Current sectionMiddle East NewsShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeIranian team fans. Credit: JESSIE ALCHEH/ReutersFans of the national teams that will play in one of the most liberal cities in the United States are trying to distance themselves from the branding the match has received, and are angry at what they describe as the imposition of local valuesNadin Abou LabanSeattle10:31 PM • June 26 2026 IDTSEATTLE – In a game designated months ago, the liberal city of Seattle will host the World Cup's "Pride Match" on Friday evening (local time), with the kickoff scheduled to take place just as Seattle's Pride weekend. Loading...Click the alert icon to follow topics:World Cup 2026EgyptGay Middle EastIranFIFALGBTQHuman rightsCommentsLoading...In the NewsIn the News: Israel-Iran Live UpdatesIranKeir StarmerLebanon EisenkotNetanyahuAlan GreespanHaQuizHaaretz PodcastWith IDF Drones Circling Overhead, Lebanon's Shi'ites Celebrate Ashura HolidayArab World Erupts Over Egypt–Iran LGBT 'Pride Match' in SeattleThe U.S. and Israel, Both Backsliding Democracies, May Already Be Beyond RepairHow the Bondi Massacre Destroyed the Australian Safe Haven for JewsSettlers Tried to Torch Palestinian Homes. They Messed With the Wrong VillageRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIAs the World Watched Gaza, Israeli Settlers Charged Ahead in the West Bank. A Clash Is ImminentWhere Does Andy Burnham Stand on Israel and Palestine?The IDF's Russian Roulette in Lebanon Continues – and No One Can Explain WhyTrump's Threats to 'Blow the Shit' Out of Iran Strain First Round of Truce TalksDonald Trump Has Fulfilled My Dream: For Israel to Pay for Its ActionsIsrael, the Country We Love, the Country We're Ashamed Of