Female fans not being allowed inside stadiums has long been the overriding international image when it comes to women and football in Iran and unsurprisingly so. Just over two weeks ago a number of Iranian women tried to get into the Imam Reza Stadium in the north-eastern city of Mashhad to watch the men play their final 2022 World Cup qualifier against Lebanon.
They could not see the game – the ban has largely been in place since not long after the 1979 revolution – and then, according to some reports, they were treated to pepper spray by security guards. Despite requests from Fifa, criticism from around the world and calls from the players, authorities have yet to budge.
Now, though, Iranian women are competing around the world and aiming to change minds in Tehran. In January, the national team played at the Women’s Asian Cup, their first international tournament. The opening game produced a creditable 0-0 draw with India in Mumbai. A Covid outbreak meant the hosts withdrew from the competition and their results were voided. For Iran, it meant that only their 7-0 and 5-0 losses at the hands of the eventual winners, China, and Taiwan respectively will go down in the record books. There was more to it than mere scorelines however.
The coach, Maryam Irandoost, is confident the more the women play competitively around Asia, and one day the world, the greater the push will be to introduce equality in the stands back home, where the regime has made the occasional gesture in allowing women inside only to backtrack soon after. “I have tried for years to change this,” she says. “Our girls qualifying for and playing in the Asian Cup has changed the beliefs of a lot of people in Iran and I think this barrier will disappear in the near future.
“Going into stadiums is not only about watching the matches and not only about increasing the number of fans. It will also change the vision of women’s football in Iran.”
Irandoost, born at the height of the revolution, days after Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile in Paris to take power, was delighted with the performances in India. “I am not disappointed with the tournament at all,” she says. “Our girls have good potential technically. We have areas in which we have to work on but if there is the same kind of investment and infrastructure as there has been over the past year then we will be at the same level with the best teams in Asia in five or six years.”
Given Iran are ranked 70 in the world, behind Fiji and Haiti, to match Japan, the 2011 World Cup winners, Australia and China by the end of the decade would be quite an achievement for a team only just getting going. “There is a gap of 50 years behind the best teams in the world,” Irandoost says, “but families here are very interested in football and this encourages girls to play.”
Irandoost, whose father, Nosrat, was a professional player and now coaches the second-tier men’s club Malavan FC, estimates there are about 2,500 female players in the top league and local clubs. “There has never been money in female football but the grassroots game is becoming more and more professional. We have a good infrastructure. The interest in the last three or four years has increased significantly. In the past nine months, the federation has had a good plan and that helps us qualify for the Asian Cup.”
She says the reasons for the federation’s recent investment and support are complicated. Footballing wise it makes sense because Iran wants to host international tournaments. Recent investment from Saudi Arabia in women’s football – its national team recently played its first international fixtures –has been noted and there is a feeling Iran has the talent to compete on the world and not just the Asian stage.
The men do just that and are preparing for a third successive World Cup and a group containing England and the United States in Qatar. “It is hard to say which team will advance but our men’s national team have always shown that they can face bigger teams and get good results.” Irandoost says. “If federation support continues then we can also play England and the USA at the World Cup in 10 years.”
At the moment, Irandoost just wants to build on the progress from the Asian Cup. “That was very important. Before, many thought that it is OK for girls just to play football but after the Asian Cup people are saying that we could be in big tournaments and even win. Our goals have become much bigger in many ways.”
