Seattle set for Iran-Egypt match amid ‘Pride Match’ controversy
Rainbow flags are expected to flutter across Seattle's stadium on Friday when Iran meets Egypt in the World Cup Group G match as the city marks its annual Pride parade. The two countries last year asked for Pride-themed celebrations to be cancelled, a request FIFA denied. Players and officials of both countries now say they are focused on the game.
Issued on: 26/06/2026 -
By: FRANCE 24
Iran, Egypt try to focus on football
Iranian and Egyptian players and team officials avoided talking about Pride Match Thursday and have tried to focus on their game despite the persistent questioning from journalists.
Daniel Marin, FIFA's executive director of public relations, read a statement on behalf of the Iranian team in light of the Pride celebration in Seattle on Friday.
“This Islamic Republic of the Iran Football Federation has asked us to inform the media that they are only willing to answer questions in relation to the game,” Marin said. “We fully respect the right of all journalists to ask questions. In this case, we ask you respect the rights of the federation here today to only answer questions in relation to the team, the tactics, the match, and so on.”
Nonetheless, Amir Ghalenoei was peppered with questions about what will transpire inside Lumen Field and around the stadium on Friday.
Egypt took a similar approach to the Iranians in trying to steer the conversation back to the match and away from the Pride festivities. At Thursday's practice at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle, Egypt players were barred from answering questions about Pride. Team staffers stepped in and would not allow reporters to ask such questions.
“We are all focused on football,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said in Arabic. "This is all that we think about.”
With a win, Iran could advance to the tournament’s knockout stage for the first time.
“I said to you earlier we are here to play football. For nothing else,” Ghalenoei said in response to a reporter’s question in Farsi. “Our entire focus is going to be on tomorrow’s game, on succeeding in tomorrow’s game. And, anything else that is banned ... we don’t want to speak about it.
“We are only going to speak about football, what a beautiful game it is, and how enjoyable it’s going to be.”
Iran has faced numerous complications off the field. The team has endured travel restrictions imposed by the US Department of Homeland Security in light of the war in Iran.
The match on Friday coincides with Seattle’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and Pride watch parties are planned in some neighbourhoods. Over the weekend, the city will hold its popular Pride parade.
Ilona Lohrey, president and CEO of the Greater Seattle Business Association, an LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce, described Seattle as one of the most inclusive cities in the country.
“I think it gives us an opportunity to showcase who we are as a city, who we are as a people and how diversity makes us stronger,” Lohrey said in an interview.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
Rainbow flags are expected to flutter across Seattle's stadium on Friday when Iran meets Egypt in the World Cup Group G match as the city marks its annual Pride parade. The two countries last year asked for Pride-themed celebrations to be cancelled, a request FIFA denied. Players and officials of both countries now say they are focused on the game.
Issued on: 26/06/2026 -
By: FRANCE 24
File photo of Seattle's pride parade taken June 25, 2023. © Lindsey Wasson, AP
Seattle’s stadium is expected to be brimming with rainbow flags on Friday for a World Cup match between teams representing two of the most repressive countries for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
It was just a coincidence that the city’s “Pride Match” ended up as a high-stakes matchup between Iran and Egypt — with advancement from Group G still up in the air — and the move has come with plenty of pushback from both countries. But Seattle officials and its football community say this distinctive pairing is an opportunity to showcase the city’s inclusivity as well as the common ground that can be found at the World Cup.
Jess Fishlock, captain of the National Women’s Soccer League club Seattle Reign, said this is what the World Cup is all about.
“I don’t think there is a sport that has a global event that creates unity and diversity and a bringing together of so many cultures quite like the World Cup,” she told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I think we get to see that firsthand at the Pride Match.”
Same-sex relations are illegal in Iran, where gay men have been executed on sodomy charges, while Egypt has prosecuted gay and lesbian people and suppressed outward expressions of gay pride, including rainbow flags.
In December, both countries asked for the Pride-themed celebrations to be canceled. FIFA treats the rainbow flag as a statement of human rights and will allow fans to wave it inside the stadium, according to Hana Tadesse, a spokesperson for Seattle's World Cup organising committee.
Seattle’s stadium is expected to be brimming with rainbow flags on Friday for a World Cup match between teams representing two of the most repressive countries for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
It was just a coincidence that the city’s “Pride Match” ended up as a high-stakes matchup between Iran and Egypt — with advancement from Group G still up in the air — and the move has come with plenty of pushback from both countries. But Seattle officials and its football community say this distinctive pairing is an opportunity to showcase the city’s inclusivity as well as the common ground that can be found at the World Cup.
Jess Fishlock, captain of the National Women’s Soccer League club Seattle Reign, said this is what the World Cup is all about.
“I don’t think there is a sport that has a global event that creates unity and diversity and a bringing together of so many cultures quite like the World Cup,” she told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I think we get to see that firsthand at the Pride Match.”
Same-sex relations are illegal in Iran, where gay men have been executed on sodomy charges, while Egypt has prosecuted gay and lesbian people and suppressed outward expressions of gay pride, including rainbow flags.
In December, both countries asked for the Pride-themed celebrations to be canceled. FIFA treats the rainbow flag as a statement of human rights and will allow fans to wave it inside the stadium, according to Hana Tadesse, a spokesperson for Seattle's World Cup organising committee.
Iran, Egypt try to focus on football
Iranian and Egyptian players and team officials avoided talking about Pride Match Thursday and have tried to focus on their game despite the persistent questioning from journalists.
Daniel Marin, FIFA's executive director of public relations, read a statement on behalf of the Iranian team in light of the Pride celebration in Seattle on Friday.
“This Islamic Republic of the Iran Football Federation has asked us to inform the media that they are only willing to answer questions in relation to the game,” Marin said. “We fully respect the right of all journalists to ask questions. In this case, we ask you respect the rights of the federation here today to only answer questions in relation to the team, the tactics, the match, and so on.”
Nonetheless, Amir Ghalenoei was peppered with questions about what will transpire inside Lumen Field and around the stadium on Friday.
Egypt took a similar approach to the Iranians in trying to steer the conversation back to the match and away from the Pride festivities. At Thursday's practice at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle, Egypt players were barred from answering questions about Pride. Team staffers stepped in and would not allow reporters to ask such questions.
“We are all focused on football,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said in Arabic. "This is all that we think about.”
With a win, Iran could advance to the tournament’s knockout stage for the first time.
“I said to you earlier we are here to play football. For nothing else,” Ghalenoei said in response to a reporter’s question in Farsi. “Our entire focus is going to be on tomorrow’s game, on succeeding in tomorrow’s game. And, anything else that is banned ... we don’t want to speak about it.
“We are only going to speak about football, what a beautiful game it is, and how enjoyable it’s going to be.”
Iran has faced numerous complications off the field. The team has endured travel restrictions imposed by the US Department of Homeland Security in light of the war in Iran.
The match on Friday coincides with Seattle’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and Pride watch parties are planned in some neighbourhoods. Over the weekend, the city will hold its popular Pride parade.
Ilona Lohrey, president and CEO of the Greater Seattle Business Association, an LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce, described Seattle as one of the most inclusive cities in the country.
“I think it gives us an opportunity to showcase who we are as a city, who we are as a people and how diversity makes us stronger,” Lohrey said in an interview.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
Cover image: © France 24
Issued on: 25/06/2026 -
FIFA has rejected calls from Iran and Egypt to ban rainbow flags at their World Cup match in Seattle on Friday, despite both countries objecting to local Pride-themed celebrations linked to the fixture. FIFA says LGBTQ+ flags are permitted at all World Cup games under its Code of Conduct, despite different rules in Qatar's 2022 tournament. While FIFA has distanced itself from the city's events, it has made clear that rainbow flags will be allowed for the games.
FIFA says that rainbow flags will be allowed into the stadium when Iran faces Egypt in the controversial "Pride Match" in Seattle this weekend.
The match, scheduled during Seattle's annual Pride weekend, has been promoted by the city's local organising committee as a Pride-themed event. Though the committee operates independently of FIFA, the plans have sparked outcry from Iran and Egypt, where same-sex relations are criminalised.
Both Iran and Egypt's football federations had lobbied FIFA to prevent any association between the match and LGBTQ+ celebrations, including the display of rainbow flags inside the stadium.
Egypt said it opposed "any activity related to supporting homosexuality", arguing such displays conflict with regional cultural values and FIFA's tradition of providing a neutral sporting environment. Iran echoed those concerns, saying that the views of both federations reflect the cultural and religious values shared by their populations.
FIFA, however, said rainbow and other LGBTQ+ flags are permitted at all World Cup matches under its Code of Conduct. The governing body described the tournament as an "inclusive" event and confirmed it would not restrict supporters from bringing the flags into stadiums.
At the same time, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sought to distance the organisation from the Seattle pride celebrations. In an interview to Swiss media Weltwoche earlier this year, Infantino rejected the characterisation of the fixture as a "Pride Match," saying it is simply a World Cup game taking place on the same day as events organised by external groups in the city.
Critics, however, have pointed out that during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the governing body had threatened yellow cards against captains who planned to wear the "OneLove" armband in support of LGBTQ+ inclusion, citing rules against political messaging.
This time, while FIFA has emphasized that Seattle's Pride events are locally organised and not part of the tournament itself, it has made clear that rainbow flags will be allowed inside the stadium despite objections from the participating teams.
Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.
Issued on: 25/06/2026 -
FIFA has rejected calls from Iran and Egypt to ban rainbow flags at their World Cup match in Seattle on Friday, despite both countries objecting to local Pride-themed celebrations linked to the fixture. FIFA says LGBTQ+ flags are permitted at all World Cup games under its Code of Conduct, despite different rules in Qatar's 2022 tournament. While FIFA has distanced itself from the city's events, it has made clear that rainbow flags will be allowed for the games.
FIFA says that rainbow flags will be allowed into the stadium when Iran faces Egypt in the controversial "Pride Match" in Seattle this weekend.
The match, scheduled during Seattle's annual Pride weekend, has been promoted by the city's local organising committee as a Pride-themed event. Though the committee operates independently of FIFA, the plans have sparked outcry from Iran and Egypt, where same-sex relations are criminalised.
Both Iran and Egypt's football federations had lobbied FIFA to prevent any association between the match and LGBTQ+ celebrations, including the display of rainbow flags inside the stadium.
Egypt said it opposed "any activity related to supporting homosexuality", arguing such displays conflict with regional cultural values and FIFA's tradition of providing a neutral sporting environment. Iran echoed those concerns, saying that the views of both federations reflect the cultural and religious values shared by their populations.
FIFA, however, said rainbow and other LGBTQ+ flags are permitted at all World Cup matches under its Code of Conduct. The governing body described the tournament as an "inclusive" event and confirmed it would not restrict supporters from bringing the flags into stadiums.
At the same time, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sought to distance the organisation from the Seattle pride celebrations. In an interview to Swiss media Weltwoche earlier this year, Infantino rejected the characterisation of the fixture as a "Pride Match," saying it is simply a World Cup game taking place on the same day as events organised by external groups in the city.
Critics, however, have pointed out that during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the governing body had threatened yellow cards against captains who planned to wear the "OneLove" armband in support of LGBTQ+ inclusion, citing rules against political messaging.
This time, while FIFA has emphasized that Seattle's Pride events are locally organised and not part of the tournament itself, it has made clear that rainbow flags will be allowed inside the stadium despite objections from the participating teams.
Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.
BY: Vedika BAHL
VIDEO BY: Vedika BAHL
04:43 min
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