The first women's derby between Esteghlal and Persepolis occurred in the fifth week of the 19th season of the Iranian Women's Premier Football League. This match, which for the first time brought together two major women's football teams, ended with a score of 2-1 in favor of Persepolis, once again depicting the ups and downs of women's sports in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Match Held Amid Challenges and Restrictions
This historic match took place on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at the Shahr-e Qods Stadium. Before this match, it was scheduled to be held on October 23, but due to a decision by the Security Council, it was postponed to the sixth day. One day before the match, Ali Salehi, the prosecutor of Tehran, warned against the entry of women spectators without Islamic hijab and emphasized the necessity of adhering to norms.
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This warning led to a halt in ticket sales, and despite doubts, the stadium doors were only opened to a handful of women. Many female football enthusiasts were deprived of watching this match, although figures such as the government spokesperson and the Vice President for Women's Affairs were among the spectators.
Making History in Women's Football in Iran
This match is recognized not only as a sports competition but also as a milestone in the history of women's sports in Iran. The women's football teams of Esteghlal and Persepolis faced each other in an official competition for the first time since the 1979 Revolution. While men's teams have continuously competed in derbies since 1968, women's teams had been sidelined due to long interruptions.
With the introduction of new requirements by the Asian Football Confederation and the need to have women's teams, clubs like Esteghlal and Persepolis moved towards re-establishing women's teams. These developments are a sign of changes in women's sports and efforts to return to the official arena.
Women's presence in stadiums to watch men's football matches still faces many restrictions. This is while more than 20 years have passed since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's order to open stadium doors to women, but it has not yet been fully implemented. Many efforts by women to enter stadiums have been met with legal and security confrontations.
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