{"id":14131,"date":"2026-03-06T14:33:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T14:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=14131"},"modified":"2026-03-06T14:33:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T14:33:30","slug":"fifa-afc-urged-to-protect-iran-women-footballers-after-traitors-threat-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=14131","title":{"rendered":"FIFA, AFC urged to protect Iran women footballers after \u2018traitors\u2019 threat | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>Iran state TV presenter has threatened women\u2019s national team for not singing anthem at opening AFC Cup match.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><button class=\"article-listen-container\" aria-labelledby=\"listen-text listen-duration\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-button\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-listen-container__text\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-text\">Listen to this article<\/span><span 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loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PXL_20210627_155635971-1-1696493612.jpg?resize=96%2C96&amp;quality=80 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 96px) 96px, 96px\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 6 Mar 2026<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">6 Mar 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<p>Click here to share on social media<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"icon icon--share2 icon--primary icon--16 \" viewbox=\"0 0 20 16\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>share2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"google-preferred-source\"><button class=\"google-preferred-source__button\" aria-label=\"Add Al Jazeera on Google\" data-testid=\"google-preferred-source-button\"><svg class=\"icon icon--plus2 icon--primary icon--12 google-preferred-source__add-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>plus2<\/title><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M10.571 13.429H3.43c-.405 0-.744-.137-1.018-.411A1.382 1.382 0 0 1 2 12c0-.405.137-.744.41-1.018.275-.274.614-.41 1.019-.41h7.142V3.428c0-.405.137-.744.411-1.018C11.256 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2.029 0 0 1-2.146-2.15 2.039 2.039 0 0 1 1.955-2.122h.193l-.002.006Zm3.227 15.525a.75.75 0 0 1-.752.75H9.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.75h.748V12h-.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.751h3a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.752v6.75h.75a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.749L15 18.75Z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>The global representative organisation for professional footballers, FIFPRO, has urged governing bodies responsible for the 2026 Women\u2019s Asian Football Confederation Cup to protect the Iran national team after they were labelled \u201cwartime traitors\u201d by an Iranian state \u200ctelevision presenter.<\/p>\n<p>Both FIFA, world football\u2019s governing body, and the AFC have been called upon to \u201cundertake all necessary steps to ensure the safety of Iran\u2019s Women\u2019s National Team players\u201d.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 4 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>The Iran women\u2019s national football team players did not sing their national anthem before their Asian Cup opener against South Korea in Australia earlier \u2060this week.<\/p>\n<p>Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi said in a video that the players showed a lack of patriotism and their actions amounted to the \u201cpinnacle of dishonour\u201d in footage circulating widely on social media.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet me \u2060just say one thing: traitors during wartime \u2060must be dealt with more severely,\u201d Shahbazi said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnyone who takes a step against the country under war conditions must be dealt with more severely. Like this matter of \u2060our women\u2019s football team not singing the national anthem \u2026 these people must be dealt with more \u2060severely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a statement released on the social media platform X, FIFPRO released a strong and lengthy statement outlining its concerns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn addition to the dangerous situation the players would face if they return to Iran following the tournament, FIFPRO Asia\/Oceania is deeply concerned by reports that Iranian state television has publicly attacked the members of the team for remaining silent during the national anthem before their opening match,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FIFPROAsiaOce\/status\/2029861558722121815?s=20\">the statement<\/a> read.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFootage circulating online shows Mohammad Reza Shahbazi, a state TV presenter, calling for them to face the \u2018stigma of dishonour and betrayal\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese statements significantly heighten concerns for the players\u2019 safety should they return to Iran after the tournament.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFIFPRO Asia\/Oceania has once again written to the AFC and FIFA, calling on them to uphold their human rights obligations under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and FIFA\u2019s Human Rights Policy and protect the players.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe call on the AFC and FIFA to urgently engage with the Iranian Football Association, the Australian Government and all other relevant authorities to ensure that every effort is made to protect the safety of the players.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Iranian players stood in silence when Iran\u2019s anthem was played at the Gold Coast ahead of their 3-0 opening loss to South \u200cKorea on Monday, though they sang and saluted before a 4-0 defeat by hosts Australia three days later.<\/p>\n<p>The Reuters news agency has contacted both the Asian Football Confederation, the Iranian football federation and the team at the Asian Cup for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Ahead of their game against Australia, Iran forward Sara Didar fought \u200cback tears and spoke about the war, while coach Marziyeh Jafari said her players were doing their best to focus on the \u200ctournament \u200cdespite concern for their families back home.<\/p>\n<p>Iran face the Philippines on Sunday in their final group match.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Iran state TV presenter has threatened women\u2019s national team for not singing anthem at opening AFC Cup match. Listen to this article\u00a0|\u00a03 mins info Published On 6 Mar 20266 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share plus2googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo The global representative organisation for professional footballers, FIFPRO, has urged [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14132,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14131"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14131\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}