2026 World Cup: 'Pride Match' to feature Egypt and Iran - where homosexuality is illegal

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A 'Pride Match' at the 2026 World Cup in the US will feature a match between Egypt and Iran, two countries where homosexuality is illegal. The Seattle-based local organising committee of the tournament has designated this fixture as an "LGBTQ+ Pride Match" to celebrate and promote LGBTQ+ rights. The event will take place on June 26th, the Friday before Seattle's official Pride weekend. It is not affiliated with FIFA, but rather a gesture by the local committee to show support for the community.

Egypt has strict morality laws that are often used to suppress LGBTQ+ rights and relationships, while Iran carries a maximum punishment of death penalty for homosexual relations. Despite these harsh penalties, the match will still go ahead as planned, according to organisers. Organisers claim that soccer has the power to unite people across cultures, borders, and beliefs.

This event is not the first instance of an attempt by FIFA or other sports bodies to show support for LGBTQ+ communities. In 2022, during the World Cup in Qatar, some teams had initially planned to wear armbands supporting LGBTQ+ rights but were discouraged from doing so by FIFA due to laws against same-sex relations in the country.

The local organising committee says that they have been planning this event since before the teams involved were selected or the draw for the 2026 World Cup was made. It is a gesture of support, and organisers hope that it will be seen as an opportunity to promote unity and equality among players, fans, and communities around the world.
 
man i'm so down for this pride match 🌈🏆 its amazing how sports can bring people together, you know? i feel like we need more of these kinds of events where ppl can come together and show support for each other. its not about trying to change laws or anything, its just about spreading love and acceptance. i'm really hoping this event will help bring some positivity and unity to the world, especially in countries with super strict laws against LGBTQ+ rights 🌎💖
 
[Image of a soccer ball with a rainbow flag on it 😊🌈]

[Video of Pelé scoring a goal with a big smile, caption: "Uniting people through sports 🌎"]

[Image of a person holding hands with a friend, both smiling, with a background of Egyptian and Iranian flags, caption: "Equality for all 🤝"]

[ GIF of a soccer player passing the ball to a teammate, caption: "Breaking barriers through football ⚽️"]
 
🤗 can't believe they're actually doing this, USA is all about diversity, so why not show some love to the underrepresented? I'm low-key hyped for this match, gotta give props to the Seattle committee for taking a stand and being proactive 🙌. It's crazy that Egypt and Iran are even playing in the World Cup - you'd think those laws would keep them from participating but I guess they're still gonna make it happen 😊. The fact that soccer can unite people across cultures is true, maybe this event will be the start of something bigger 💖. Fingers crossed it doesn't get shut down by FIFA tho 🤞
 
I think its awesome that they're using sports to spread love & acceptance 🌈🏆. Having LGBTQ+ Pride matches at major tournaments is a great way to show support for marginalized communities, especially in countries where its hard for them to express themselves openly. I'm all about unity and equality, you feel? Its cool that the local committee in Seattle took it upon themselves to make this happen, no affiliation with FIFA needed 🙌. The fact that Egypt & Iran are playing each other makes it even more special, like they're showing the world that love is bigger than borders 🌎. And I'm excited to see how fans from both countries will react to this match, its gonna be a wild celebration!
 
🤦‍♂️ I mean, what's with the forum not having a live chat feature? Can't we just discuss this stuff in real-time? 😒 Anyway, back to the Pride Match... I get it, FIFA hasn't been supportive of LGBTQ+ rights before, but can't they just chill for one match? 🤷‍♂️ It's about promoting unity and equality, right? 💖 The fact that Egypt and Iran are playing is kinda weird considering their laws against homosexuality. Like, aren't we trying to break down barriers or something? 🚫 Still, I guess it's a step in the right direction... 👏
 
I'm not sure if this Pride Match thing is just a bunch of hype or actually gonna make a difference 🤔. I mean, it's cool that they're trying to show support for the LGBTQ+ community, but can't they do better than just having one match? What about organizing some sort of protest march or rally before the game? That would be way more impactful 💪.

And another thing, if soccer is really gonna unite people across cultures and borders, then why are we still seeing so much division on the pitch? Can't players just get along for one match without having to make a statement about their identities? 🏆

I also don't love that this event isn't affiliated with FIFA, it feels like they're just slapping a Band-Aid on the problem. What's gonna change when the World Cup comes around again? Just more token gestures and not enough actual action 💸.
 
I think its pretty cool that the local organising committee in Seattle decided to make this Pride match happen 🌈💖. Its like they're saying that even in a game between countries where LGBTQ+ rights are kinda non-existent, we can still show love and support for each other. And honestly, who needs FIFA's approval or Qatar's laws to know what's right? Soccer is supposed to be about unity and coming together, not just about winning games 🏆. I mean, its not like Egypt and Iran are gonna be all "oh, we're gonna die if you wear an armband for gay rights"... they'll probably still kick the ball around while thinking about how much they hate us 😂. Anyway, I'm down for this Pride match – let's show those countries that love is love, no matter what 🌎💕.
 
🤝 u know i think its awesome that the local organising committee in seattle is hosting this pride match in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community... especially considering the harsh laws against ppl in egypt & iran 🌎. its not about trying to provoke controversy or challenge the law, its about using soccer as a platform to promote unity and equality 🌈. i mean, soccer has always been about bringing ppl together across cultures & borders... so why can't we use it for good? 🤗
 
omg 🤯 i think its so cool dat FIFA didnt stop them from havin a pride match 😊! like, soccer can def unite ppl across all cultures & beliefs, u know? 🌎 it dont make sense 4 them to dictate what ppl can or cant wear on the pitch lol. but 2 b real, those laws in egypt & iran r super harsh, its not cool 4 ppl who arent lucky enuf 2 be born straight 😔. anywayz, i love dat the local committee did this 4 themselves, without any FIFA involvement 🙏. its all about spreadin love & acceptance 🌈💖
 
🤝 I think this Pride Match thingy is really cool! 🌈 I mean, who wouldn't want to show some love for the LGBTQ+ community, right? Even if it's not FIFA's idea, it's still a dope gesture from the local committee in Seattle. I'm all about promoting unity and equality, you feel? 🤩 It's sick that they're using the World Cup as a platform to spread positivity and acceptance. Egypt and Iran might have their issues with LGBTQ+ rights, but who cares, right? Let's just celebrate love and inclusivity! 💖
 
OMG, I'm SO hyped about this Pride Match!!! 🌈🏆 I mean, it's about time we show some love and support for our LGBTQ+ brothers & sisters, you know? 😊 Egypt and Iran, like, what?! Those places are literally harsh on the community... I don't get why FIFA isn't doing more to help. But, yaaas! The Seattle committee is stepping up and showing that soccer can unite people across all cultures & backgrounds! 🌎💖 It's gonna be so cool to see players from both teams come together and celebrate love & acceptance. And, like, I'm all for it being a gesture of support, not affiliated with FIFA... let them do their thing, we'll just show our pride! 🏴‍☠️ Can't wait for June 26th! 💖
 
I'm not sure if this is gonna work but I think its a good start 👏. The fact that they're doing this Pride match before Pride weekend in Seattle shows they're trying to spread love & acceptance 🌈. It's a small step but who knows what it can do? Maybe it'll be the spark that changes things for Egypt and Iran...and all those countries with harsh laws 💖.
 
I'm so down for this Pride Match in Seattle... 🏆💖 I think it's awesome that the local committee is taking a stand like this, especially since Egypt and Iran are both super strict about LGBTQ+ rights. It's crazy that they're planning to move forward with the match despite all that, but at least they're using their platform for good. The thing that really gets me is how FIFA was hesitant to let teams show support for LGBTQ+ rights during the Qatar World Cup... 🤔 I mean, can't sports be a way to bring people together and promote acceptance? It's not like it's going to hurt anyone or disrupt the game. I think this Pride Match in Seattle is just what we need – a reminder that even in the face of adversity, love and support can triumph 🌈💪
 
I think its really cool that the local committee in Seattle decided to make a big deal out of this Pride Match between Egypt and Iran 🌈🏆. I mean, you can't help but feel like soccer has the power to bring people together, even when there's a lot of cultural and societal tension between countries. And its awesome that they're willing to take a stand and show support for the LGBTQ+ community, even if it means going against FIFA's more conservative policies 🙅‍♂️.

I also love how the committee has been planning this event since before the teams were even selected or the draw was made – thats some serious dedication! Its great to see that they're not just trying to make a statement, but are actually using their platform to promote unity and equality among players, fans, and communities around the world 🌎.

And you know what's also really interesting is how this event can help raise awareness about LGBTQ+ rights in these two countries, especially Egypt and Iran. I mean, its one thing to show support from afar, but to actually have a public event like this that brings attention to the issue – thats really powerful 💪.
 
🏴️‍🌈 think this is super cool that they're making this match all about promoting love & acceptance. its amazing how a sport like soccer can bring people together like this. dont really understand why we need to hide who were are though 🤷‍♂️ anyhoo, i'm hyped for the match and hope it inspires some real change
 
idk why ppl in some countries cant just accept ppl 4 who they r... its so sad 2 think theres still places where homosexuality is punishable by death 🤯 but im glad ths Pride match will go ahead & show support 4 the community it's a great way 2 promote unity & equality thru soccer - maybe it'll inspire other sports events 2 do the same 💖
 
🌎 I think this Pride Match thing is kinda cool. Like, soccer has this crazy power to bring people together, right? 🤝 Especially when you're thinking about countries like Egypt and Iran where being gay can be super tough. It's a good way for the US organizing committee to show they care about equality, even if FIFA isn't directly involved. And honestly, I think it's a pretty bold move to go ahead with this match despite the risks... or should I say, "risks" might not be the right word? 😊 More like "opportunities for progress"? The fact that they're doing this is already a step in the right direction, no matter what happens. Fingers crossed it inspires some real change! 💪
 
I'm all for this Pride Match in the US 🏴️‍🌈! It's about time we use sports to bring people together and show support for a great cause. I mean, think about it, soccer is already a universal language, right? It doesn't matter if you're from Egypt or Iran, or any other country with strict laws against LGBTQ+ rights... the love of the game unites us all ❤️. And who says we can't have fun and show some pride at the same time? The fact that this is a gesture by the local committee, not FIFA, shows that there's still room for freedom of expression in sports. It's about promoting unity and equality, which are goals I'm totally down for 🤝!
 
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