Iran coach Jafari laments race against time in Asian Cup preparation
With only a month remaining until Iran’s opening match at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, national team head coach Marzieh Jafari has admitted that time constraints and limited access to players have turned preparation into a challenging race against the clock.
Iran will begin its Group A campaign against South Korea – finalists in the previous edition – at Gold Coast Stadium on March 2, before taking on the formidable hosts, who reached the last four at the 2023 World Cup on home soil, at the same venue three days later.
The final round of the group phase will see Iran face the Philippines on March 8. The top two teams in each of the three groups, along with the two best third-placed sides, will advance to the quarterfinals.
Speaking about the team’s plans ahead of the continental tournament, Jafari said the national training camp will begin on February 11, immediately after the conclusion of the domestic top-flight season. “In practical terms, we only have about one month until our first match at the Asian Cup,” the Asian Women’s Coach of the Year told the official website of the Iranian Football Federation. “This short time frame makes preparation extremely difficult and sensitive.”
Jafari stressed that the lack of time is the single biggest obstacle facing her squad. Ideally, she noted, national team preparation requires a longer period, but the league calendar and scheduling limitations have restricted access to players. “I must be honest: limited access to the players has disrupted our preparation process. Up to this point, things have not progressed as well as we expected, and that is a concern for us,” she said, emphasizing that self-criticism is essential to making sharper decisions in the remaining time.
The Iran coach underlined that the compressed schedule means the staff must work simultaneously on players’ mental, physical and technical readiness. “Every single training session is crucial for us. The Asian Cup is a high-pressure tournament with a very high technical level, and players must be fully prepared both mentally and physically,” Jafari said. Managing training load, maintaining player health and improving team cohesion are among her top priorities, especially with little room for mistakes or interruptions.
She also pointed to missed opportunities in the build-up to the tournament. During the most recent FIFA international window, Iran traveled to Uzbekistan with a second-string squad for two friendly matches. Plans for a preparatory friendly in Australia ahead of the tournament could not be realized. “Our first match is on March 2, which means we are entering a very tight and decisive period,” Jafari noted, adding that the team is scheduled to depart for Australia on February 24.
Despite the obstacles, Jafari remains hopeful. “We constantly review and criticize our own work so we can fix weaknesses in the time we have left,” she said. “Our ultimate goal is the success of Iranian women’s football. With unity, cooperation and careful planning, we believe we can send a cohesive and well-prepared team to Australia and represent our country with pride.”
Jafari led Iran to a second appearance at the finals in dramatic fashion in July last year, as her team defeated Jordan 2-1 in a must-win final Group A qualifier, topping the host nation on head-to-head criteria.