SEATTLE, June 28 -- Rainbow flags fluttered among the sea of Iranian and Egyptian banners at Seattle's World Cup stadium on Friday, as teams from two of the most repressive countries for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people took to the field. It was just a coincidence that the city's 'Pride Match' ended up as a high-stakes matchup between Iran and Egypt - ultimately a 1-1 draw - and it came with plenty of pushback from both countries. But Seattle officials and its football community say the distinctive pairing was an opportunity to showcase the city's inclusivity as well as the common ground that can be found at the World Cup. Some milled about the stadium with Pride Match scarves, while others had painted their faces with rainbows or clutched free flags handed out by a human rights organisation. One man toted a large sign that spelled out PRIDE as an acronym: "Proud, Respectful, Inclusive, Diverse, Egyptian." Stacy Harbour works for an LGBTQ+ non-profit invited by the local organising committee and brought 20 young people to the match. Harbour said she's glad these two countries were the ones competing. "There are groups of folks that live here in Seattle that are of Egyptian, Iranian descent. This is their opportunity to represent their intersectional identities," she said. "This is an opportunity to show the world what Seattle is. And Seattle is an inclusive city. We always have been, we always will be." Same-sex relations are illegal in Iran, where gay men have been executed on sodomy charges, while Egypt has prosecuted gay and lesbian people and suppressed outward expressions of gay pride, including rainbow flags. The countries had complained to FIFA about the "Pride Match" and asked that the celebrations be cancelled. In a statement earlier on Friday, Iran's federation said it had made its position clear to FIFA in multiple letters and meetings and was assured "that no ceremonies or promotional activities related to this issue will take place inside the stadium."...