The Egyptian Football Association protests FIFA with a pointed letter against treating the World Cup match against Iran in Seattle as a so‑called Pride game (TheColu.mn reported). The city in the United States, run by Democrats, is set to celebrate the Seattle Pride Fest, the local Pride event, over the final weekend of June 2026. On June 26, Seattle will host the group stage clash between the teams of two Muslim-majority nations where homosexuality is illegal. In Egypt, gay men and lesbians face up to 17 years in prison, with forced labor, and in Iran even the death penalty.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) rejected in the letter to FIFA and its secretary general Mattias Grafström “any activities” that promote homosexuality during the match. “Such activities run counter to the cultural, religious and social values of the (… ) Arab and Muslim societies,” it stated.
Egypt: No “sensitive or controversial concerns”
The EFA pointed to Article 4 of FIFA’s statutes, under which the federation commits to neutrality in political and social matters. The article, the EFA argued, should ensure that football is not used as a platform to promote “sensitive or controversial concerns.” Moreover, according to FIFA’s disciplinary rules, no actions are allowed that “exacerbate tensions, misunderstandings or conflicts between fans of different backgrounds.” Therefore, the stadium should refrain from any actions connected to “support for homosexuality.”
Earlier, the Iranian federation had already reacted with anger to the scheduling and plans surrounding the Seattle game. Federation head Mehdi Taj said, according to the Isna news agency, that it was an “irrational act that represents support for a particular group.” He signaled a need for further discussion.
Plans for the Pride Match were in place even before the exact matchup was confirmed for June 26, 2026. The World Cup organizing team had already indicated a determination to proceed with them. Among other things, there was a design contest for the event: in the final selection, a poster features a crab wearing goalkeeper gloves and holding a coffee in its claws, as a rainbow-colored sun rises in the background.
Local organizers hold on to the plans
The World Cup organizers in the liberal coastal city on the Northwest Coast of the United States emphasized that they have no control over what happens on the field or in the stadium — but they do have a say in how the event presents itself to visitors. “The LGBTQ+-community and Seattle’s culture are essential to what makes our city so special, and we look forward to sharing that with the world,” Hana Tadesse of the local organizing committee told the press.
FIFA has not issued a response to requests for comment. The Seattle organizers added that they are striving to provide all visitors with “the warmth, the respect and the dignity that characterize our region.”
There was controversy already at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar over the “One Love” captain’s armband that Germany also planned to wear. The armband carried a rainbow-like palette and was meant as a symbol against discrimination and for diversity. Shortly before the tournament began, FIFA banned teams from wearing that armband and threatened sporting sanctions. The German Football Association (DFB) ultimately yielded to the governing body’s pressure and did not wear the armband (TheColu.mn reported).
