Anthony Elanga produced a brilliant curling effort from the edge of the area to draw Sweden level with Japan in their World Cup Group F match at Dallas Stadium. The strike, met with a cry of 'Oh my word!' from commentators, was a moment of individual brilliance on a day when football's biggest tournament also became embroiled in a fresh controversy over LGBTQ+ rights.
As the action unfolded in Texas, another World Cup fixture was making headlines before a ball had even been kicked – the Group G clash between Egypt and Iran in Seattle. FIFA has confirmed that supporters will be permitted to display rainbow flags inside the stadium, despite strong objections from both nations.
“Anthony Elanga's stunning equaliser for Sweden as FIFA permits rainbow flags at Egypt-Iran clash.”
The match, due to kick off at 4am UK time on Saturday, June 27, has been designated the 'Pride Match' by the city's local organising committee. The fixture was selected as the Pride Match ahead of the draw in December, which paired the two Muslim-majority nations where homosexuality is a criminal offence.
Egypt's Football Association argued that such occasions conflict with its cultural and religious values, while the Iranian Football Federation was quoted as stating that no 'promotional activities' connected to the movement should be present inside the stadium. The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Asexual Association (ILGA) states that the death penalty is the legally prescribed punishment for same-sex sexual acts in Iran, BBC reported in 2023.
FIFA said in a statement on Thursday: 'The FIFA World Cup 2026 is an inclusive event that welcomes people from all backgrounds. Fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome at matches and events. General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted under the FIFA World Cup 2026 Stadium Code of Conduct and may be displayed inside stadiums.'
However, football's governing body has been keen to stress that the pride events are being organised by Seattle's local World Cup committee, rather than FIFA itself. 'I must clarify that there will be no Pride Match at the World Cup,' FIFA President Gianni Infantino told Swiss magazine Die Weltwoche in January. 'There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle and, on the same day, events organised by external organisations will be taking place in the city. But that has nothing to do with the match itself.'
The decision marks a stark contrast to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where FIFA threatened yellow cards for captains wearing the 'OneLove' armband, citing its regulations regarding political slogans.