World football's governing body FIFA, which has been pushing for years for Iran to open its stadiums to women, ordered it in September 2019 to allow access to stadiums without restrictions. The FIFA directive, threatening Iran's suspension from competitions, followed the death of a fan, Sahar Khodayari, who had set herself on fire in fear of being jailed after trying to attend a match in disguise. She had reportedly been detained in 2018 after trying to enter a stadium dressed as a man. Khodayari's death in 2019 sparked an outcry, resulting in calls for Iran to be banned from international tournaments and its matches boycotted. Tehran has since allowed women in sports stadiums more frequently.
