In 2000, Afshin Ghotbi found himself marveling at where life had taken him. Here was an Iranian-born, American-raised soccer coach, heading to Hong Kong from Los Angeles on a British Airways flight so he could interview with a Dutchman to be an assistant coach for South Korea's national team.

"If that's not globalization, I'm not sure what is," he said with a laugh during an exclusive interview with ESPN FC.

Ghotbi's globetrotting ways haven't stopped. His coaching career has spanned three decades...

The Iranian domestic league resumed on Sunday and Monday with women fans barred from entering stadiums up and down the country.

Over 3,000 female fans had been allowed into Tehran's Azadi Stadium on Oct. 10 to watch Iran play Cambodia but they were conspicuous by their absence when Persepolis defeated Paykan 2-1 at the same arena to move into sixth place.

With the death of Sahar Khodayari in September -- the 29-year-old fan of Persepolis rivals Esteghlal set herself on fire and died of her injuries...

Iranian women entered the country's national stadium in Tehran on Thursday after being able to purchase tickets for a national team game for the first time in 40 years.

Women had been banned from watching men's games since shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution, with only a few exceptions made for small groups on rare occasions.

But under pressure from world governing body FIFA and women's rights campaigners, Iranian authorities earmarked around 3,000 tickets for women to attend Thursday's 14-0...

Iranian women have snapped up tickets for Thursday's World Cup qualifier against Cambodia in Tehran after they were released for sale online.

Iranian authorities had assured world governing body FIFA that women would be allowed to attend the game and have set aside sections of the stadium for women.

The semi-official Iranian news agency ISNA said the 3,500 tickets set aside for women sold out within minutes of going on sale on Friday morning.

FIFA...