The 2026 World Cup only starts in six months, but a FIFA decision has already caused a first controversy. According to several media, the match in the group stage of the World Cup between Iran and Egypt is supposed to be dedicated to the LGBTQ + cause, but the two federations rejected that their meeting allowed to celebrate this community.
Why did FIFA choose this match?
A priori, FIFA did not directly check this part. It would rather be a coincidence of timing. The “Pride Match” had been planned by the local organizing committee before the draw. It was scheduled at Lumen Stadium in Seattle – a city committed to the LGBTQ + cause – on Friday June 26.
But the draw on Friday propelled Iran and Egypt into Group G. Their meeting is scheduled for June 26 in Seattle. This would be the first “Pride Match” in World Cup history.
How did Iran react?
The Iranian and Egyptian federations expressed a clear refusal. “This is an irrational decision that favors a certain group. We (Iran) and Egypt oppose this decision,” the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, lambasted on Tuesday, quoted by the Isna news agency, without mentioning the term “pride match”.
Iranian state television for its part indicated that Iran would “contest” this decision with the International Football Federation. Under Islamic law (Sharia), same-sex sexual relations are prohibited in Iran and can in some cases be punishable by death.
How did the Egyptian federation react?
The Egyptian Football Federation (EFA) said it had sent an official letter to Fifa Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, rejecting “in absolute terms” any activity related to LGBTQ+ support at the match. The EFA claimed that such initiatives would contradict the “cultural, religious and social values” of Egypt and Iran and urged Fifa to ensure that the match remained exclusively focused on football.
In Egypt, homosexuality is not explicitly prohibited, but is often punished under vaguely worded laws prohibiting “debauchery.” The EFA cited Fifa’s statutes on political and social neutrality, arguing that matches should not be used to promote causes that are “sensitive or of a controversial nature”.
FIFA singled out
The choice of this meeting raises questions, but this initiative was not directly led by FIFA and the Seattle local committee intends to maintain the event. “The Pride Game was timed to celebrate and highlight Pride events in Seattle and across the country, and was planned well in advance,” he explained via a statement provided to Outsports. It’s a host city-led initiative that demonstrates Seattle and Washington State’s commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone belongs: players, fans, residents and visitors. »
In France, the STOP Homophobia association published a press release calling on “the international body to maintain the system and clearly state that human rights are non-negotiablewhile reaffirming its solidarity with the Iranian and Egyptian LGBTQIA+ communities.”
“It’s extremely surprising, especially considering the attitude of FIFA during the World Cup in Qatar, where it led a total war against the European selections who wanted to wear the One Love armband,” Julien Pontes, spokesperson for the Rouge Direct collective, committed to fighting homophobia in football, told L’Équipe. Our concern is about the real impact of the initiative. Creating a controversy does not necessarily promote awareness of the scourge of homophobia. »
For Yoann Lemaire, president of Foot Ensemble, “we need to change the poster” so that the initiative does not become counterproductive. “It’s quite a symbol, but is there any point or not? Sometimes you have to shake up, even annoy the world. But we risk falling into a stinking controversy with influential people who will say anything, that the gay lobby is polluting sport or whatever stupidity. It all depends on where they want to put the cursor,” he told Eurosport.
