Iran’s women football fans snubbed in closed-door S Korea match

Iranian sport officials have contradicted each other on why spectators were banned during a crucial match in Tehran.

Tehran, Iran – A draw between the national football teams of Iran and South Korea has meant that both countries are one step closer to securing a spot in next year’s World Cup tournament.

The 1-1 result in Tehran on Tuesday kept Iran top of its Qatar 2022 Asian qualification group with 10 points, followed closely by South Korea with eight points.

But what happened off the pitch before the match proved just as important as the result, if not more so, as no spectators were allowed in the capital’s iconic Azadi stadium.