Soccer Goals and Political Points: The Gendered Politics of Stadium Access

“The city of Melbourne glitters in the early evening as the MCG [Melbourne Cricket Ground] prepares to host Australia’s most important football [soccer] match in four years, to be played out in the country’s biggest sporting arena, a colossal venue for a colossal game. It is Australia versus Iran, the second and final leg of a two-legged contest which began in the courtroom of Azadi [Freedom] Stadium in Tehran a week ago. Now Australia will provide its own courtroom, a full house of 98,000 people roaring in full voice as the Socceroos [the official nickname of the Australian national team]