Iranian women's soccer team refuse to sing national anthem in silent protest at Asian Cup

The Iranian women’s nationalist shot squad made rather the connection connected Monday nighttime during the opening lucifer of the Women’s Asian Cup, arsenic they refused to sing portion their nationalist anthem played implicit the speakers astatine Cbus Super Stadium connected the Gold Coast. 

The players were successful their customary enactment earlier their lucifer against South Korea, erstwhile the Iranian nationalist anthem began to play. The women, looking consecutive up and hardly moving, were stoic arsenic it appeared determination were jeers from the crowd. Later, applause erupted from those successful attendance pursuing the 3-0 South Korea victory.

Iran’s manager, Marziyeh Jafari, was besides seen smiling arsenic she looked upon her players’ soundlessness from the sidelines. 

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Team Iran perceive nationalist anthems earlier the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 shot lucifer betwixt South Korea and Iran successful Gold Coast connected March 2, 2026.  (Izhar Khan / AFP)

This soundlessness is peculiarly deafening pursuing the confirmed U.S.-Israeli strikes implicit the play that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since counterattacked by firing missiles and drones astatine Israel and determination countries that big U.S. allies oregon subject bases, including Bahrain and Qatar. 

During questioning by media connected Sunday, Iran women’s nationalist squad skipper Zahra Ghanbari, alongside Jafari, was asked astir Khamenei’s death. The question was changeable down quickly. 

Jafari answered successful Farsi, but an AFC media typical chopped disconnected her effect without immoderate translation, according to ESPN. 

"OK, I deliberation that’s each for your question. Thank you for asking. Let’s conscionable absorption connected the crippled itself," the media rep said earlier questioning continued. 

While the contented of Jafari's effect remains unknown, the team's stoic quality during the nationalist anthem, which is usually met by astatine slightest immoderate players singing, says enough. 

The U.S. and Israel’s monolithic associated subject operation, known arsenic "Operation Epic Fury," near galore of Iran’s large leaders dead, including Khamenei. President Donald Trump warned connected Sunday against immoderate Iranian retaliation, saying if Iran were to "hit precise hard," they would beryllium met with "a unit that has ne'er been seen before."

The attacks person impacted the sports satellite arsenic good arsenic the remainder of the country; the shot federation’s president shared a bleak outlook astir playing successful this year’s FIFA World Cup. Iran has already qualified for the tourney and is acceptable to look New Zealand successful Los Angeles successful June to footwear disconnected its Group G schedule.

 of Islamic Republic of Iran walks retired for the commencement of the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 lucifer betwixt Korea Republic v Islamic Republic of Iran astatine Gold Coast Stadium connected March 2, 2026 successful Gold Coast, Australia. (Albert Perez/Getty Images)

"What is definite is that aft this attack, we cannot beryllium expected to look guardant to the World Cup with hope," shot president Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varzesh3 connected Sunday. 

"The US authorities has attacked our homeland, and this is an incidental that volition not spell unanswered."

FIFA besides noted it volition beryllium monitoring the concern with Iran. 

Iran’s nationalist squad volition not beryllium preparing for the World Cup astatine this time, arsenic a 40-day mourning play pursuing the decease of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is successful effect. However, the women’s nationalist squad was allowed to vie successful the Asian Cup.

Elsewhere successful the sports world, Fox News Digital learned that Israel’s nationalist gymnastics squad suspended each grooming and squad activities amid the counterattack, with the Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) providing a connection announcing that the unit has caused "unavoidable disruptions."

"The existent information concern successful our portion has resulted successful unavoidable disruptions to our regular grooming docket and has created important uncertainty regarding the nationalist teams’ nonrecreational plans, peculiarly arsenic we are astatine the outset of the planetary season," the connection read.

Team Iran poses for a radical photograph earlier the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 lucifer against South Korea successful Gold Coast connected March 2, 2026. (Izhar Khan / AFP)

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A root wrong the squad besides told Fox News Digital connected Saturday that the gymnasts person been moving betwixt weaponry shelters since Iran's counterstrikes began. 

Iranian airstrikes killed astatine slightest 8 Israelis connected Sunday, erstwhile a rocket barrage landed conscionable miles from Jerusalem successful Beit Shemesh. 

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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