FIFA World Cup: Seattle will hold a ‘Pride Match’ between Egypt vs Iran to celebrate LGBTQ equality
FIFA has done a lot of ridiculous things in its time, but this might be the funniest, most backwards, most on-brand decision the organization has ever made. At the 2026 World Cup in the United States, the tournament will feature its first official “Pride Match” on June 26 at Lumen Field in Seattle.
The match will be a celebration of LGBTQ+ inclusion and give the World Cup a moment of unity and equality for all on the global stage. While it sounds simple, the two nations selected for this historic event are Egypt and Iran. If you’re not up-to-date on your global civil rights, these are two countries where being gay can land you in prison, or worse.
You truly cannot script this stuff.
Seattle will hold match between Egypt vs Iran to celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month
The 2026 World Cup draw is an insult to Philadelphia
Egypt’s Laws Aren’t Much of a Mystery
Egypt does not explicitly criminalize homosexuality on paper, but everything else around it does the job. Their Penal Code from 1937 and Law 10/1961 include vague offenses that the government happily applies to LGBTQ+ people whenever they feel like it.
Debauchery. Indecency. Violations of family principles. Whatever phrasing they choose that day.
Police in Egypt have been documented impersonating gay men on dating apps to lure real gay men into “admissions.” Sentences can reach three years, but reports say many serve closer to six.
Iran Is Somehow Worse
Meanwhile, Iran does not bother pretending. Human rights organizations have documented gay men being tied to the backs of pickup trucks by their genitals and dragged through public squares. Executions have happened. Torture is routine. Being outed can be a death sentence.
Naturally, these are the two nations FIFA selected for Pride Weekend in Seattle. Honestly, it’s kind of hilarious. Talk about a big fuck you to Egypt and Iran, right?
FIFA Could Have Avoided This. They Didn’t.
Pride Month lasts all of June. FIFA had options. They could have moved the Pride Match earlier in the month. Except… on June 15 Egypt is playing again.
So that doesn’t help. June 24? That game belongs to Qatar. Another government that treats LGBTQ+ people like state enemies.
June 19th between USA vs Australia is already designated as a Juneteenth match.
One of six official Juneteenth matches FIFA has created to “honor the holiday.”
Seattle doesn’t host again until July, so FIFA apparently shrugged, pointed to the schedule, and decided that Iran and Egypt will headline the world’s gayest soccer match whether the irony blows the stadium roof off or not.
You Almost Have To Respect the Comedy
Two governments that persecute, imprison, torture, and in Iran’s case execute LGBTQ+ people… flying across the world to play a game celebrating the community they actively suppress.
In Seattle. On Pride Weekend. In a stadium full of flags, glitter, and unapologetic queerness. You could not pitch this as a parody because it would be too on-the-nose for people to believe.
Bravo FIFA. Keep up the good work. If this is what you are willing to do with scheduling, I cannot wait to see what you come up with next.
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I’m sure that Egypt and Iran will celebrate the pride game in a culturally appropriate fashion, perhaps by throwing some gay people off the roof of the grandstand in a traditional Islamic gesture.
😂😂😂