Two months earlier, women were able to attend an international match for the first time in almost three years, during a World Cup qualifier against Iraq. One-fifth of the 10,000 tickets were exclusively for women during that match, ISNA news agency reported at the time. Since in was established in 1979, the Islamic republic has generally only allowed a limited number of women on rare occasions to attend football matches and other sports stadiums. Clerics, who play a major role in decision-making, argue women must be shielded from the masculine atmosphere and sight of semi-clad men.
