Iran Aims for Victory Against Singapore in AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers

The Iranian women's national football team will kick off their journey in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers for 2026 against Singapore on Thursday, hoping to secure a strong start. Iran is aiming for a spot in the Finals for the second consecutive time and will look to establish dominance against a Singapore team that recently suffered a disappointing 3-2 loss to Bhutan.

Under the leadership of head coach Marziyeh Jafari, who transitioned from a successful 13-year career with Bam Khatoon FC, the Iranian team has a solid foundation of players from the club level. Key players, including goalkeeper Raha Yazdani, defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh, midfielder Melika Motevalli, and forward Zahra Ghanbari, will form the backbone of the squad as they attempt to bring their club experience to the international arena.

Nevertheless, Singapore cannot be underestimated, especially since a second consecutive defeat could severely jeopardize their chances of qualifying. The Lionesses face injury troubles, with head coach Karim Bencherifa dealing with the absence of several players—Ardhra Arul, Farah Nurzahirah, Syazwani Ruzi, and Nurhidayu Naszri—who were forced to exit the recent match against Bhutan early on. Concurrently, Bhutan will be playing against Lebanon on the same day, adding to the competitive atmosphere of the qualifiers.