FIFA to Allow Pride Flags at World Cup Match After Anti-LGBTQ+ Countries Iran and Egypt Requested a Ban

FIFA will officially allow rainbow pride flags at the upcoming World Cup match between Iran and Egypt in Seattle after both countries’ teams requested a ban based on cultural and religious grounds.

The two countries requested a ban on the LGBTQ+ pride symbols at Friday’s Group G game, which coincides with the city’s pride celebration and has been billed as its “Pride Match” by Seattle’s local organizing committee. In both Egypt and Iran, homosexuality is criminalized, with Iran going as far as to make it an offense that can be punishable by death.

According to Reuters, Egypt’s Football Association claimed the event violated its cultural and religious values, and the Iranian Football Federation echoed similar sentiments, stating that anything promoting the Pride event in the city should not be present during the match between the two countries. However, FIFA took a stand, saying in a statement that the World Cup is, “an inclusive event that welcomes people from all backgrounds.”

“General statements of ​human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted … and may be displayed inside stadiums,” FIFA said in a statement, per Reuters.

However, FIFA made sure to note that, while it will not entertain a formal ban on rainbow flags at this event or any other related to the World Cup, it specified that the match being billed as part of the city’s pride celebrations was not a decision it made, but rather was done by locals.

“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,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino told Swiss magazine Die Weltwoche, per The Guardian. “But that has nothing to do with the match ‌itself.”