Last night, the Iranian national football team showed a heroic performance against Spain, but was defeated by former world champions 1-0 in their second FIFA World Cup match.
The match turned into a historic one for Iranians not just for Team Melli’s brilliant performance, but for the fact that football fans, male and female alike, enjoyed the World Cup viewing at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran for the first time in 40 years.
The Iranian women were widely seen by many, including Spain’s defender Sergio Ramos, as the real winners of the match.
Last week, it was announced that Azadi Sports Complex was ready to give Iranian families the chance to watch the match against Morocco live on a JumboTron.
However, the required licences were not issued for that match, which ended with a sweet 1-0 victory for Iran.
Later on Tuesday, the office of the Governor-General of Tehran Province declared that the permission has been issued and all fans, boys and girls, can go to the stadium to watch the match against Spain.
Thousands of tickets were sold and fans poured into the stadium, but a few hours before the match, the police said the event is cancelled and tried to close the doors and evacuate the stadium.
The move sparked outrage among the fans and social media users, and after a few hours of tension, finally Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ordered the Interior Minister to immediately open the doors and let the fans watch the match.
What follows is Ruptly’s video of the men and women who enjoyed the historic night in Tehran:
