Women attend football match in Iran for first time in 4 decades

Iran had allocated 4,000 tickets for women in a stadium that seats 80,000. They were separated from men and under the protection of female police officers.

Tehran: Iranian women football fans witnessed match games in the stadium for the first time on Thursday after football international governing body (FIFA) threatened to suspend the gulf nation over its controversial male-only policy.

And on such a historic day it was fitting that Iran thrashed Cambodia 14-0 in their 2022 World Cup qualifier in Tehran's Azadi Stadium.

An enthusiastic fan said, "I didn't sleep well last night. I couldn't wait to go to the stadium after all these years. I hope it will be a good experience and that it continues in the future. I'd like to experience a stadium at full capacity, I know we are only a few thousand so I won't experience the excitement that Azadi stadium is famous for. But anyway I want to join others to start this movement and show my enthusiasm for this progress."

Iran had allocated 4,000 tickets for women in a stadium that seats 80,000. They were separated from men and under the protection of female police officers.The decision to allow women to buy tickets on general sale was as a result of intense pressure from FIFA, the world body governing football.Last month, an Iranian woman detained for dressing as a man to sneak into a football stadium died after setting herself on fire when she learned that could be imprisoned.