FIFA reaffirmed on Thursday that fans attending Friday's Group G World Cup fixture between Egypt and Iran at Seattle's Lumen Field will be free to carry rainbow flags into the stadium, overruling objections raised by both nations' football federations.

The match carries significant stakes in Group G, with the result set to determine final standings. Despite formal protests from Egyptian and Iranian football authorities over the display of rainbow flags, FIFA held firm on its position that supporters cannot be barred from bringing them inside the venue.