ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Iranian national football team said Friday that FIFA had assured both Iran and Egypt that no promotional activities related to LGBTQ+ issues would be held as part of their upcoming World Cup match on Saturday.

In a statement, the media department of Iran's national football team said FIFA had assured both participating teams that “no promotional events or activities related to this issue will be held inside the stadium or as part of the official match program.”

The statement came in response to reports that LGBTQ+ promotional activities could take place on the sidelines of Saturday's match between Iran and Egypt.

Seattle, one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is holding its annual Pride weekend, which coincides with Saturday's match. The city's organizing committee has designated the fixture as a "Pride Match." FIFA President Gianni Infantino stressed that the events are organized by the host city and have “nothing to do with the match itself.”

However, FIFA confirmed a day earlier that fans would be allowed to bring rainbow and other LGBTQ+ flags to the match, saying they are permitted under the tournament's Code of Conduct at all World Cup fixtures.

“Iran’s position is that no promotional events or activities related to this project should be held inside the stadium or as part of the match atmosphere. This position has been communicated to FIFA through official channels,” the Iranian team added.

Egypt has also opposed activities supporting homosexuality, saying they conflict with the country's cultural norms.

“Iran and Egypt are two Muslim countries with deep cultural and religious similarities, and the views expressed by the two federations reflect the shared values and beliefs of the people of the two countries,” the statement said.

Same-sex relations are criminalized in Iran and can carry punishments including death penalty, flogging, and imprisonment. Iranian security forces often monitor and apprehend individuals suspected of being LGBTQ+ or activists promoting homosexual rights.

While not explicitly outlawed, homosexual individuals also face persecution in Egypt due to de facto government criminalization and social pressure, with authorities using vague public morality laws to arrest and prosecute LGBTQ+ individuals.