Excitement is running high among fans of Tehran's two football giants before Wednesday's derby between Persepolis and Esteghlal whose long-running rivalry has ignited passions in sports and politics for decades.
The Azadi stadium, which is home to both teams, is one of the largest in the world, and will see its seats packed for the 103rd Tehran Derby.
"It's the most important match. There's a crazy atmosphere, incredible to experience," Kevin Yamga, the only Frenchman playing in Iran, told AFP.
"Half of the stands are all blue, the other all red," said Yamga, who has played in five derbies since joining the blues of Esteghlal in 2021.
Fans travel hundreds of kilometres to reach the capital before spending the night near the stadium to secure a seat.
"It's a very, very strong rivalry, comparable to that between the clubs of Manchester - United and City - or of Glasgow - Celtic and Rangers," Yamga said.
The Frenchman, however, will not be playing on Wednesday due to injury.
Both teams are competing in the Iranian top-tier football league, the Persian Gulf Pro League.
Esteghlal are top of the table, three points ahead of title holders Persepolis, with 11 games to play.
FEMALE VAR
This year, for the first time in Iran, a woman will join the refereeing team for a men's match.
Though not on the field, 34-year-old Mahsa Ghorbani will observe the match with two others as video assistant referees.
Ghorbani's assignment is a mark of a new era in a closed-off world of Iranian men's football that has rarely seen women in the stadiums.
Last year, 3 000 Iranian women, after decades of fighting to get into stadiums, were able to attend their first derby, a move welcomed by Fifa.
"Iranian women have proven that they can obtain their rights, despite
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