When the soccer game began in Saudi Arabia on Friday, a new noise joined the ruckus in the stands: the sound of women cheering.
In the soccer-obsessed but ultraconservative Islamic kingdom, the match between the local teams Al-Ahli and Al-Batin in Jidda was the first time that women had been allowed to attend a game at a public stadium, a new step in the government’s efforts to loosen gender restrictions.
Saudi Arabia has long been one of the world’s most restrictive places for women, where a combination of religion, social custom and government regulation has dictated what they wear and barred them from driving, holding a range of jobs and traveling as they wish.