Fans gather for a public viewing event at Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran on June 25, 2018, to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Group B match between Iran and Portugal. (Fatemeh Bahrami /Anadolu Agency)
For the first time in 40 years, thousands of Iranian women have been packing the east stand of Tehran’s Azadi Stadium, sitting side-by-side with men and blowing vuvuzelas, to cheer on the national team at the World Cup -- a hard-won shift in Islamic Republic policy.
The authorities in Iran have spent the best part of a decade resisting the idea of mixed-gender audiences at male sports events, saying the atmosphere at soccer matches isn’t family-friendly or morally appropriate, and that they don’t have the "infrastructure” required to seat women.
Last week a major turning point came when the government allowed about 7,000 women, men, girls and boys to sit together to watch Iran play against Spain at the World Cup in Russia, beamed onto a giant screen at the stadium.
It almost didn’t happen, though. It took a direct order from President Hassan Rouhani to open the gates after security forces initially refused entry to fans who had already bought tickets, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.
No Delays
On Monday, for Iran’s match against Portugal, there were no delays or last-minute presidential phone calls. Fans streamed through ticket lines and Azadi’s cavernous tunnels and corridors to grab seats. In a country where women have to cover their hair by law, most wore their headscarves loose, overwhelmingly outnumbering those wearing the traditional, all-enveloping black chador. They draped Iranian flags across their backs, painted their faces in the country’s red, white and green colors, and blew their vuvuzelas.
"Of course it’s not the same as watching a live match,” said 30-year-old office worker Mahboubeh, who didn’t want to give her last name because speaking with foreign media is frowned upon.
Mahboubeh, her cheeks scored with Iran’s tricolor and sitting with a large group of friends and family, said she last came to Azadi about eight years ago to watch Iran’s men’s volleyball team at the nearby arena - live.
"We had to sit separately. It wasn’t the same as this - watching a real-life game is much more exciting,” she said. "But I’m hopeful after this we will be allowed back to watch real matches. This is really important, it’s great.”
Iran was eliminated from the tournament after coming back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with the Portuguese, the European champions. They almost snatched a last-gasp victory, which would have sent them through to a World Cup knockout stage for the first time at their fifth attempt.
But their stronger-than-expected performance provided a much-needed boost to Iranians at a time when they fear for the country’s economic future following the U.S. pullout from the 2015 nuclear deal.
"When the country is doing well economically, these sorts of things also fall into place, they don’t become an issue, but when there’s poverty and difficulty, of course something like this becomes less likely,” Mahboubeh said.
