The Iranian Football Federation has written to FIFA asking it to ban Pride flags from its World Cup match against Egypt in Seattle — a game FIFA itself designated as dedicated to the LGBTQ community. In the letter, Iran's federation said Pride flags "contradict the values and beliefs of the country," according to a report.
The Iranian Football Federation has written to FIFA requesting a ban on Pride flags at its upcoming World Cup group-stage match against Egypt in Seattle — a match FIFA explicitly designated as part of its LGBTQ-inclusivity programming. The letter, reported by a single news outlet, states that Pride flags "contradict the values and beliefs of the country" (Iran). The request places FIFA in a delicate position, as it has promoted the Seattle match as a symbol of inclusion while hosting a federation that officially criminalizes same-sex relations. The Iranian federation has not publicly acknowledged FIFA's LGBTQ-themed designation. As The Zioneer has reported in recent weeks, the 2026 World Cup has been marked by multiple disputes involving Iran, including the reported removal of an Israeli flag from a fan at a venue, crowd booing of the Iranian regime's flag, and an Iranian claim that the US revoked ticket allocations for their supporters. No response from FIFA has been reported yet.
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