Iran women’s football players before their match against South Korea at the Gold Coast Stadium in Queensland, Australia, in the Women’s Asian Cup on March 2, 2026. Photo by AP |
Before kick-off at the Gold Coast Stadium in Queensland, Australia, on Monday, the Iran players stood facing forward as the anthem played, but remained tight-lipped.
Some players were seen whispering to one another, while the coaching staff and substitutes on the bench also maintained silence. Head coach Marziyeh Jafari was observed smiling from the sidelines, The Guardian reported.
On the pitch, Iran suffered a 0-3 defeat to South Korea, leaving them at the bottom of Group A after the first round. South Korea and Australia currently lead the group with three points each, while the Philippines sit in third place, having conceded fewer goals than Iran.
Following the match, coach Jafari and her squad declined to comment when asked by the media about the ongoing conflict and reports regarding the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The team had arrived in Australia to prepare for the tournament just days before the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes began on Feb. 28, with their opening match taking place only 48 hours after the attacks.
This act of defiance from Iran players is not the first such incident. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Iran men’s team refused to sing the national anthem during their matches as domestic protests escalated back home.
Iran are the sole representative from the Middle East at the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, which runs until March 21. They face a challenging schedule in Group A, with upcoming matches against host nation Australia on March 5 and the Philippines on March 8, both at the Gold Coast Stadium.
Australian midfielder Amy Sayer expressed sympathy for her opponents in the current circumstances.
“Our heart goes out to them and their families, it’s a difficult situation and it’s really brave of them to be able to be here and to perform,” Sayer said on Tuesday, as quoted by Reuters.
“They played last night and they put on a really strong performance, even with the political climate that’s going on and the struggles that they might be going through.”
The 2026 Women’s Asian Cup kicked off on March 1 in Australia, featuring 12 teams divided into three groups. In Group B, North Korea defeated Uzbekistan 3-0, while China secured a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh. The top eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals following the group stage.
Vietnam will start their campaign in Group C on Wednesday, facing India. Coach Mai Duc Chung’s squad will subsequently play Chinese Taipei on March 7 and Japan on March 10.
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