Countries With Anti-Gay Laws Object To Play In World Cup 'Pride Match' While Host City Sticks To Woke Agenda

Iran and Egypt, two countries with anti-gay laws, have emphatically objected and complained about playing in a designated ‘Pride Match’ during the 2026 World Cup in Seattle. The two Middle East nations predictably want no part in planned LGBTQ+ celebrations scheduled to take place during their time in the city.

Seattle intends to kick off Pride weekend with a ‘Pride Match’ at Lumen Field on June 26, a day the city circled on the calendar before the World Cup draw put the two countries in Washington state. It is quite a contradiction, seeing as how Egypt criminalizes gay relationships, while capital punishment is the maximum penalty under Iranian law.

The planned Pride celebrations for the match do not directly involve FIFA, but instead Seattle organizers and a Pride Match Advisory Committee (PMAC) that they have put together. FIFA controls only stadiums and official fan zones in World Cup host cities.

Egypt's soccer federation issued a statement on Tuesday saying that it sent a letter to FIFA "categorically rejecting any activities related to supporting homosexuality during the match," according to the Associated Press.

Mo Salah of Egypt and a Pride Flag flying atop the Needle in Seattle. (Visionhaus.Getty Images and GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

The president of Iran’s Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, criticized the ‘Pride Match’ during an interview aired on state television, explaining that he would bring up the issue during a FIFA Council meeting in Qatar next week.

"Both Egypt and we have objected, because this is an unreasonable and illogical move that essentially signals support for a particular group, and we must definitely address this point," Taj said. The Egypt soccer federation said of the Pride celebration that it "completely rejects such activities, which directly contradict the cultural, religious and social values in the region, especially in Arab and Islamic societies."

Moving The ‘Pride Match’

Both countries' rejection of the idea of playing in a ‘Pride Match,’ even if it is not formally being organized by FIFA, was as predictable as Seattle organizers ignoring complaints from Iran and Egypt, and sticking to the planned, rainbow-flag-filled day.

Seattle’s organizing committee told the AP on Wednesday that it was "moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament."

"The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle," spokesperson Hana Tadesse said in a statement. "We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect and dignity that defines our region."

Lumen Field is set to host six World Cup matches, which presents the thought of designating the ‘Pride Match’ as one not being played by two countries with anti-gay laws, but in peak Seattle form, it's just not that simple.

The U.S. will take on Australia in Seattle on June 19, but that has been designated to mark Juneteenth. The other group matches at Lumen Field will feature either Egypt or Qatar, another country with anti-gay laws. A round of 32 match and a round of 16 match will take place in Seattle, but not until July, when Pride Month will have already concluded.