Iran’s football chief criticized U.S. organizers for labeling the 2026 World Cup match against Egypt as a Pride Match in support of the LGBTQ community, calling it irrational.
The match is scheduled for June 26 in Seattle, Washington, during the city’s Pride Weekend. After last week’s FIFA tournament draw, Egypt and Iran are set to play on the Friday before Pride Weekend begins.
Mehdi Taj, head of the Iranian Football Federation, told ISNA news agency that both Tehran and Cairo have protested, calling the move irrational and in support of a specific interest. Taj did not mention the Pride branding directly. On Monday, Iranian state television reported that Tehran plans to appeal to FIFA.
In Iran, homosexuality is illegal under Islamic law and can be punishable by death.
According to local media citing unnamed sources, the Egyptian Football Association has made similar complaints. Homosexuality is not explicitly illegal in Egypt but is often prosecuted under broad laws against debauchery.
Iran initially refused to take part in Friday’s draw to protest the U.S. denial of visas to some delegation members but later reversed its decision. Iran and the U.S. have not had diplomatic relations since 1980, after the 1979 Iranian revolution and hostage crisis.
On Tuesday, Taj said some Iranian players might face visa problems due to their military service, which includes time in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a group the U.S. designated as a terrorist organization in 2019. He added that contingency plans for the World Cup are underway. The cup will mark Iran’s seventh appearance in the tournament, which will be hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Iran is in Group G with Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19.
