Riyadh, Jan 9 (IANS): Women in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to enter sports stadiums to watch football matches for the first time on Friday, the government announced on Monday.

"The first match that women will be allowed to watch will be Al Ahli versus Al Batin on January 12," the Ministry of Information said. It added that women would also be able to attend a second match on next day and a third match on January 18, the National newspaper reported.

The first match will be held in the capital, the second in Jeddah on the Red Sea and the third in the eastern city of Dammam.

The Saudi government announced in October last year that women in 2018 will be allowed to attend sporting matches in national stadiums, from which they were previously banned.

Three previously male-only venues -- King Fahd International Stadium, King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium -- will be opened to women and families.

Easing restrictions on women, including the lifting of a driving ban, which is set to go into effect in June, is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 to overhaul the country's oil-dependent economy and shed the Kingdom's ultra-conservative image.