FIFA Says Iran To Allow Women Into Next Soccer Match – Statement
By FIFA
On September 19, a delegation of FIFA experts visited Tehran to discuss measures designed to allow women in Iran to freely attend football matches.
The delegation, which was also joined by a representative of the Asian Football Confederation, met with the country’s Deputy Minister of Sport and Youth, and representatives of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) focusing on international relations, security and ticketing matters. The delegation also inspected the Azadi stadium in Tehran, where on 10 October 2019 the national teams of Iran and Cambodia will play a qualification game for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
In these productive discussions, FIFA reiterated its firm and clear position that women need to be allowed to enter football matches freely and that the number of women who attend the stadiums be determined by the demand, resulting in ticket sales. The inspections on site showed that there are no noteworthy operational obstacles to these measures being implemented at the Azadi stadium, starting with the game on 10 October 2019. In that respect, the delegation also discussed the detailed ticketing procedures as well as operational procedures required and in line with relevant FIFA regulations.
Furthermore, the delegation discussed the need to open stadiums for women to attend national matches. In that respect, FIFA announced that it will, based on the operational plans and results of the 10 October 2019 game, collaborate with the FFIRI in developing an operational protocol and related requirements for matches in the Iranian football league to be opened for women as well.
FIFA will continue to engage closely with the FFIRI and relevant government entities to implement these important changes in accordance with FIFA regulations.
FIFA’s position is firm and clear: women have to be allowed into football stadiums in Iran. For all football matches.
Shame on you FIFA. This is how you reward this criminal regime? That jersy belongs and should be inscribed with Sahar Khodayar (Blue Girl) name not Rouhani’s. Finally after 40 years, FIFA woke up and put pressure on the criminal regime to allow the Iranian women to participate in their beloved game so to enrich the FIFA cronies. The verdict is still out… let’s see what conditions mullahs with impose to discourage participation.