Iran’s Women’s Team Keeps It Silent Through Anthem Amid Supreme Leader’s Death, Regime Turmoil

Iran’s women arrived at the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia and, before kickoff, delivered a moment that landed far beyond soccer.

As Iran’s national anthem played ahead of the opener on the Gold Coast, the Iranian Women’s National Team stood in formation and stayed silent throughout. For a woman's program tied to a government that demands public conformity, choosing to stay quiet was a clear choice.

Iran entered the tournament as the country faced a historic moment following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a major strike campaign organized by United States President Donald Trump. 

"This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS," Trump said on Truth Social.

Team Iran listen national anthems before the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 football match between South Korea and Iran in Gold Coast on March 2, 2026. (Photo by Izhar Khan / AFP via Getty Images) 

While Iranian officials and team staff avoided politics in public, the backdrop was impossible to ignore, especially for a women’s team that has long existed under strict rules and scrutiny at home.

Head coach Marziyeh Jafari declined to address the strikes or Khamenei’s death, telling reporters the squad simply "needed to focus on the tournament" ahead of the match.

Once play started, South Korea controlled the night and beat Iran 3-0, a result that matched the flow. Iran spent long stretches defending and rarely threatened, while South Korea dictated possession and chances.

In the stands, a small pocket of Iranian supporters waved flags, including a pre-1979 Iranian flag that has become a symbol for many opponents of the former regime. 

Iran now moves on to host Australia on Thursday at the same Gold Coast venue. 

Australian star Sam Kerr struck a respectful tone when asked about facing Iran, saying, "They’re young girls and young footballers," and adding, "We’ll treat the game like any other game and show the team the utmost respect."

Iran lost the opener on the scoreboard. But they stood through their anthem and kept their voices to themselves, not on the regime’s cue.

OutKick founder Clay Travis echoed that separation between people and regime, urging the U.S. to back Iran’s players rather than punish them for the government they represent: 

"I believe @realDonaldTrump should come out strongly in favor of Iran playing in the World Cup this summer. Sends a strong message our war isn’t with Iranian people, but with their despotic leaders. Qualifying for World Cup is a huge national honor, team shouldn’t be penalized."

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela