Little Progress: Women Granted Access to Tehran Stadium

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has trumpeted that his policy of engagement with the Islamic Republic of Iran over the discriminatory treatment of women in football is bearing fruit after a small group were allowed into the Tehran derby this week.

Around 3,000 women were granted access to Azadi Stadium on December 14 to attend the Iran Pro League match with nearly 60,000 men, after Infantino met in September with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in New York to discuss “progress made regarding the presence of women in football stadiums.”

"It was, therefore, with great delight that I learned around 3,000 women attended the Tehran derby between Persepolis FC and Esteghlal FC today. Thanks to the ongoing dialogue between FIFA and the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation, progress is being made," the head of football’s world governing body said in a statement issued on the social media platform X.

“It was, therefore, with great delight that I learned around 3,000 women attended the Tehran derby between Persepolis FC and Esteghlal FC today. Thanks to the ongoing dialogue between FIFA and the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation, progress is being made.

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— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) December 14, 2023

For more than four decades, Iran's clerical establishment has opposed the idea of women being allowed in stadiums with male fans, and only a restricted number of them have been allowed to attend a few games in recent years.

There has been minimal progress on the issue since calls were made on FIFA last year to ban Iran from the World Cup in Qatar because of the continued exclusion of women from football matches. 

The calls came against the backdrop of women-led nationwide protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while she was in police custody for allegedly wearing her mandatory headscarf improperly.

The testimony of a young Iranian woman who sought to attend the Tehran derby this week highlights the challenges faced by women who wish to attend men's sport events. 

She said she had witnessed several women being denied entry to the stadium despite having valid tickets. 

"They were told that the seats were full and to go home," the woman said. "Their tone was harsh. One of the officers even shouted, 'Either you leave or we'll take you away.'"

The witness herself, who asked to remain anonymous, tried to purchase tickets online shortly after they went on sale, but a message stated that the stand was already full. 

"Tickets were being sold on the black market for between 2 and 5 million tomans ($40 - $100)," she said. "My sister and I decided to go to the stadium in person to see if we could get tickets."

In 2019, a football fan named Sahar Khodayari died after setting herself on fire over fears that she would be jailed for trying to attend a match while wearing a disguise. 

Infantino said he would be traveling to Iran “in the near future to further discuss football-related matters”

"Iran is a significant force in Asian football and it is important that we continue to nurture the positive and fruitful working relationship we have built," he added.