The 6 Countries That Ban Women From Watching Sports in Stadiums

Iran: Four Decades of Stadium Segregation

Iran stands as perhaps the most notorious example of a country systematically barring women from sports stadiums. Iran's discriminatory ban on women attending soccer sports tournaments dates to 1981.

Over the past 40 years, Iranian authorities have banned women from attending football and other sports in stadiums. In 2012, the ban was extended to volleyball.

This isn't just a policy written in some dusty government manual – it's actively enforced with real consequences. The enforcement of this ban has led to dramatic confrontations.

The authorities prevented women, including those who had reportedly already purchased tickets, from entering the sports stadium in Mashhad, in Khorasan province, to watch a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying match between Iran and Lebanon. Videos circulated on social media appear to show women who have gathered in front of the stadium alleging that authorities used pepper spray to disperse them.

These aren't isolated incidents – they're part of a systematic pattern.

Afghanistan: The Taliban's Complete Sports Shutdown

In September 2021—less than a month after the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan—the Taliban banned women and girls from participating in sports. But this ban goes far beyond just playing sports.

UN experts today called for decisive action from national and international sports bodies against the Taliban's ban on women and girls in Afghanistan participating in all sports. "For nearly three years, the Taliban has barred women and girls in Afghanistan from participating in all sports, an unacceptable abrogation of their rights, which no other country imposes," the experts said.

The Taliban's reasoning is chillingly clear. "In cricket, they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered.

Islam does not allow women to be seen like this," the network quoted Ahmadullah Wasiq, the deputy head of the Taliban's cultural commission, as saying. Taliban officials threatened any woman or girl—and her family—who continued sports, even in their own homes.

The group continues to use stadiums not only for a few selected sports, but also for public executions and floggings as thousands watch. This dual use of sporting venues makes Afghanistan's situation particularly disturbing.

Saudi Arabia: A Complicated Reversal Story

Until 2018 women were not permitted in sport stadiums, even as spectators. Segregated seating, allowing women to enter, has been developed in King Fahd Stadium, King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium.

Even in places that have long excluded women from watching sports events in person, the ground is shifting; in January, Saudi Arabia lifted its long-standing ban on women in stadiums. The change happened dramatically.

Saudi Arabian women were permitted to enter a football stadium to watch a football match between two local teams for the first time on Friday. The women sat in a designated family section, segregated from the male football fans.

Previously, if a woman tried to enter a sports stadium, she would be arrested. This represents one of the most significant policy reversals in recent history.

The move was supported by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of Saudi Arabia's changes to ease the social restrictions on women. However, women still face significant restrictions under the male guardianship system, and their participation remains heavily regulated through segregated seating arrangements.

Yemen: The Forgotten War Zone

In Middle Eastern countries including Yemen, Oman, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, nascent women's national teams confront religious challenges to their participation. Yemen's ongoing civil war has created a complex situation where women's rights have deteriorated significantly.

The country's infrastructure has been devastated, and stadiums have become casualties of war just like schools and hospitals. In Yemen, women face restrictions that extend far beyond sports.

The combination of traditional conservative attitudes and the chaos of war has created an environment where women's participation in public life, including as sports spectators, has become virtually impossible. The country's stadium ban isn't just about policy – it's about survival.

The situation is made worse by the fact that many of Yemen's sports facilities have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict. Even if women were allowed to attend, there are few functioning venues left to host major sporting events.

Brunei: The Silent Restriction

Brunei operates under strict Islamic law and maintains restrictions on women's participation in public sports events. The country's implementation of Sharia law has created an environment where women's attendance at sports stadiums is heavily restricted, though the government rarely makes public statements about these policies.

Unlike the dramatic enforcement scenes we see in Iran, Brunei's restrictions tend to be more subtle but equally effective. Women are discouraged from attending sporting events through social pressure and unofficial policies rather than outright bans.

This makes the situation particularly difficult to document and challenge. The country's small size and relatively closed society mean that these restrictions receive less international attention than similar policies in larger nations.

However, the impact on women's rights and social participation remains significant.

North Korea: The Hermit Kingdom's Hidden Policies

North Korea's restrictions on women attending sports events are part of a broader system of social control that the government rarely discusses publicly. The country's authoritarian structure creates an environment where women's participation in public events, including sports, is heavily managed and restricted.

In North Korea, the concept of individual rights – including the right to attend sporting events – is subordinated to state control. Women's attendance at stadiums is determined by the state rather than personal choice, and access is often limited to approved political events rather than regular sporting competitions.

The international community has little insight into the day-to-day reality of these restrictions because of North Korea's isolation. However, defector testimonies and limited reports suggest that women face significant barriers to participating in public sporting events as spectators.

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