FIFA fail to act against 11 World Cup teams that ban gay players
Seattle, USA – 26th June 2026
British human rights defender, Peter Tatchell, has staged an LGBT+ protest inside Seattle’s Lumen Field tonight, during the Iran v Egypt World Cup “Pride Match”, condemning FIFA for allowing two countries that ban gay footballers to compete in a fixture branded around inclusion.
Shortly after the start of the match, Tatchell stood up inside the stadium and displayed a placard reading: “Iran & Egypt ban gay footballers. It’s against FIFA rules.” There was a bid by officials to stop Tatchell’s protest.
Peter Tatchell, CEO of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, said:
“When I unveiled my placard shortly before kick-off, officials got in a huddle with ground staff. They were sent to my seat and ordered me to give them the placard, saying it was prohibited. I refused to hand it over, saying that FIFA and the Seattle organising committee had authorised LGBT+ messages. The staff then went away to consult further with officials. They returned and said I could keep my protest placard but must not leave my seat.”
Iran and Egypt are two of the 11 World Cup nations identified by the Peter Tatchell Foundation as criminalising homosexuality and operating what Tatchell describes as a “de facto ban on gay footballers” in their national teams. The 11 countries are: Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Senegal, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Uzbekistan and Algeria.
In a press conference on 25 June, Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, admitted that LGBT+ matters are “banned in our league,” implying that gay players are not permitted, which is against FIFA’s anti-discrimination rules for the World Cup.
Tatchell added:
“This is a Pride Match between two countries where homosexuality is criminalised. That is the glaring contradiction FIFA refuses to confront. These countries, because of their official state-sanctioned homophobia, have a de facto ban on gay footballers in their World Cup teams. A gay footballer good enough to play for Iran or Egypt would be more likely to face imprisonment than selection for the national squad.
FIFA’s own rules prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Yet FIFA is allowing countries that criminalise homosexuality to compete without requiring them to confirm that gay players are eligible for selection.”
Tatchell continued:
“It is welcome that FIFA has confirmed rainbow flags are allowed at the Iran v Egypt match. LGBT+ fans must be free to show visible support without intimidation or censorship. But rainbow flags in the stands are not enough if gay players are excluded from the pitch. FIFA is protecting LGBT+ visibility for spectators while failing to protect gay footballers. LGBT+ fans may be welcome as spectators, but FIFA has failed to ensure gay players are welcome as footballers.”
High resolution photos can be found here.
Peter Tatchell Foundation correspondence with FIFA
On 15 June, Tatchell wrote to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to:
- Seek written assurances from the 11 World Cup nations that criminalise homosexuality that no player would be excluded from their national squad because he is gay.
- Confirm that these national football associations had not, and would not, bar the selection of a gay player whose talent and performance merited inclusion.
- Consider whether any country that refused to provide that assurance should continue to participate in the World Cup, given FIFA’s own anti-discrimination statutes.
FIFA Statute 4.1 states that discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion. FIFA World Cup 2026 regulations require participating national associations to comply with FIFA’s statutes.
FIFA’s Human Rights Team replied on 23 June but failed to answer the central question: whether FIFA had asked Iran, Egypt or the other named national associations to confirm that gay footballers would be eligible for selection. Instead, FIFA shifted responsibility back to the national associations, stating, “The selection of players is the responsibility of the respective participating FIFA member associations.”
Tatchell noted:
“FIFA’s response is a flagrant abdication of responsibility. It cannot hide behind national associations when those same associations are bound by FIFA’s own anti-discrimination rules. If FIFA has not asked Iran, Egypt and the other anti-gay countries whether gay players can be selected, it has no evidence that they comply with its own statutes.”
In the same 23 June response, FIFA confirmed that “fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome at FIFA World Cup matches and events” and that “rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity are permitted items” under the Stadium Code of Conduct.