Egypt and Iran Officially Reject FIFA's Plan to Dedicate Their 2026 World Cup Match to LGBT Support
Egypt and Iran have formally expressed their refusal to have their 2026 World Cup match dedicated to a day of support for LGBT individuals, as planned by FIFA for their scheduled encounter on June 27, 2026, in Seattle. The two federations have sent separate letters to FIFA, requesting the cancellation of this initiative or a change in the match's location or date. According to the two sports organizations, scheduling activities related to "Pride Day" around the Egypt-Iran match contradicts the cultural and religious values of their countries. The Egyptian Federation stated in a letter to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström that it "totally rejects" these activities, believing they "directly clash with the cultural, religious, and social values of the region, particularly in Arab and Islamic societies." The President of the Iranian Federation, Mehdi Taj, described this decision as "irrational," denouncing an initiative that, in his opinion, aims to support a particular group. The Iranian news agency ISNA also reports that Iran is considering officially contesting the decision before FIFA's governing bodies. FIFA had planned to associate this match with various awareness-raising actions in the city of Seattle, considered one of the most committed cities in the United States to LGBT rights. No immediate comment has been published by FIFA regarding the requests from the two federations.
