Without men and without coverage: The historic women's derby that sparked a storm in Iran

For the first time in history, the women's teams of Persepolis and Esteghlal met for a derby in Iranian football, ending with a 2-1 victory for Persepolis. The authorities banned men from entering the stadium, including journalists, and threatened legal proceedings. The entry of female fans was also in doubt until the last moment.

For the first time in history, the women's teams of Persepolis and Esteghlal met for a derby in Iranian football, ending with a 2-1 victory for Persepolis. The match was held yesterday (Wednesday) at Shahre Qods Stadium, west of Tehran, as part of the women's premier league. Fatemeh Razaei and Somayeh Esmaeili scored for Persepolis in the first half, and Niloufar Azimi narrowed the gap for Esteghlal in the second half. The event was accompanied by unusual restrictions: the authorities banned men from entering the stadium, including journalists, photographers, and crew members, while threatening legal proceedings. The entry of female fans was also not guaranteed until the last moment, and ticket sales were halted twice. Finally, following intervention by government officials, women were allowed to attend. The match was not broadcast in advance by the state broadcasting authority, and media coverage was limited, in contrast to the men's derby which receives extensive exposure. The restrictions sparked a storm and raised questions about women's rights in sports in Iran.