Overview
- Seattle designated the June 26, 2026 Lumen Field fixture as a Pride Match months before the draw, which later assigned Group G opponents Egypt and Iran to the game.
- Both nations criminalize same-sex relations, with Iran allowing the death penalty and Egypt prosecuting under public morality and debauchery laws, according to rights groups.
- The Egyptian Football Association wrote to FIFA rejecting any Pride-themed activities during the match and requested that no such events occur inside the stadium on match day.
- Iran football federation chief Mehdi Taj confirmed objections from both countries, describing the Pride designation as an irrational move that supports a specific group.
- Seattle’s Pride Match Advisory Committee says the programming will proceed as a host city initiative not affiliated with FIFA, and the dispute recalls FIFA’s 2022 Qatar rulings on OneLove armbands.