Iranian President Ahmadinejad has ordered state-run banks to extend credit to indebted clubs, world cup online betting a move that has angered Fifa. The Iranian Parliament even postponed a recent league match because it coincided with Ramadan, a religious holiday. Iranian MPs also halted a match between two Abadan clubs, one of which belongs to the country's powerful oil industry.
Iran has not been invited to participate in the tournament for women. Iran has banned women from entering games, although President Hassan Rouhani has hinted that the ban will be lifted in the future. In March, around 35 female fans were detained by Iranian security officials after they tried to enter the Azadi Stadium in Tehran to watch a match that FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended. Some of the female fans attempted to disguise themselves as men with fake beards.
Despite the opposition of many Iranian football fans, it is unlikely that Iran will be banned from the World Cup. Despite the lack of support for FIFA's decision, the Iranian people are united and have made it clear that they want the country to participate in the tournament. Open Stadiums, a women's rights group, has sent an open letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino citing the denial of basic rights for women in Iran. While women in Iran were only allowed to attend domestic football matches in 1979, gross inequalities remain.
The campaigners who want Iran banned from the World Cup say the country's repressive regime is responsible for the ban. The women's rights activists allege Iranian security forces used excessive force to prevent them from entering the stadium. Several videos have circulated on social media that suggest tear gas was used against the women. Iranian news agencies have reported that roughly 2,000 women had bought tickets for the match.
