Seattle World Cup organisers say Pride events will go ahead outside Egypt-Iran match

Dec 10 : World Cup organisers in Seattle on Wednesday said their Pride events would go ahead as planned outside a June match in the city between Egypt and Iran despite objections from sports officials in the two countries where homosexuality is criminalised.

The World Cup committee in Seattle said it would use what it has named the "Pride Match" on June 26 to showcase the city's annual June Pride Weekend and similar celebrations across Washington state in support of LGBTQ+ rights. 

The organising group stressed that it only worked on events outside the 72,000-seat Seattle Stadium where Egypt and Iran are scheduled to play.

"SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament,"  Hana Tadesse, vice president of communications for the committee, said in a statement. "We don't control what happens on the pitch or in the stadium; that's FIFA's domain." 

The complaints by the football associations of Iran and Egypt highlight tensions between World Cup rules promoting anti-discrimination, inclusivity and neutrality on political and social matters, and the tournament's aim to respect the cultures of host countries.

Egypt’s Football Association on Tuesday said it had sent a letter to FIFA urging world football's governing body to prevent any LGBTQ+ Pride-related activities during the national team’s Seattle game, arguing the activities would clash with the cultural and religious values of the two nations playing.

Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, told local news agency ISNA it filed an objection to the "Pride Match" with FIFA, calling it an "irrational move that supports a certain group".

The fixture was designated a "Pride