In many parts of the world, especially in the Middle East, women are considered second class to men, so when they gain certain freedoms it’s always a big deal. 

For 40 years, women were never allowed to attend and support men’s sports teams until now. 

In celebration, fans attended the game at Tehran’s Azadi stadium and went over the top to show their team spirit. However, only a few thousand tickets were put out for purchase by women, so thousands of women without tickets crowded outside the stadium and tried to find a way in, but many were kicked out or threatened. 

Women had to reserve seats at a separate corner of the stadium, away from the men. 

The sad truth to this is, six months before gaining the right, a woman set herself on fire as a sign of protest regarding the suppression of women in Iran. The Iranian Parliament then reached an agreement to allow women to have access to sports games.