{"id":4123,"date":"2026-06-26T05:04:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T05:04:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=4123"},"modified":"2026-06-26T05:04:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T05:04:57","slug":"iran-and-egypt-avoid-talking-about-world-cup-pride-match-in-seattle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=4123","title":{"rendered":"Iran and Egypt avoid talking about World Cup \u2018Pride Match\u2019 in Seattle"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

SEATTLE (AP) \u2014 Before the Iranian coach and goalkeeper answered any questions Thursday ahead of the team\u2019s World Cup match with Egypt, a FIFA official spoke up.<\/p>\n

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Daniel Marin, FIFA\u2019s executive director of public relations, read a statement on behalf of the Iranian team in light of the Pride celebration in Seattle on Friday. Egypt and Iran are two of the most repressive places in the world for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, but they coincidentally will play each other while the host city honors the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Islamic Republic of the Iran Football Federation has asked us to inform the media that they are only willing to answer questions in relation to the game,\u201d Marin said. \u201cWe fully respect the right of all journalists to ask questions. In this case, we ask you respect the rights of the federation here today to only answer questions in relation to the team, the tactics, the match, and so on.\u201d <\/p>\n

Nonetheless, Amir Ghalenoei was peppered with questions about what will transpire inside Lumen Field and around the stadium on Friday.<\/p>\n

In December, both countries asked for the Pride-themed celebrations to be canceled. FIFA treats the rainbow flag as a statement of human rights and will allow fans to wave it inside the stadium, according to Hana Tadesse, a spokesperson for Seattle\u2019s World Cup organizing committee.<\/p>\n

Egypt took a similar approach to the Iranians in trying to steer the conversation back to the match and away from the Pride festivities. At Thursday\u2019s practice at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle, Egypt players were barred from answering questions about Pride. Team staffers stepped in and would not allow reporters to ask such questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are all focused on football,\u201d Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said in Arabic. \u201cThis is all that we think about.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a win, Iran could advance to the tournament\u2019s knockout stage for the first time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said to you earlier we are here to play football. For nothing else,\u201d Ghalenoei said in response to a reporter\u2019s question in Farsi. \u201cOur entire focus is going to be on tomorrow\u2019s game, on succeeding in tomorrow\u2019s game. And, anything else that is banned \u2026 we don\u2019t want to speak about it. <\/p>\n

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\u201cWe are only going to speak about football, what a beautiful game it is, and how enjoyable it\u2019s going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Iran has faced numerous complications off the field. The team has endured travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in light of the war in Iran.<\/p>\n

In March, Iran sought to move its group-stage matches to Mexico, with which it has diplomatic ties. Its request to move its base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana was granted two weeks before the team\u2019s arrival. Several team officials and members of the support staff have been barred from traveling into the U.S. with the team.<\/p>\n

For the first two matches, near Los Angeles, the team was not permitted to travel until the day before and had to return to Mexico immediately after each game. The U.S. then eased its restrictions, allowing the squad to travel to Seattle two days before Friday\u2019s match.<\/p>\n

Ghalenoei said the team is in a better position with its fitness as a result.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a right that we should have had in the two previous games,\u201d Ghalenoei said. \u201cThey deprived us of the right to arrive in time. \u2026 What they did for us this time, they didn\u2019t do for the two previous games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ghalenoei commended FIFA president Gianni Infantino for doing the \u201cutmost\u201d to \u201cminimize the challenges\u201d Iran has faced.<\/p>\n

But on Friday, Iran is sure to be tested in multiple ways. Egypt is in first place in Group G, and Iran will try to focus strictly on its opponent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not going to think about what is going on outside of the pitch, because the game is going to be so arduous,\u201d Ghalenoei said. \u201cIt is going to be so exciting that we are going to have our total focus on that. We are representatives of our great Iranian nation and great Iranian country, and football only. We are only focused on football, and nothing else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Serena Williams\u2019 daughters see how hard she\u2019s working for Wimbledon return<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

\n See more of AP\u2019s World Cup coverage here.\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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