Female soccer fans 'immune from Iranian swearing'

Female soccer fans will be allowed to visit Iran’s national stadium for the crucial World Cup play-off between the two teams - because they will not be able to understand the Iranian swearing.

The Iran Football Federation announced that around 300 Irish women will be able to attend the match in the 100,000 capacity stadium in the capital Tehran.

It will be the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution that women will be allowed to watch a soccer match at Azadi stadium.

Women are banned from Iranian soccer stadiums to protect them from the bad language and rude gestures of male fans.

But a federation spokesman said: "The Irish do not speak Farsi, so they will not understand the bad language which most of the Iranian men use during the matches."

Iranian women will not be allowed inside.

Those women who make the journey from Ireland will have to adhere to strict Islamic cultural norms. Head scarves will be obligatory, as will clothes that cover the arms and legs.

And men are also banned from wearing shorts or short-sleeved shirts.

Meanwhile, drinking is strictly forbidden and those who break the law could find themselves in jail.

Around 1,000 Irish fans are expected to travel to Tehran for the second leg of the clash on November 15.

The first leg will be played at Lansdowne Road in Dublin on Saturday. The Iranian team is expected to arrive in the capitall tomorrow.