Seattle's Pride celebrations set to go ahead at World Cup game despite Egypt and Iran objections.
Organisers of LGBTQ+ events in Seattle have confirmed they will proceed with their plans for a "Pride Match" celebration during the upcoming FIFA World Cup, despite protests from the Egyptian and Iranian football federations. The move has sparked controversy over concerns that these nations' strict laws on homosexuality could be undermined by the festivities.
Egypt's football federation wrote to FIFA's general secretary, expressing its disapproval of the Pride event, citing the potential contradiction with "cultural, religious and social values in Arab and Islamic societies". Similarly, Iran's head of the football federation, Mehdi Taj, raised objections, suggesting that these celebrations would not be welcomed.
However, Seattle Fifa World Cup 2026 officials have insisted their events are outside the stadium, with activities planned for the city itself. "We're moving forward as planned", said Hana Tedesse, the vice-president of communications. The Pride celebrations aim to promote equality and welcome all fans in the city, regardless of their background.
FIFA has stated that rainbow flags will be allowed into the stadium during matches, including the one featuring Egypt and Iran on June 26th. This move comes after previous instances where rainbow flags were seized by local authorities at World Cup events. Seattle's Pride celebrations have been likened to a unique opportunity for the city to show its support for LGBTQ+ rights.
The organisers of the event plan to partner with community leaders, artists, and business owners to enhance existing Pride celebrations across Washington state during the tournament.
Organisers of LGBTQ+ events in Seattle have confirmed they will proceed with their plans for a "Pride Match" celebration during the upcoming FIFA World Cup, despite protests from the Egyptian and Iranian football federations. The move has sparked controversy over concerns that these nations' strict laws on homosexuality could be undermined by the festivities.
Egypt's football federation wrote to FIFA's general secretary, expressing its disapproval of the Pride event, citing the potential contradiction with "cultural, religious and social values in Arab and Islamic societies". Similarly, Iran's head of the football federation, Mehdi Taj, raised objections, suggesting that these celebrations would not be welcomed.
However, Seattle Fifa World Cup 2026 officials have insisted their events are outside the stadium, with activities planned for the city itself. "We're moving forward as planned", said Hana Tedesse, the vice-president of communications. The Pride celebrations aim to promote equality and welcome all fans in the city, regardless of their background.
FIFA has stated that rainbow flags will be allowed into the stadium during matches, including the one featuring Egypt and Iran on June 26th. This move comes after previous instances where rainbow flags were seized by local authorities at World Cup events. Seattle's Pride celebrations have been likened to a unique opportunity for the city to show its support for LGBTQ+ rights.
The organisers of the event plan to partner with community leaders, artists, and business owners to enhance existing Pride celebrations across Washington state during the tournament.
. I mean, the Egyptians and Iranians are just trying to stick to what they believe in, but we can't let fear hold us back from celebrating our individuality and equality 
. The fact that FIFA is allowing rainbow flags into the stadium shows that they're open-minded too 
. It's also awesome that Seattle is using this opportunity to show love and acceptance for everyone, not just their own community 
. I think it's super refreshing to see a city embracing inclusivity like this during such a huge event 
.
i mean idc if some countries dont like it but whats wrong with expressin urself ? 
its cool that seattle is takin the lead on this tho, we should all be proud of our differences 
I mean, I get it, they wanna show their support for LGBTQ+ rights and all that jazz, but come on, you gotta consider the potential backlash from places like Egypt and Iran. Those guys are already super conservative about this stuff. 
Still, I guess it's not like they're gonna be holding some huge Pride march in the stadium or anything... That'd be a whole different story 
. But having it outside the stadium, with community events and all that? That sounds like a pretty cool way to promote equality and inclusion. Kudos to the organizers for trying to make a difference! 
the pride parade is all about spreading love & acceptance, not disrespecting any culture or religion... can't we just celebrate diversity & inclusivity without stirrin' up controversy? 
these strict laws in egypt & iran are already pretty messed up, so why should a pride party make things worse? 
at the end of the day, it's all about promote equality & welcomeness for everyone... no need to get huffy or puffy 
So I think it's kinda cool that Seattle is still planning on having this Pride celebration at the World Cup despite what Egypt and Iran are saying. Like, they're not gonna let a little thing like some countries being super conservative stop them from celebrating equality 
. Maybe it'll even inspire some change in those countries 
... who knows?
.
. And what's with the "cultural, religious and social values" excuse? can we get some real data on how many people in those countries actually support LGBTQ+ rights? I need some sources to back this up before i buy into it 
and if u dont mind me askin, whats w/ FIFA lettin rainbow flags into the stadium now?