World Cup 2026: Iran objects to ‘Pride Match’ branding for Egypt game

1 week ago 10

Iran’s shot main has labelled the World Cup crippled chosen by organisers arsenic an LGBTQ ‘Pride Match’ arsenic an ‘irrational move’.

Published On 9 Dec 2025

Iran’s shot main has objected to the “irrational” branding of its World Cup 2026 lucifer against Egypt, which section organisers successful the United States person suggested volition beryllium held successful enactment of the LGBTQ community.

The organising committee successful Seattle, Washington state, wherever the lucifer is scheduled to instrumentality spot adjacent year, had antecedently announced their volition to clasp a “Pride Match” coinciding with the northwestern city’s Pride Weekend successful precocious June.

Recommended Stories

list of 3 items

end of list

Following past week’s FIFA tourney draw, Egypt and Iran are present slated to look disconnected successful Seattle connected June 26, the Friday before.

The caput of Iran’s Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, was quoted by section quality bureau ISNA arsenic saying Tehran and Cairo had some raised “objections against the issue”, which helium labelled an “irrational determination that supports a definite group”.

Taj did not notation the circumstantial branding of the fixture.

On Monday, Iranian authorities tv said Tehran would “appeal” against FIFA implicit the matter.

Homosexuality is amerciable successful Iran nether Islamic instrumentality and tin beryllium punishable by death.

The Egyptian Football Association has voiced akin objections, according to section media reports citing unnamed sources.

In Egypt, homosexuality is not expressly outlawed, but is often punished nether loosely worded laws prohibiting “debauchery”.

The 2026 World Cup volition people Iran’s seventh information successful the tournament, which volition beryllium jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Iran and the US person had nary diplomatic relations since 1980, pursuing a hostage situation successful the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran had initially opted retired of Friday’s gully to protestation against the US refusal to assistance visas to respective members of its delegation, but yet reversed its decision.

On Tuesday, Taj said immoderate Iranian players mightiness look visa problems implicit their work successful the Iranian military, which includes the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – designated a “terrorist organisation” by the US successful 2019.

“For the World Cup, we indispensable enactment connected having replacement options, and we person already started that,” helium said.

Iran is drawn successful Group G with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand successful the 39-day tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19.