🔗 Share this article Seattle's Pride Celebrations to Proceed During FIFA Tournament In Spite of Objections from Iran and Egypt Plans for Pride-focused events and activities in Seattle amid next summer’s World Cup are proceeding as scheduled, despite Iranian and Egyptian football federations voiced strong concerns about a planned “Pride Match.” Stadium Policy and External Festivities Local organizers stated clearly they are “proceeding as planned” with Pride activities in the city center. These events will take place around the tournament group match between Egypt and Iran on 26 June. Furthermore, the tournament's governing body will permit rainbow flags to be brought into the stadium. “As the local organising committee, our primary task is to get the city ready to welcome visitors for the matches and oversee the city experience beyond the match venue,” stated a committee representative. Legal Context of Formal Complaints Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, while in Egypt, morality laws are frequently employed to target and prosecute LGBTQ+ people. The Egyptian federation declared it did not want to be linked to events that “fundamentally oppose the social, religious and cultural values … in Islamic and Arab societies.” In a parallel move, Iran’s football federation also raised “its opposition against the issue.” FIFA's Stance Regarding Symbols Fifa maintains full authority over match venues during games. Although it prohibits banners and flags with political messages, it allows flags expressing “social and sporting symbols,” a category which includes the rainbow flag. This policy was applied at the previous World Cup in Qatar and was reinforced after incidents of flags being seized. The Pride Match was an idea created to highlight the city's proud history of advocating for inclusion and equality. A design contest is underway to produce artwork celebrating the event. Organizers are committed to making sure all fans are welcomed in the Pacific Northwest during the 48-team competition. The region hosts a significant largest Iranian-American communities, a vibrant Egyptian expatriate community, and rich communities from every competing country. “We’re committed is to guaranteeing all residents and visitors experience the hospitality, dignity, and respect that defines our region,” organizers added.