FIFA confirms rainbow flags can fly at Egypt vs Iran World Cup Pride match
Seattle Stadium (Image: Getty Images)
FIFA has confirmed rainbow flags will be permitted inside the stadium for Egypt vs Iran at the 2026 World Cup in Seattle, despite objections from both countries to Pride-themed events around the match.
The Group G fixture, which kicks off at 4am UK time on Saturday, 27 June, has been designated a “Pride Match” by Seattle’s local organising committee to coincide with the city’s annual Pride weekend. Both Iran and Egypt complained to FIFA about LGBTQ+ events happening around the game and asked for them to be cancelled.
In a statement (as per The Guardian), FIFA said: “General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted under the FIFA World Cup 2026 Stadium Code of Conduct and may be displayed inside stadiums.”
Hana Tadesse, a spokesperson for Seattle’s World Cup organising committee, said FIFA treats the rainbow flag as a statement of human rights, so fans are allowed to fly it in the stadium.
Why Seattle’s ‘Pride Match’ label sparked backlash
The fixture was designated as Seattle’s “Pride Match” in December 2025, before the draw paired Egypt and Iran.
In January 2026, FIFA president Gianni Infantino sought to distance the tournament from the branding, saying: “First of all, I must clarify that there will be no ‘Pride Match’ at the World Cup,” adding: “There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle, and on the same day, events organised by external organisations will be taking place in the city. But that has nothing to do with the match itself.”
FIFA runs international football and organises the men’s World Cup, setting tournament regulations and stadium codes of conduct. Its approach to LGBTQ+ visibility at Qatar 2022 became a major global talking point, including disputes over armbands and fan signage.
Coaches insist: ‘Only football’
At pre-match media duties on Thursday (25 June), both teams’ coaches pushed back on Pride-related questions.
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei said he was not there to speak about “anything that is banned in our league”, adding: “All our thoughts are focused on football, the beautiful game, our people, our success,” and stressing the team would only speak about football.
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan echoed that stance, saying: “We are all focused on football, it is all we think about and FIFA is of course taking care of the organisational side.”
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