Egypt, Iran protest plans to stage LGBTQ-themed event with World Cup

(MENAFN) According to reports, football authorities from Egypt and Iran have voiced objections to an LGBTQ-themed event being held alongside their 2026 FIFA World Cup group match in Seattle, arguing that it conflicts with their national values. The game is scheduled for Friday, June 26, coinciding with the start of Seattle’s Pride Weekend, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots—a landmark moment in the U.S. gay rights movement.

Local organizers, independent of FIFA, have promoted the event as a “Pride Match,” highlighting LGBTQ-owned businesses, cultural organizations, and the opportunity to “make a lasting impact.” Both Egypt and Iran maintain conservative social and religious attitudes in which same-sex relationships are heavily stigmatized.

Egypt’s football association sent a complaint to FIFA on Tuesday, stating that it “categorically rejects” any pro-LGBTQ messaging linked to the match. It argued that such initiatives “directly contradict the cultural, religious, and social values of the region” and called on FIFA to ensure the game is conducted “in an atmosphere of respect and focus solely on the sporting aspect.”

Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s football federation, told the ISNA news agency that both countries oppose what he described as “an unreasonable thing that supports a specific group,” without explicitly naming the Pride Match branding.

Seattle will host six matches during the 2026 World Cup, which is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Egypt and Iran are drawn in Group G alongside Belgium and New Zealand.

MENAFN11122025000045017281ID1110466099