Iran’s football chief has objected to the “irrational” branding of its World Cup 2026 match against Egypt, which local organisers in the United States have suggested will be held in support of the LGBTQ community.

The organising committee in Seattle, Washington state, where the match is scheduled to take place next year, had previously announced their intention to hold a “Pride Match” coinciding with the northwestern city’s Pride Weekend in late June.

Following last week’s FIFA tournament draw, Egypt and Iran are now slated to face off in Seattle on June 26, the Friday before.

The head of Iran’s Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, was quoted by local news agency ISNA as saying Tehran and Cairo had both raised “objections against the issue”, which he labelled an “irrational move that support

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