TEHRAN – Iran women’s national football team head coach Marzieh Jafari says her side face a tough challenge at the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup, but insists they are determined to give their best and will not rely on miracles.
Team Melli have been drawn in Group A alongside South Korea, Australia, and Philippines — three experienced and high-quality sides in Asian football.
“Our new training camp began on Saturday and will continue until Feb. 28. This camp is being held at a crucial time. With the Women’s Asian Cup approaching, it is very important for the team to build the necessary coordination during this period,” Jafari said.
She noted that the team had been unable to arrange sufficient friendly matches ahead of the tournament.
“Before the competition, we were unable to hold proper friendly matches. The tight domestic league schedule and the fact that some clubs did not fully release their players prevented our plans from progressing as expected. As a result, we could not work with the full squad at the intended times,” she added.
Jafari also addressed the two recent FIFA international windows. During the first window, when Iran participated in a four-nation tournament in India, she described the experience as positive, saying the matches significantly benefited the team both technically and in terms of coordination.
However, during the October FIFA window, when Iran played two friendlies against Uzbekistan, the team faced challenges due to the absence of several key players. As a result, the coaching staff fielded a different lineup featuring several young players. Jafari explained that the decision was made out of necessity but believes it could strengthen the squad’s depth in the long term.
Commenting on the tournament draw, Jafari said: “In this edition, we are grouped with South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines — all strong, high-quality, and experienced teams in Asian football. Naturally, being in such a group makes our task difficult and requires full preparation and high concentration in every match.”
She also outlined the team’s travel plans. The final pre-departure camp will begin on Feb. 20, and according to the schedule, the team will travel to Australia, the host nation, on Feb. 24 to adapt to the conditions before the tournament begins.
“We should not wait for a miracle. Considering the circumstances we have gone through, we are trying to deliver the best possible performance. The players are in camp with high motivation and commitment, and the technical staff is fully focused on preparing the team in the remaining time. We will do our utmost to be worthy representatives of Iranian women’s football,” Jafari concluded.
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