The Seattle organizing committee for the 2026 World Cup assured on Wednesday that the celebrations surrounding the LGBT+ “pride match” would take place, despite protests from Iran and Egypt. The meeting played on June 26 in Seattle between Iran and Egypt will be dedicated to the LGBT+ cause and will allow the city in Washington State to highlight its annual “pride weekend”.
“SeattleFWC26 continues to prepare, as planned, its schedule of off-stadium events during Pride weekend and throughout the duration of the tournament, in partnership with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists and entrepreneurs,” Hana Tadesse, vice president of the local organizing committee in charge of communications, said in a statement.
“Football has the unique power to bring people together across borders, cultures and beliefs. The Pacific Coast Northwest is home to one of the largest Iranian-American communities, a growing Egyptian diaspora, and wealthy communities representing all of the teams we will host. » “We are committed to ensuring that all residents and visitors benefit from the warm welcome, respect and dignity that characterize our region,” the official said.
Iran and Egypt deplored the choice of this match, prior to the draw, but which could have gone to the two other teams in Group G, New Zealand and Belgium, who will face each other in Vancouver on the same day. “This is an irrational decision which favors a certain group,” the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, criticized on Tuesday, quoted by the Isna news agency. Under Islamic law (Sharia), same-sex sexual relations are prohibited in Iran and can in some cases be punishable by death.
The Egyptian Football Federation (EFA) announced that it had sent an official letter to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, rejecting “in absolute terms” any activity linked to support for the LGBT+ cause during the match. In Egypt, homosexuality is not explicitly prohibited, but is often punished under vaguely worded laws prohibiting “debauchery.”
Related reading
