Sydney: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday announced that it has formally protested to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) concerning the “unfair treatment” of Taiwanese soccer fans during a 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup match held in Australia on Tuesday.

According to Focus Taiwan, during Taiwan’s 3-1 victory over India, former national team coach Chen Kuei-jen, who was present in the stands, was asked to vacate Western Sydney Stadium after he shouted “Go Go Taiwan.” MOFA has urged tournament organizers to ensure the protection of human rights and fairness, revealing that a letter of protest regarding the treatment of Taiwanese fans has been sent to the AFC.

Chen, who accompanied the team as an advisor to Taiwan’s Ministry of Sports, reported to CNA that stadium staff initially instructed him not to stand while cheering for the national team. Later, during halftime, he was approached by four or five staff members and asked to leave the venue. Despite being surprised by the request, Chen noted that his game pass was not confiscated, suggesting he might still attend future matches.

The AFC enforces a policy against the display of political messages or imagery by spectators. Reports indicate that Chen’s chant of “Go Go Taiwan” was perceived as a political statement. Chiao Chia-hung, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Women’s Football Players Association, also present at the match, informed CNA that, in addition to this incident, many Taiwanese fans had their placards removed before the game began because they featured the names and photos of Taiwanese players.

The Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) stated that the AFC has instructed that fans should refer to the team as “Chinese Taipei,” in line with Taiwan’s official designation in the tournament.

Taiwan’s team, after their victory over India, a defeat to Japan 2-0, and a win against Vietnam 1-0, secured second place in Group C with a 2-1 record. This performance has allowed them to automatically progress to the quarterfinals, where they will compete against China in Perth on March 14.