A silence that speaks a thousand words: the Iranian women’s national team chose not to sing the national anthem before the opening match of the Asian Cup in Australia against South Korea, which they then lost 3-0. The players, led by coach Marziyeh Jafari, remained silent, staring steadily straight ahead. This gesture sends a powerful message: the team wanted to dissociate itself from the dynamics of the regime while participating in the sporting competition and avoiding direct comments on the war in the Middle East and the recent death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A courageous act of protest, a political and personal declaration not to be taken for granted in a dictatorial climate like the Iranian one where everything is under observation and which for this reason immediately attracted the attention of the international media.
The Iranian women’s national football team refused to sing the anthem of the Islamic Regime. Tonight. At the opening match of the Asian Cup. In front of the entire world.
So, to all liberal Western women:
Watch and learn.
THIS is what real feminism looks like. pic.twitter.com/SriXGbipsY— Samantha Smith (@SamanthaTaghoy) March 3, 2026
Support and respect on the field
The Australian athletes expressed solidarity with their opponents: midfielder Amy Sayer said:
Our hearts go 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 perform. The best thing we can do to contribute is simply to give them the best football game possible and show them respect on the pitch.
The choice not to sing the anthem recalls what already happened with the men’s national team at the 2022 World Cup, when the players were forced to sing it reluctantly. This time, however, the players maintained their position without giving in to external pressure, showing a civil courage uncommon in international sport.
The former Iranian goalkeeper disappeared after posts against the regime
The silence of the women’s team, as we well know, is part of a climate of strong political tension in Iran. Just think of the fact that in recent days the former goalkeeper Rashid Mazaheri disappeared after publishing posts against the regime and against the figure of Khamenei. A chilling episode that clearly shows how expressing dissent in the country can have extreme and dramatic consequences and makes the footballers’ protest even more significant.
The gesture of Jafari and his players demonstrates that sport can become a powerful tool of peaceful resistance and international visibility, bringing the voice of those living under repressive regimes directly onto the playing fields. The Asian Cup has thus transformed into a stage of civil commitment as well as sporting competition: congratulations from us to the Iranian players and their courage.
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