Women in Saudi Arabia will soon be allowed to cheer for their favorite sports teams from inside the stadium.
Starting early next year, women will be permitted in three stadiums across the country, in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. According to a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the stadiums are being prepared to accommodate families.
The stadiums, King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, King Abdullah Sport City in Jeddah, and Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam, are some of the biggest and most important in the country. They host six teams in the Saudi Professional League, which is the nation’s top division, and two of them have the highest seating capacity.
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Sports stadiums across the Kingdom have historically only been open to males. While the governing body for sports declared that the three venues would be opened to females, specific seating arrangements have not yet been announced.
This change is the latest in a series of reforms put forward by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, called his Vision 2030 plan. Last month, the government made a historic announcement that would allow women to drive.
