The decision by the local organizing committee of the 2026 World Cup in Seattle, USA, to name the match between Egypt and Iran on June 26, 2026, the "Pride Match" has sparked widespread controversy and a potential diplomatic and sporting crisis.

This appointment coincides with the city's Pride weekend and aims to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, with local organizers emphasizing that the initiative represents the host city's message of inclusion and unity, and is not officially affiliated with FIFA.

The sensitivity of the situation lies in the fact that both countries, Egypt and Iran, take strict stances and have laws criminalizing such relationships, making the choice of their meeting as the "Pride Match" a direct challenge to their cultural and legislative values.

Reports confirm that official, direct, and documented objections have been submitted by both the Egyptian and Iranian federations to FIFA, strongly rejecting this move as politicizing sports and a blatant contradiction to the principles of both countries. This is especially significant given that Iran had previously threatened to boycott the draw due to visa disputes with the United States.