2026 World Cup ‘Pride Match’ between Egypt and Iran sparks controversy over LGBTQ+ rights

A 2026 World Cup fixture designated as an LGBTQ+ ‘Pride Match’ will feature Egypt and Iran, two nations where homosexuality is criminalised.

The match, scheduled for 26 June at Seattle’s Lumen Field, was planned by the local organising committee before the World Cup draw.

The Seattle committee confirmed the fixture following Friday’s draw and Saturday’s allocation of matches.

Both countries face severe restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights: Iran enforces the death penalty for homosexual relations, while Egypt frequently uses morality laws to suppress LGBTQ+ expression and relationships.

The Pride Match is timed to coincide with Seattle’s official Pride weekend, with artists across Washington invited to submit work celebrating LGBTQ+ people.

Organisers emphasise that the event is local, independent of Fifa, and designed to promote inclusivity within the city and beyond.

A spokesperson for the Seattle Pride Match Advisory Committee told LGBT news outlet Outsports: “The Pride Match has been scheduled to celebrate and elevate Pride events in Seattle and across the country, and it was planned well in advance.

“Soccer has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs. We are honoured to host a Pride Match and to celebrate Pride as part of a global football community. This match reflects our ongoing commitment to respect, dignity, and unity for all.”

The announcement has drawn attention due to the legal environment in both nations, raising questions about how players and officials might respond.

Activists argue that staging a Pride Match involving countries with severe penalties for LGBTQ+ people could be seen as controversial or insensitive.

This is not the first time LGBTQ+ gestures at a World Cup have faced challenges. At the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where same-sex relationships are illegal, Fifa warned that players wearing the OneLove armband would be sanctioned with yellow cards.

England and Wales subsequently abandoned plans to wear the band in support of LGBTQ+ rights.

Organisers of the Seattle Pride Match have insisted that the game will proceed as planned. They maintain that the focus remains on celebrating Pride, raising awareness, and using football’s global platform to promote inclusivity and unity despite geopolitical complexities.