Cambodia’s national football team have been placed 169th in the latest FIFA World Rankings, moving up one position from the previous month.
The Kouprey’s last two outings were a draw at home to Hong Kong (1-1) and a defeat to Bahrain (1-0) in the second round qualifying Group C of FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022.
The kingdom’s next match sees them meet Asian heavyweights Iran in Tehran next month. Iran remain ranked as the best team in Asia and are followed by Japan, South Korea and Australia.
They recently defeated Hong Kong 2-0 in a qualifier and will host Cambodia on October 10 where female football fans are set to be permitted to attend the game at Azadi Stadium in Tehran.
According to Hossein Ali Amiri, Vice-President for Parliamentary Affairs, that the Iranian Government has carried out preparatory works for entry of women to the stadiums as soon as possible.
Amiri, speaking on earlier this month, said that women’s presence in the stadiums need some special arrangements like special separate gates, special area for women, and services, which are being prepared in all big stadiums of the country as per the guidelines of Masoud Soltanifar, Minister of Sport and Youth. He added that he hoped that women can watch sports events in stadiums in the near future.
Despite international condemnation, female spectators have been barred from stadiums in the Islamic republic for almost 30 years. Women were permitted to watch the clash between Iran and Bolivia last year and also the match between Iranian domestic league side Persepolis and Japan’s Kashima Antlers.
The about-turn by authorities is seen as a response to calls for the ban to be lifted after a football fan set herself ablaze and died after being arrested for trying to enter a stadium.
Sahar Khodayari, or ‘blue girl’ due to her support of Esteghlal FC, was reportedly detained when she tried to enter a stadium dressed as a man last year. She set herself on fire outside a court earlier this month subsequently dying of her injuries.
The President of FIFA Gianni Infantino has long called for the women be allowed to attend matches and has reiterated FIFA’s stance in his meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
