FIFA rejects Egypt, Iran objections, allows Pride flags at World Cup match

Soccer fans will be permitted to bring in rainbow flags when Egypt's national team faces off against Iran on Friday at the World Cup in Seattle, FIFA said Thursday, as the match turned into a flashpoint for two countries where LGBTQ+ communities have been marginalized.

'Pride Match'

The match at Lumen Field is scheduled to take place on Friday during Seattle’s annual Pride Weekend and is being locally promoted as part of “Pride Match Day” programming. 

FIFA said supporters will be allowed to bring rainbow flags and other items associated with sexual orientation and gender identity into the match, provided they comply with stadium regulations, including limits on size and restrictions on material deemed “political.”

FIFA told The Athletic that it is permitting rainbow flags across all World Cup venues this summer. 

The guidance comes amid objections from both Egypt and Iran, whose football associations have criticized any LGBTQ+-related messaging linked to the fixture.

The organizing committee in Seattle, Seattle FWC26, had announced its intention to host the Pride Match before the two teams were drawn to play there. 

Backlash from Iran and Egypt

Following the group stage draw in early December 2025, both Iran and Egypt voiced objections to FIFA. Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj was quoted by Iranian media in December as saying that Tehran and Cairo had both raised “objections” to what he called an “irrational move that supports a certain group,” without specifically referencing the Pride branding in Seattle. 

Later that month, the Egyptian Football Association said it sent a letter to FIFA rejecting “in absolute terms” any activities “promoting LGBTQ during the match.” 

The EFA said that its letter to FIFA explained that “it is necessary to avoid including activities that could provoke cultural and religious sensitivities between fans present from both countries, Egypt and Iran, especially since such activities are culturally and religiously incompatible with the two countries.”

While FIFA will allow rainbow flags at the match, the organization has sought to put distance between itself and Seattle’s initiative. In January, FIFA President Gianni Infantino told Swiss magazine Die Weltwoche that “there will be no ‘Pride Match’ at the World Cup. … There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle and, on the same day, events organized by external organizations will be taking place in the city, but that has nothing to do with the match itself.”

Marginalization of LGBTQ+ communities 

Both Iran and Egypt are Muslim-majority countries where LGBTQ+ communities face legal and social marginalization.

In Iran, sexual acts between two men and two women are explicitly criminalized under the Islamic Penal Code, with punishments ranging from flogging to the death penalty. 

Unlike Iran, Egyptian law does not explicitly criminalize same-sex sexual activity. However, according to Human Dignity Trust, authorities have frequently relied on broadly defined offenses such as “indecency,” “scandalous acts” and “debauchery” to prosecute individuals in the LGBTQ+ community. These provisions carry penalties of up to three years in prison and fines.

In both Egypt and Iran, human rights groups have documented cases of discrimination, violence and arrests targeting LGBTQ+ people.

Friday’s match is critical for both teams. For Egypt, who lead Group G with 4 points after a 3-1 win over New Zealand and a draw with Belgium, a draw would likely be enough to secure a place in the knockout stage. A win would guarantee the top spot in the group. Iran sit on 2 points after two draws, including a 0-0 result against Belgium, and would need a victory to keep their hopes of advancing alive, with a draw or defeat likely leaving them dependent on other results or eliminating them outright.