FIFA on Thursday reiterated fans will not be prohibited from bringing rainbow flags inside of Seattle’s Lumen Field for Friday’s decisive Group G World Cup match between Egypt and Iran, despite objections from each countries’ respective federations.
Seattle PrideFest, which has been organized in the city since 2007 by a nonprofit, designated the June 26 game for celebration before FIFA made the World Cup draw.
But leaders in each nation’s football federations publicly rebuked the idea, saying such events clashed with their cultural and religious values.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is an inclusive event that welcomes people from all backgrounds,” FIFA said in a statement on Thursday. “Fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome at matches and events.
“General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted under the FIFA World Cup 2026™️ Stadium Code of Conduct and may be displayed inside stadiums provided they are used in a manner consistent with the code.”
FIFA controls only stadiums and official fan zones in World Cup host cities and should have no formal authority over community events like Seattle PrideFest.
After last year’s draw the Egyptian football federation issued a statement saying it sent a letter to FIFA “categorically rejecting any activities related to supporting homosexuality during the match.”
FIFA on Thursday referred reporters to previous commentary on the matter made in January of 2026 by FIFA president Gianni Infantino to German publication Die Weltwoche.
“First of all, I must clarify that there will be no “Pride Match” at the [FIFA] World Cup. There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle, and on the same day, events organised by external organizations will be taking place in the city. But that has nothing to do with the match itself.”
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA fiercely defended the right of the host nation’s cultural norms to be respected in full by visiting teams.
A group of European federations wanted their team captains to wear a “One Love” armband with some rainbow colors that symbolized human rights and diversity, which FIFA and Qatari officials viewed in part as criticism of the emirate criminalizing same-sex relations.
Some Wales fans had rainbow hats removed before entering the stadium.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
