Op-ed: Iran's Pride Match is about visibility, not politics

Op-ed by Omid Iravanipour 

Iran’s World Cup match against Egypt has become a test not only of FIFA’s approach to inclusion but also of whether LGBTQ+ Iranians can claim visibility on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages.

The game has been designated as the tournament’s “Pride Match” by local organizers to acknowledge and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

The designation has no official standing with FIFA and was determined by Seattle’s local organizing committee. Still, the Iran Football Federation objected, as did Egypt’s. Iran’s football chief labeled the match’s designation an “irrational move that supports a certain group.”

That opposition is unsurprising. It represents a continuation of the Islamic Republic’s efforts to erase our community and deny our existence....