Once taboo, Russian women's football eyes World Cup boost Female footballers in Russia are breaking taboos set in the Soviet era and cemented by modern Russia's rigid -- some would say regressive -- view of women's role in the world. The Soviet Communist Party banned women's football outright in 1972 because it was a "men's sport", and prejudices persist, but players hope the women's sport will receive a boost as Russia hosts the 2018 World Cup.