she stated.
Seattle’s World Cup organizing committee is moving ahead with its “categorically rejects any activities promoting LGBTQ during the match,” celebrations this week, undeterred by calls from Egypt and Iran to cancel LGBTQ+ events associated with the game.
In December, it was announced that Egypt and Iran would face off on June 26, coinciding with Seattle’s annual Pride weekend. This sparked immediate backlash from both nations, leading to widespread condemnation.
Egypt’s football association formally requested Fifa to halt any activities promoting LGBTQ+ rights during the match, stating that such events could “provoke cultural and religious sensitivities among fans” Meanwhile, Iran’s football federation criticized the Pride designation as an “irrational move that supports a certain group”
Both countries have strict laws against LGBTQ+ relationships, with Iran criminalizing such identities and Egypt known for prosecuting queer individuals.
Despite this opposition, organizers from Seattle Fifa World Cup 26 (SeattleFWC26) affirmed that their plans would not change. They are set to host Pride match viewing parties throughout Washington state, offer themed merchandise, and launch a social media initiative celebrating the local LGBTQ+ community.
“Pride Match Day for us was always going to be bigger than the actual soccer match. It’s really a citywide celebration of visibility, belonging and community,”
said Hedda McLendon, the senior vice president of legacy for SeattleFWC26. “We see this as an opportunity to introduce the world to what it looks like to live in a place where the LGBT community is a protected class … where we get to hold hands in public, where we show our joy on the streets. That’s not the case everywhere, even in the US. We hope fans visiting come with curiosity.”
Fifa, while not associated with the Pride Match branding, issued a statement asserting that the World Cup is an “General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity … may be displayed inside stadiums provided they are used in a manner consistent with the [stadium code of conduct],” welcoming fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities. They also indicated that Pride flags can be displayed at matches.
“We’re not paying attention to the noise. Seattle is going to be Seattle … All 12 months in Seattle is very queer, very trans. It is a welcoming sanctuary city for so many people who seek a place where they can be themselves and thrive,”
Fifa said.
Jaelynn Scott, the executive director of the Lavender Rights Project, a Seattle-based trans rights organization, expressed her enthusiasm for linking the World Cup match to Pride, stating that it was a natural connection.
“To have queer people who are Iranian right now celebrating our identity, celebrating Pride – I think it’s really important as Iranians that we see one another, we respect one another and that we unify,”
Scott noted.
She also highlighted that the increasing anti-trans policies across the United States have prompted more LGBTQ+ individuals to relocate to Seattle, marking a pivotal moment to promote Pride during the World Cup.
The current tensions echo the situation in 2022 in Qatar when several European nations abandoned plans to wear rainbow armbands due to Fifa’s threats of sanctions.
Media coverage has spotlighted the paradox of hosting a Pride match featuring two countries known for their anti-LGBTQ+ records. Bookda Gheisar, an Iranian-American activist in Seattle, emphasized the significance of celebrating the match in light of Iran’s participation.
“The Pride match brings that intersection forward for a lot of people, and I think people are aware of this shock of ‘Iranian, Egyptian and queerness’, but that’s where I have lived all my life,”
Gheisar, who appeared in a Pride video for the World Cup, expressed.
Gheisar, who is also the Port of Seattle’s senior director of equity, diversity, and inclusion, has embraced her dual identity while raising her children in both Iranian and queer communities. She plans to wear Pride colors at the stadium on June 26.
“In Iran today, more people are able to be gay and live openly – of course the policies are not supportive, but people are fighting for that freedom.”
She also pointed out that Islamophobia can lead to oversimplified views of queerness in Iran, noting, “The US since the first Trump administration has rolled back so many freedoms and civil rights for not just queer people, but for immigrants, refugees and brown and Black people,”
Gheisar further remarked on the erosion of trans and queer rights in the U.S., mentioning that some LGBTQ+ fans from the UK have chosen not to attend games in the country this year.
“Our struggles are absolutely connected to one another … To me, the meaning of the Pride match is visibility, awareness, celebration and recommitment to struggles and building movements.”
she said. “I just love the opportunity to enjoy our favorite teams, celebrate together and dance the night away at our local queer clubs.”
Scott expressed hope that the combined World Cup and Pride weekend would create a joyful experience for the city.
“I just love the opportunity to enjoy our favorite teams, celebrate together and dance the night away at our local queer clubs,”
she concluded.
- World Cup
- Seattle
- Washington state
- LGBTQ+ rights
- West Coast
- Egypt football team
- Iran
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