(Iran has a women’s national team, which plays its games in head scarves and in front of only female fans when at home, with male fans prohibited from attending.) The lack of progress is embarrassing for Infantino, who attended a game in Tehran in November 2018 with senior Iranian officials. For that game, Iran lifted the prohibition, allowing a few hundred women to attend. “Every Iranian woman knew that this was a charade and they wouldn’t be allowed in.”FIFA declined to comment. Women trying to attend the game were detained by security for several hours, including some who claimed they were beaten.

Source: New York Times July 15, 2019 22:08 UTC