🔗 Share this article The City of Seattle's LGBTQ+ Pride Will Go Ahead for World Cup In Spite of Formal Protests by Iran and Egypt Plans for Pride-focused events and activities in Seattle amid next summer’s World Cup will continue as scheduled, despite Iranian and Egyptian soccer associations raised strong concerns about a planned “Pride Match.” Venue Regulations and City Celebrations Seattle's planning committee stated clearly they are “proceeding as planned” with Pride activities in the city center. These events will take place around the tournament group fixture between Egypt and Iran on 26 June. Furthermore, FIFA has a policy allowing rainbow flags inside the stadium. “In our role as hosts, SeattleFWC26’s role is to get the city ready to welcome visitors for the matches and oversee the fan activities beyond Seattle Stadium,” said the vice-president of communications. Legal Context of Formal Complaints Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, while in Egypt, morality laws are often used to prosecute LGBTQ+ people. Egypt's football association declared it did not want to be associated with celebrations that “fundamentally oppose the social, religious and cultural values … in Islamic and Arab societies.” Similarly, Iran’s football federation publicly registered “objections against the issue.” FIFA's Stance on Flags and Banners Fifa maintains operational control over match venues during games. While its rules forbid political signage with overtly political content, it allows flags expressing “sporting and social symbols,” a category which includes the Pride flag. This regulation was in effect at the most recent World Cup in Qatar and was reinforced after incidents of flags being seized. This special fixture concept was devised to showcase the city's proud history of championing inclusion and equality. An artistic competition has been commissioned to produce artwork celebrating the occasion. Planners are committed to making sure every visitor feel welcome in the city during the 48-team competition. The region is home to one of the nation’s largest communities of Iranian descent, a thriving Egyptian expatriate community, and rich communities from every competing country. “We’re committed is to ensuring everyone encounter the warmth, respect and dignity that characterizes our part of the country,” organizers concluded.