Are women allowed at games at the Qatar World Cup 2022?

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is now well underway - but are women allowed at the games?

A total of 64 matches will take place at the World Cup, with hosts Qatar kicking off the action against Ecuador on November 20.

The Arab nation secured the rights to host the showpiece event in 2010. They defeated bids from Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States.

The awarding of the World Cup to Qatar was resulted in huge controversy, with critics highlighting the nation's human rights issues.

Amongst those problems is the treatment of migrant workers, with The Guardian claiming in a February 2021 report that 6,500 workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka had died since Qatar won the rights to host the World Cup back in 2010.

Another major issue is that of women's rights, which are restricted by the country's male guardianship laws.

There have been developments made in recent years, but they must obtain permission, as per HRW, from male guardians to marry, study abroad on government scholarships, travel abroad (until certain ages) and more.

But can they access football stadiums in Qatar?

Are women allowed at games at the World Cup 2022?

Women are allowed to enter stadiums and watch the action during the World Cup in Qatar.

Speaking earlier this year (quotes via 247NewsAgency), the deputy secretary general of the 2022 World Cup Organising Committee, Nasser Al Khater, said: "In Qatar, we have no restrictions on women's access to the stadium. They have been attending matches for a long time."

FIFA announced in May that three female referees, and assistant referees, will take charge of matches at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. These are Salima Mukansanga, of Rwanda, Yoshimi Yamashita, of Japan, and Stephanie Frappart, of Germany.