Waving flags and snapping selfies, thousands of Iranian women on Thursday attended a football match freely for the first time in decades, after FIFA threatened to suspend the country over its controversial stadium restrictions. Elated female fans wore the national green, white and red flag around their shoulders and over their hair as they streamed into a tiny section of Tehran's 100,000-capacity Azadi Stadium for Iran's 2022 World Cup qualifier against Cambodia. Some donned sporty hats over their headscarves, while others painted their faces with the colours of the flag.

Their beaming smiles underscored a day that felt victorious for the female fans, even before the match began. And with every goal the Iranian team scored, the cheers in the women's section grew louder. By the end of the game, the Iranian side had won with a blowout of 14-0.

For nearly 40 years, the Islamic republic has barred female spectators from entering football and other sports stadiums. Last month, world football's governing body FIFA ordered Iran to allow women access to stadiums without restriction and in numbers determined by demand for tickets. According to an AFP journalist, between 4,000 to 4,500 women watched the game on Thursday while 6,000 men also attended.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2019