FIFA, AFC Issue Warning To Iran Regarding Women's Attendance

Women who were denied entry gathered outside the Emam Reza Stadium in the city of Mashhad in March 2023.
Women who were denied entry gathered outside the Emam Reza Stadium in the city of Mashhad in March 2023.

FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation issued warnings regarding Iran's ban on women's attendance at football stadiums, issuing consequences for non-compliance.

FIFA has been engaged in persistent efforts for nearly a decade to persuade Iranian authorities to rescind the unwritten restriction and enable women to witness male players' matches.

While some limited exceptions were made in recent years, the ban was reintroduced in March 2022, despite FIFA's insistence on unrestricted access for women.

Coming at a time when the world has their eyes on the women's world cup championships, the latest warnings have prompted swift action from Iranian sports authorities, resulting not only in granting permission for women to attend matches at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran but also facilitating access for women to stadiums across the country for football matches, according to Shargh daily.

The regime has, on occasion, allowed a token number of women to attend matches, seemingly as a symbolic gesture to demonstrate compliance with FIFA's recommendations, but it is a policy which has been in place for over four decades.

The Islamic Republic has for decades enforced a policy barring women from entering football stadiums, purportedly citing concerns about the suitability of the atmosphere due to profane language from male fans. This discriminatory measure has led to numerous instances of arrests, beatings, detentions, and abuses against women who have challenged the prohibition.