The debate over the ban, which has been on Iranian women since shortly after the country's Islamic revolution in 1979, gained new momentum recently after the death of a female football supporter.
Sahar Khodayari, who has been nicknamed "the blue girl" after the colors of her favorite team's jerseys, was arrested this spring after disguising herself as trying to enter a football arena in Iran. Earlier in September, it was clear that she risked imprisonment. Then she lit a fire on herself and suffered such severe burns that she later died.
Fifa's chairman Gianni Infantino now says in a statement that the union has repeatedly accused the unacceptable in not allowing women to go to football. He hopes that Iran's football federation and government will now listen to Fifa's calls, and he wants to see a change already in Iran's next men's national championship, the World Cup qualifier at home against Cambodia on October 10.
“Our position is clear and clear. Women need to be admitted to football arenas in Iran. It's time to change things and Fifa expects positive changes from Iran's next home game in October, ”says Gianni Infantino.
Last fall, there were signs of change, when a group of women were allowed to return to the Asian Champions League Final in Tehran. But after the match, which Gianni Infantino was there to watch, women have been stopped from all football arenas.