Brazil arrived in Brisbane ahead of the Women’s World Cup, landing in a plane paying tribute to women in Iran.

The plane was plastered in slogans of solidarity with the Iranian protests, such as ‘No woman should be forced to cover her head,’ ‘No woman should be killed for not covering her head,’ and ‘No man should be hanged for saying this.’

Mahsa Amini was killed in September of 2022, after being arrested for not wearing her hijab correctly. Her death sparked months of protests in Iran, leading to the deaths of hundreds of civilians.

A photo of Amini covered one side of the plane’s tail, while the other side included a photo of Amir Nasr Azadani, an Iranian footballer sentenced to 26 years in prison for participating in the protests. Two other men were sentenced to death in December for their participation in the protests.

Brazil’s act of solidarity comes after FIFA banned players from wearing the One Love armband at this summer’s tournament, providing captains with eight alternative armbands highlighting different social causes.

The Brazilian national team’s unique and open act of protest has introduced a new way for teams to vocalise their beliefs off the field when on-pitch actions are being repressed.