Iran’s football chief has objected to the “irrational” branding of its World Cup 2026 match against Egypt, which local organisers in the United States have suggested will be held in support of the LGBTQ community.
The organising committee in Seattle, Washington state, where the match is scheduled to take place next year, had previously announced their intention to hold a “Pride Match” coinciding with the northwestern city’s Pride Weekend in late June.
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Following last week’s FIFA tournament draw, Egypt and Iran are now slated to face off in Seattle on June 26, the Friday before.
The head of Iran’s Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, was quoted by local news agency ISNA as saying Tehran and Cairo had both raised “objections against the issue”, which he labelled an “irrational move that supports a certain group”.
Taj did not mention the specific branding of the fixture.
On Monday, Iranian state television said Tehran would “appeal” against FIFA over the matter.
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran under Islamic law and can be punishable by death.
The Egyptian Football Association has voiced similar objections, according to local media reports citing unnamed sources.
In Egypt, homosexuality is not expressly outlawed, but is often punished under loosely worded laws prohibiting “debauchery”.
The 2026 World Cup will mark Iran’s seventh participation in the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
Iran and the US have had no diplomatic relations since 1980, following a hostage crisis in the wake of the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Iran had initially opted out of Friday’s draw to protest against the US refusal to grant visas to several members of its delegation, but eventually reversed its decision.
On Tuesday, Taj said some Iranian players might face visa problems over their service in the Iranian military, which includes the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – designated a “terrorist organisation” by the US in 2019.
“For the World Cup, we must work on having replacement options, and we have already started that,” he said.
Iran is drawn in Group G with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in the 39-day tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19.
Source: Aljazeera
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