TEHRAN – Marzieh Jafari, head coach of Iran’s women’s national football team, says self-criticism is essential as the team prepare for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Team Melli Banovan have been drawn into Group A, alongside Australia, Korea Republic, and the Philippines.

Iran will open their campaign against Korea Republic on March 2.

“The national team camp will begin on Feb. 11, after the conclusion of the Iran Women’s Premier League, at the National Football Center,” Jafari said. “We have only about one month until our first official match in the Asian Cup, which makes the preparation process very difficult and sensitive.”

Referring to the limited time remaining before the tournament in Australia, she added:“Without a doubt, lack of time is one of our main challenges. Preparing a national team under ideal conditions requires more time, but at the moment we are dealing with league commitments and calendar limitations. Honestly, limited access to players has made the preparation process difficult, and this has caused us some concern. Self-criticism is a fundamental principle for us so that we can make more precise decisions in the remaining time.”

“In this short period, we must work simultaneously on the players’ mental, physical, and technical readiness and bring them to optimal condition. That is why every training session is extremely important, and we must make the most of every opportunity,” she said. “The Asian Cup is a high-pressure tournament with a high technical level, and players must be fully prepared both mentally and physically.”

Jafari emphasized that managing training load, maintaining player health, and improving team cohesion are key priorities. “We hope the players enter the camp without injuries, because at this stage any injury can significantly affect our preparation. With such limited time, there is no room to compensate for mistakes or long interruptions.”

She also pointed to the team’s recent preparations: “During the most recent FIFA window, when we traveled to Uzbekistan for two friendly matches, we played with our second team. We had planned to play a preparatory match in Australia before the Asian Cup, but that was not possible.”

“We criticize ourselves so that we can correct our weaknesses in the remaining time. Our ultimate goal is the success of Iranian women. With unity, cooperation, and proper planning, we can send a prepared and cohesive team to Australia and be a worthy representative of Iranian women’s football,” Jafari concluded.