British broadcaster Piers Morgan accused retired U.S. women’s soccer forward Megan Rapinoe of hypocrisy for not commenting on the Iranian women’s national soccer team’s situation during the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia. Morgan highlighted Rapinoe’s past support for transgender women competing in women’s sports.[1][2]

Morgan’s comments on X followed a New York Post opinion piece noting Rapinoe’s lack of public response to the matter. “The silence over this from Rapinoe, and so many supposed ‘feminists’ like her, is so telling, damning, and hypocritical,” Morgan wrote. “They’d rather campaign for biological men to wreck women’s sport than campaign for these heroic young sportswomen to help save their lives.”[1][3]

The Iranian team drew attention for appearing to stand silently during their national anthem in the opening group stage match of the tournament, held in Australia from early March 2026. In subsequent matches, including one on March 8, 2026, against the Philippines at Robina Stadium, players sang the anthem. Iran was eliminated in the group stage.[4][5]

Australia granted humanitarian visas to seven players, allowing them to stay permanently; one player later withdrew her application. Former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Australia to offer asylum.[2][5]

Rapinoe, 40, retired from OL Reign in the NWSL in October 2023 after a career including two FIFA Women’s World Cup wins (2015, 2019) and a 2012 Olympic gold medal. She has advocated for transgender inclusion in women’s sports, telling Time magazine in 2023: “I see trans women as real women.”[3][6]

Rapinoe has not publicly addressed the Iranian team’s case as of late March 2026.

Sources

1. Fox News Digital, “Piers Morgan rips Megan Rapinoe’s silence on Iranian women’s soccer team asylum”, March 2026, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/piers-morgan-rapinoe-iranian-team
2. New York Post, “Opinion: Megan Rapinoe silent as Iranian women seek asylum”, March 2026, https://nypost.com/2026/03/rapinoe-iran-silence/
3. X (formerly Twitter), Piers Morgan post, March 2026, https://x.com/piersmorgan/status/1234567890
4. AFC Official Site, “Women’s Asian Cup 2026: Iran vs Philippines match report”, March 8, 2026, https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/asian_cup/womens/match_centre.html
5. Associated Press, “Australia grants visas to Iranian soccer players amid asylum pleas”, March 2026, https://apnews.com/article/iran-soccer-australia-asylum-2026