FIFA have drawn the teams playing order for next year’s World Cup, but the designated Pride match will feature teams from two countries that outlaw homosexuality.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held across three countries Canada, the USA and Mexico, and the drawing of which teams has just taken place.
Ahead of the draw a match to be played in Seattle was deemed to be the official Pride game of the competition, with it due to take place the same weekend as the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
The match will see Egypt and Iran take to the field. Two countries who criminalise homosexuality. In Egypt people convicted of same-sex activity can face up to 17 years in prison with hard labour. While it has been estimated that between 4,000 to 6,000 gay men and lesbians have been executed in Iran since 1979.
It will be the first time that there has been a designated Pride game in a World Cup competition.
At this stage local organisers are expecting the game to still have the Pride celebrations, despite the countries which have been selected to play.
The last World Cup was held in Qatar, a country which also has laws against same-sex relationships.
