The news was reported by thebbc.

Iranian women soccer fans attend a match between Persepolis and Sanat Naft-e Abadan teams in Iran's Premier League at Azadi stadium in Tehran, Iran August 31, 2022Image source, Reuters
Image caption, Iranian women were allowed to attend their first domestic football match in decades last August

A rights group wants Iran to be banned from this year's World Cup because women can't watch games in their own country.

Open Stadiums wondered why the country was being allowed to compete while Iranian women were not.

Women were allowed to attend a domestic match for the first time in 34 years.

The rights group wasn't sure if stadiums would still be open to women.

Iranian women don't trust the Islamic Republic's authorities or the Iranian Football Federation to keep the Azadi stadium open after the World Cup, according to Open Stadiums.

Those who go to watch matches in Iran risk falling foul of Iranian authorities, with fears that state spies may keep an eye on them, according to the report.

The letter argues that Iran should be kicked out of the World Cup in 2022.

According to Iranian news sites, women were allowed to attend the game in August after a letter was sent to the authorities. It was previously told that it would not turn its attention away from the issue.

Women are allowed to go to sporting events in Iran, but they are often refused entry.

Prior to this, women were not allowed to attend domestic matches where men were playing due to clerical disapproval. According to the news agency, women have attended a few international matches.

The rights group claimed in a letter that members of the football team were banned from speaking out about the protests in Iran because of their religious beliefs. There was a death in custody of a young woman after she was arrested.

Female football fans are usually brought to and tortured if they attempt to attend a football game, according to the letter.

The Iranian football association did not respond to a request for comment from the news agency.