🚨 The Egyptian Federation sent an official letter to the FIFA secretary general rejecting “any activity related to supporting homosexuality during the match”. The president of the Iranian federation, Mehdi Taj, also publicly condemned the situation. What both countries have in common is that they penalize homosexual relations: in Egypt with prison and fines, and in Iran the punishment can go as far as death according to the organization Human Dignity Trust.
Despite that, FIFA was clear: rainbow flags will indeed be inside Seattle’s Lumen Field stadium on June 27. The body based its decision on the Stadium Code of Conduct, which allows expressions linked to sexual orientation and gender identity. This, moreover, directly contrasts with what happened in Qatar 2022, when FIFA itself threatened captains with yellow cards if they wore the “OneLove” armband. 🤔
What ultimately fueled the debate was the “coincidence” of the draw: out of 48 national teams, the December 2025 pairing brought together precisely these two Islamic nations in the only match that falls on Seattle Pride weekend, a celebration with more than 50 years of history in that city. Should FIFA have respected the federations’ position, or is it right to maintain its inclusion policy regardless of who is playing? 💬
