The Iranian women's national football team refused to sing their country's national anthem at the opening ceremony of their 2026 Asian Cup match against South Korea on Monday. It was the team's first match since the war that erupted last weekend following the Israeli-American attack.
South Korea, runners-up in the 2022 Asian Women's Cup, defeated Iran 3-0, despite a tenacious defense from the Iranians, led by goalkeeper Maryam Yektaei. The players stood in silence, lined up with their hands behind their backs, as the anthem of the Islamic Republic played at the 28,000-capacity Gold Coast Stadium in Queensland.
Head coach Marziyeh Jafari and the entire coaching staff also remained silent. The gesture could be interpreted as a way of distancing themselves from the regime in Iran. However, the entire staff refused to comment on the war
The atmosphere was rather somber during the anthem, although there were a few appreciative smiles from the fans. Images show Jafari reacting with a discreet smile near the touchline, while his players maintained impassive and stoic expressions throughout the national anthem.
A small group of Iranian fans chanted and waved red, white, and green flags, including the pre-Islamic Revolution flag. So far, around 800 deaths have been confirmed, most of them in Iran.
One of the Iranian team's main objectives in the tournament is to secure a place in next year's Women's World Cup in Brazil, and to do so, they must reach at least the quarterfinals in Australia. Iran will face the tournament hosts on Thursday at the same venue on the Gold Coast, a coastal tourist destination in the state of Queensland.
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