Iran and Egypt reject the idea of ​​dedicating the match to the LGBTQIA+ community

• 2026 World Cup table: groups, dates, locations and times of games
• 2026 World Cup: discover the 16 stadiums chosen for the games

The match against the Egyptians, which will take place in Seattle, an American city with a large homosexual community, has been designated as the LGBTQIA+ “Pride Game”, according to several media outlets, which claim that the decision was made before the draw.

— It is an irrational decision that favors a particular group — criticized this Tuesday (9) the president of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI), Mehdi Taj, quoted by the Isna news agency.

— We (Iran) and Egypt oppose this decision, — he added, without mentioning the term “Pride Game”.

Iranian state television said Tehran would “challenge” the decision with the International Football Federation (FIFA).

Under Islamic law (Sharia), same-sex sexual relations are prohibited in Iran and, in some cases, can be punishable by death.

The Egyptian Football Federation (EFA) announced that it had sent an official letter to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, rejecting “absolutely” any activity related to supporting LGBTQIA+ during the match.

Same-sex relations are not explicitly prohibited in Egypt, but are often punished by vague laws prohibiting “depravity.”

Thus, the EFA relies on FIFA’s statutes on political and social neutrality, arguing that the games should not be used to promote “sensitive or controversial” causes.

The 2026 World Cup will mark Iran’s seventh participation in the World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Iran and the United States, once close allies, have not maintained diplomatic relations since 1980, following the hostage taking at the American embassy in Tehran after the Islamic Revolution.

Iran, which had announced a boycott of Friday’s draw due to the United States’ refusal to grant visas to members of its delegation, ended up being represented by its coach, Amir Ghalenoei, and “one or two other people”, announced a spokesperson for the Iranian federation.