Iran: Dedicating Copa match vs Egypt to LGBTQIA+ is ‘irrational’ | OneFootball

Iran, which will face Egypt in the upcoming 2026 World Cup in the United States in June 2026, considered the decision to dedicate the match to the LGBTQIA+ community as “irrational.”

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The Iranian team, which qualified for the competition in March, will have as opponents in Group G Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, according to the draw held last Friday in Washington, in the presence of the President of the United States, Donald Trump.

“Pride Game” in Seattle sparks reaction

The match against Egypt, which will take place in Seattle, an American city with a significant LGBTQIA+ community, was designated as the “Pride Game” according to various media outlets, which claim the decision was made before the draw.

“It is an irrational decision that favors a particular group,” criticized on Tuesday (9) the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, as quoted by the news agency Isna. “We (Iran) and Egypt oppose this decision,” he added, without mentioning the term “Pride Game.”

The Iranian state television indicated that Tehran will “contest” the decision with the International Federation of Football (FIFA).

Restrictive laws in Iran and Egypt

According to Islamic law (sharia), sexual relations between people of the same sex are prohibited in Iran and, in some cases, can be punished with the death penalty.

The Egyptian Football Federation expressed similar objections, according to the country's press.

Same-sex relationships are not explicitly prohibited in Egypt, but they are often punished through vaguely formulated laws that prohibit “depravity.”

Iran's World Cup history and tension with the US

The 2026 World Cup will mark Iran's seventh participation in the World Cup, jointly organized by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Iran and the United States, once close allies, have not maintained diplomatic relations since 1980, following the hostage crisis at the American embassy in Tehran after the Islamic Revolution.

Iran, which had announced a boycott of the Friday draw due to the United States' refusal to grant visas to members of its delegation, ended up being represented by its coach Amir Ghalenoei and “one or two more people,” announced a spokesperson for the Iranian federation.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.