Death of Sahar Khodayari

Sahar Khodayari (Persian: سحر خدایاری [sæhær xodɒjɒriː]; c. 1990 – 9 September 2019), also known as the Blue Girl, was an Iranian woman who self-immolated in Tehran to protest the national laws banning females from attending sports events and entering stadiums since the Islamic Revolution. She was a fan of Esteghlal F.C., and in March 2019, she attempted to gain entry at the male-only Azadi Stadium while disguised as a man to watch a match played by the team. On 2 September 2019, she was told by the Islamic Revolutionary Court that she may face a six-month prison sentence. After leaving court, she committed suicide through self-immolation in front of the building, succumbing to her injuries a week later. Khodayari's politicized suicide has generated much debate in Iran about the government's restrictions on women.

FIFA, after Iran was chosen to host select qualifier games for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, stated that the Iranian government must allow women into the stadium to see those international football matches. Iran guaranteed such entry for the first time after 40 years, one month after Sahar's death.