Iranian women's team does not sing national anthem at Asian Cup opening match

The players of the Iranian women's national team stayed silent during the national anthem at their Group A opening match of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup.

During the national anthem ceremony before the match on March 2, the Iranian women's team stood straight, facing forward as the anthem played, but none of the players sang along. In the technical area, the coaching staff and substitute players also remained silent, while head coach Marziyeh Jafari (an Iranian) gave a slight smile.

This is not the first time an Iranian football team has refused to sing the national anthem at a major tournament. At the 2022 World Cup, the Iranian men's team also did not sing the anthem during matches, amid escalating protest movements back home.

Prior to this, the 26-member Iranian women's squad had arrived on the Gold Coast days before the unrest broke out in their home country. The tense developments meant the team was almost cut off from communication and lacked direct support from home, as the domestic security situation grew complex.

Nevertheless, despite the off-field difficulties, the coaching staff of the Iranian women's team maintained their focus on the sport. Speaking at a pre-match press conference, coach Marziyeh Jafari emphasized the goal of showcasing Iranian women's football, viewing the tournament as an opportunity to affirm their capabilities, stating it was a chance to demonstrate "the potential of Iranian women".

In their opening match against South Korea, the Middle Eastern team lost 0-3 due to a significant gap in skill level, temporarily placing them at the bottom of the group standings.

After the match, Coach Jafari and the players declined to comment when asked about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

In their second match on April 4, Iran will face host nation Australia, before meeting the Philippines in their final group stage match (March 8).