Iranian Women to Be Allowed into Stadiums

The public-address announcer for the Azadi football stadium said at a Sunday derby that women will be able to attend the next football matches, either at the World Cup qualifier competitions or at the local league games.

The announcer called on the fans of the two most popular clubs, Persepolis and Esteghlal, to create a moral atmosphere in the stadium to prepare the ground for the presence of female spectators, who will be allowed entry into the arena for the next matches of the national team and clubs.

Meanwhile, president of football’s world governing body, FIFA, says his organisation has been assured by Iran that women will be allowed to attend men’s football matches from the next international game.

Gianni Infantino said this important move has been long overdue. “We have been assured that as of the next international game of Iran, which is to be played on the 10th of October, women will be allowed to enter football stadiums. This is something very important.”

“Since 40 years this was not happening, with a couple of exceptions. But it is important to move to the next level and to the next stage with, of course, our thoughts to all the women of Iran, but also all the women around the world,” Infantino added.

The FIFA officials spent a week in Iran discussing the upcoming match against Cambodia, Iran’s first home game of the 2022 qualifying competition.