Before kickoff at Gold Coast stadium in Queensland, Australia, on 2/3, all Iranian players stood upright, facing forward as the national anthem played, but no one sang. Some players even spoke to each other. The coaching staff and substitute players also remained silent, while coach Marziyeh Jafari smiled.

Iran women's players pose before their match against South Korea at Gold Coast stadium, Queensland, Australia, during the opening round of Group A of the Women's Asian Cup on the evening of 2/3/2026. Photo: AP

In the match, Iran lost 0-3, finishing last in Group A after the first round. South Korea and Australia led with three points each, while Philippines stood third, without points but with fewer goals conceded than Iran.

After the match, coach Jafari and the players declined to comment when asked about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East or the death of leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Iran team had arrived in Australia to prepare for the tournament a few days before US and Israel airstrikes began. Their match took place just two days after these US and Israel attacks.

This is not the first time an Iranian team has refused to sing the national anthem at a major tournament. At the 2022 World Cup, Iran also did not sing their national anthem in matches during the tournament, as protests escalated domestically.

Iran is the only representative from the Middle East participating in the Women's Asian Cup 2026, a tournament running until 21/3. In Group A, they will successively face host Australia on 5/3 and Philippines on 8/3, both at Gold Coast stadium.

Commenting on the opponent, Australia midfielder Amy Sayer stated that she and her teammates felt sympathy for Iran in their current circumstances. "Our hearts go out to them and their families", Sayer said. "The current situation is difficult, but it's brave of them to be here and play. The best thing Australia can do is play a respectful game against them."

The Women's Asian Cup 2026 kicked off on 1/3 in Australia with twelve national teams divided into three groups, with four teams per group. In Group B, North Korea defeated Uzbekistan 3-0, while China beat Bangladesh 2-0. After the group stage, the eight best performing teams will advance to the quarterfinals.

Vietnam is in Group C and will open their campaign against India at 6 p.m. today, 4/3 (Hanoi time). Coach Mai Duc Chung and his team will then successively face Chinese Taipei on 7/3 and Japan on 10/3.

Hoang An (according to Guardian)