Qatar will allow Pride flags to be flown at the 2022 World Cup – but the starkly homophobic country will still expect visitors to respect its “culture”. There was outcry from LGBT+ football fans in 2010 when it was announced that Qatar would host the 2022 World Cup, despite the country’s harsh laws. Homosexuality is illegal in the Arabic country, with gay sex punishable by up to three years in prison or the death penalty for Muslims under Sharia law. Now, Qatar’s World Cup leadership team has assured Fifa that pro-LGBT+ displays will not be removed – including Pride flags.