Rainbow flags in the stands, Pride events across the city, colorful parties in the streets. And right in the middle of it all: a football match between two nations united in their hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community.
Saturday's World Cup Group G clash between Iran and Egypt in northwestern US city of Seattle won't just determine who will progress to the knock-out round; it is also generating significant political controversy in the buildup.
In the first official "Pride Match" in World Cup history, the two competing teams hail from Muslim-majority nations where the LGBTQ+ community faces immense hardship and even criminal prosecution.
Federations criticize FIFA
The fact that this situation has arisen is ultimately a coincidence.
