'Pride Match' will be outside Seattle stadium

World Cup organisers in Seattle said on Dec 10 that their Pride events would go ahead as planned outside the stadium for the Egypt-Iran game, despite objections from sports officials in the two countries where homosexuality is criminalised.

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The World Cup committee in Seattle said it would use what it has named the “Pride Match” on June 26 to showcase the city’s annual Pride weekend and similar celebrations across Washington state in support of LGBTQ+ rights.

But the organising group stressed that it worked only on events outside the 72,000-seat Seattle Stadium where Egypt and Iran are scheduled to play.

“SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament,” said Hana Tadesse, vice-president of communications for the committee. “We don't control what happens on the pitch or in the stadium; that’s FIFA’s domain.”