Far from home, Iran's women's soccer team worry for their families

STORY: :: At tournament in Australia, members of Iran's women's soccer team worry for relatives back home:: Gold Coast, Australia / March 4, 2026:: Sara Didar, Iranian national women's soccer team player“Obviously we’re all concerned and sad at what has happened to Iran and our families in Iran and our loved ones, but I really hope it’s very good for our country, to have good news ahead and I hope that my country would be strongly alive.”:: Marziyeh Jafari, Iranian national women's soccer team coach“We have so much concern regarding our families and the people in Iran. Nobody loves war. And we have so many concerns regarding our families and our loved ones and all other Iranian people who are inside the country which we are fully disconnected with. But here, we are coming to play soccer professionally and we do our best to concentrate on our soccer and the match ahead.”Iran is set to face Australia in their second group-stage match on Thursday (March 5) on the Gold Coast, following a 3-0 defeat to South Korea on Monday (March 3).Iran's players stood respectfully during their national anthem before the South Korea match but remained silent throughout its duration.The players and head coach Marziyeh Jafari have declined to comment directly on the situation but told media that they are “fully disconnected” from the people back home.“We have so many concerns regarding our families and our loved ones and all other Iranian people who are inside the country which we are fully disconnected with,” Jafari said.21-year-old Didar told media that she was saddened by the situation but hoped her team could bring Iran “good news ahead”, before becoming visibly emotional.787 people have been killed in Iran, including 165 schoolgirls ⁠and staff killed in a missile strike on a primary school ​in Minab in the country's south on the war's first day, ​according to the non-profit humanitarian group Iranian Red Crescent Society. It was unclear if the death toll included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military casualties.
2026-03-04 09:17:51