA) World Cup,” Infantino said in January.
“There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle, and on the same day, events organised by external organizations will be taking place in the city. But that has nothing to do with the match itself.”
Since Seattle was confirmed as the venue for the World Cup fixture on June 26, the city’s host committee has been preparing activations to mark the occasion.
These plans are ultimately decided by Seattle organizers, with representation on its committee including executives from Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC, the NWSL’s Seattle Reign FC, as well as the NFL and current Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks.
The Seattle Sports Commission and Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer also represent part of the committee, while FIFA’s central headquarters have held no role in the Pride initiative.
State Senator Jamie Pedersen, an openly gay member of the Washington State Legislature, said it was “highly appropriate” that the match will feature Egypt and Iran and show “positive images of folks from the community.”
“If you tried to import a pride celebration into Egypt or Iran, obviously that could be a disaster,” he said.
“But in a community like Seattle that prides itself on welcoming people from all over, I just can’t imagine that it’s going to be a significant problem.”
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However, the festivities planned around the upcoming match has received major pushback from both Egypt and Iran, especially the latter, who wouldn’t even refer to the LGBTQ+ community by name, instead calling it “this movement.”
“The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran takes this matter seriously and has clearly communicated its position to FIFA,” a statement to The Athletic on Wednesday read.
“Iran and Egypt are two Muslim countries with deep cultural and religious commonalities, and the views expressed by both federations reflects the values and beliefs shared by the people of both countries.
“Our position is that no ceremonies, or promotional activities associated with this movement should be present inside the stadium or as part of the match environment. This position has been communicated to FIFA through the appropriate channels.
“We believe FIFA should take into account the views and concerns of the participating teams when considering matters related to the match environment and stadium presentation.
“FIFA has been informed of this shared position by both countries and is expected to take the necessary steps to ensure that no related ceremonies or promotional activities take place within the stadium or as part of the official match environment.”
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FIFA, however, have laid out their regulations clearly, stating that it considers the 2026 World Cup to be an “inclusive event.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is an inclusive event that welcomes people from all backgrounds. Fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome at matches and events,” their statement read.
“General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted under the FIFA World Cup 2026 Stadium Code of Conduct and may be displayed inside stadiums provided they are used in a manner consistent with the code.”
eSPORTY verdict
Speaking on the White and Jordan show, co-host Jim White posed the question as to how FIFA finds the balance between respecting culture and respecting inclusivity.
To which ex-Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan said: “Well we have inclusivity, and I don’t really understand why there’s necessity under the law.
“Put aside the Egyptians and the Iranians in their particular vantage point on these issues and look at the Western world and where we live in America in the US and UK, wherever else.
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“Everyone is equal under the law and I’m not entirely sure… I get tired of this necessity to have these Gay Pride months and so on so forth, I have no issue with homosexuality in any shape or form.
“People are people and who people choose to sleep with quite frankly is their business, and why we have to have, metaphorically, it’s forced down our throats every single opportunity that’s available, I don’t understand.
“You’re going to a football match, why is there a necessity to wave LGBTQ+ progressive flags at everybody? I don’t understand.” he continued.
“I have an issue even in my own life, my son five year, six-years-old going into school with teachers putting progressive LGBTQ badges on the side of doors, what’s that got to do with the education of a five-year-old child?
“So my view is on one argument, you talk about not having the necessity to have politics involved in sport, but you do want to have culture wars, you do want to have a circumstance where people are accepted and people are embraced and society understands there was differences in the way that people choose their lives right, but no-one else has to have a particular month.
“I know that Stonewall had to fight battles in the 1960s and we had to have all of these things overcome and challenges embraced and and and move forward.
“But we are now in a situation where we’re equal under the law, this LGBTQ+ movement is in certain parts quite sinister in its desires and its ideologies and some of the things it’s trying to enforce over society, so I look at this and say this is a football match.”
When discussing whether he has a problem with it, ex-USMNT international Brad Friedel remarked: “So if you’re a player from a nation where homosexuality is outlawed or you don’t believe in it, then the rainbow flag should be meaningless to you, you shouldn’t even know what it means, so who cares?
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“You turn up to the stadium, you focus on playing and you play somebody, waving a flag should have no meaning towards you whatsoever.
“On the second part of this – so Qatar had a World Cup and a lot of people had to adhere to their culture, no problem when you go to somebody else else’s country and they have events and they have displays whether you agree with them or not, you go to somebody else’s country and culture and this is what happened in the United States.
“Especially in the West, if you go to Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, this has big meaning there. I mean if you don’t believe in it or don’t like it then don’t watch it, it doesn’t really matter, like what is the waving of a rainbow flag going to do to your life?”
Jordan then added: “That’s a reasonable argument, but it’s about what you’re utilizing sport for, we are in essence, what has it got to do with sport?
“We have a sport and we have a society that’s inclusive and diverse in its thought process and the only time people get resistant to it, is when they’re constantly bombarded by it and being confronted by it and having to adhere to it.
“I don’t understand the necessity to walk around London every month and celebrate Gay Pride, why do have I got to do that for? Do I have a month celebrating heterosexual month?
“But I tell you what, you are very quickly judged if you have a resistance to it, if you dare speak up against it, all these so-called balanced individuals that want diversity and inclusion, all of a sudden have an issue with your so-called bigotry..
“Now there are players, I hear the argument that Brad is making, but we’ve also seen it creep into the game where players were being forced or suggested that there was a real challenge if they didn’t wear rainbow armbands.
“Now in this instance this is not the case, but I don’t like it, any instance sport being leveraged to advance any particular cause, because which cause is more worthy than another?”
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