Chance makes things bad. Long planned in the schedule for the 2026 World Cup (June 11-July 19), the “Pride match”, organized to celebrate LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion in the United States, will take place on the occasion of… Egypt-Iran. The coincidence of the calendar has in fact decided that the meeting between the two teams will take place on June 26 at Lumen Field in Seattle, the day chosen for the occasion in the United States.
Two countries that impose harsh sanctions on homosexuality: in Iran, it is punishable by death, and Egypt regularly uses its morality laws to attack LGBTQ + people. Mostafa Mohamed, Egyptian player for FC Nantes, has notably refused on several occasions for several years to take part in Ligue 1 matches organized to support the cause of LGBTQ+ people.
No rescheduling planned
The match should not, however, be rescheduled. Seattle will already host Juneteenth, Emancipation Day, during a match between the United States and Australia on June 19. The other group matches scheduled at the Lumen Field stadium, on June 15 and 24, concern Egypt and Qatar, also known for its anti-LGBTQ + laws.
“The Pride match was timed to celebrate and highlight Pride events in Seattle and across the country, and was planned well in advance,” a spokesperson for the organization told Outsports. It is a host city-led expression of Seattle and Washington State’s commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone belongs: players, fans, residents and visitors. »
“Football has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures and beliefs,” he continued. We are honored to host a Pride match and celebrate Pride within the global football community. »
During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a controversy had already exploded when Fifa banned players from wearing the OneLove armband in support of LGBTQ + people. The authority notably threatened the protesting players with a yellow card during the matches.
