Nearly three weeks after Egypt and Iran objected to LGBTQ+ Pride events around their 2026 World Cup match in Seattle, FIFA has made no intervention, say local organizers. Eric Wahl, a gay committee member whose brother died in Qatar for supporting LGBTQ+ rights, urges respect for local cultures while emphasizing inclusivity.
Following initial protests from the Egyptian and Iranian football federations against Seattle's designation of the June 26, 2026, World Cup match between their teams at Lumen Field as a 'Pride Match'—due to clashes with their cultural and religious values—FIFA has remained silent.
Eric Wahl, a member of the Seattle Pride Match Advisory Committee, reports no contact from FIFA despite the Egyptian FA's letter to secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom invoking the body's neutrality statutes. "I know Egypt are petitioning FIFA, but it raises ethical issues," Wahl said. "In Qatar they said we had to respect the culture."
The plans, set over a year ago to align with Seattle Pride weekend and the Stonewall Riots anniversary, include citywide parades, a poster art display, and an LGBTQ+ history trail, with Pride flags likely in the stands but no match disruptions. Wahl stresses: "Everyone affiliated with Egypt and Iran soccer teams are welcome at our parades and events."
The event is bittersweet for Wahl: his brother, Grant Wahl, a football journalist, died in 2022 after detention in Qatar for wearing a rainbow shirt in LGBTQ+ support. "It is very much a bittersweet experience," he reflected, seeing it as a welcoming message.
BBC Sport sought comments from FIFA, Egypt, and Iran, receiving no responses.
