I had a saying that I used to tell my kids when they were younger and had been given a random treat or prize: "You get what you get, and you don't complain." Well, it's unlikely that the nations of Iran and Egypt will think of this as a treat or prize, but, thanks to a random draw, they have been chosen to face off in a "Pride Match" at next year's World Cup, the every-four-years global sports spectacle that the United States is hosting. Whether or not the two nations complain is yet to be seen.
As RedState's Katie Jerkovich reported last week, President Trump participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw ceremony held at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Trump, fresh off of receiving the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, joined Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in kicking off the draw that placed teams into groups; those groups then determined each team's World Cup schedules and matchups.
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Iran and Egypt landed in Group G, and, as it turns out, the privilege of playing in the "Pride Match" being hosted in Seattle during the city's Pride Week. The game, which is scheduled for June 26, 2026 at Lumen Field, was planned before the draw took place, so it was just dumb luck that two Muslim nations that don't exactly embrace homosexuality and transgenderism were selected to participate.
With World Cup matches set to take place in venues across the country, Seattle decided to take advantage of the situation and teamed up with area activists to give the matches in their city a decidedly rainbow-colored theme. From the FIFA Seattle website:
With hundreds of thousands of visitors and billions of viewers worldwide, this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment to showcase and celebrate LGBTQIA+ communities in Washington, while ensuring meaningful, lasting impacts for local businesses, arts, and organizations.
A spokesperson the Seattle Pride Match Advisory Committee (PMAC) told one media outlet, "The Pride Match has been scheduled to celebrate and elevate Pride events in Seattle and across the country, and it was planned well in advance. It is a Host City–led expression of Seattle and Washington State’s commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone belongs: players, fans, residents, and visitors alike. Soccer has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures and beliefs."
The spokesperson added, “We are honored to host a Pride Match and to celebrate Pride as part of a global football community. This match reflects our ongoing commitment to respect, dignity, and unity for all.”
This isn't the first time the sport of soccer – or "football" to the rest of the world – has clashed headfirst into pride-related controversy. The 2022 World Cup was held in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal and punishable by up to three years in prison. Officials there clamped down on "One Love" armbands being worn by some players, threatening them with yellow cards if they were worn onto the pitch. And rainbow banners and other pride merch were strictly forbidden and confiscated by security if brought into World Cup venues.
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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