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Iran captain latest footballer to drop asylum bid, Iranian state media says
Five team members withdrew asylum claims amid safety fears and pressure on relatives, leaving only two players remaining in Australia, officials said.
- On Monday night, the Iranian women's soccer team will depart Malaysia after most of the seven squad members reversed asylum decisions and rejoined in Kuala Lumpur, with the Iranian embassy arranging their flight to Oman.
- On March 10, 2026, the squad flew from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur after arriving in Australia shortly before Feb. 28, with six players and one support staff member accepting protection visas, according to officials.
- Asian Football Confederation general secretary Windsor John said oversight will continue as the AFC supports the team in Kuala Lumpur and monitors their flight to Oman, adding FIFA will check regularly with the Iranian football federation 'as they are our girls as well.'
- Iranian authorities framed the rejections of asylum as a political victory against Australia and U.S. President Donald Trump, while the Australian government says two players remaining in Australia are in safe accommodation and receiving support.
- Safety concerns grew after the anthem incident, with the Iranian diaspora in Australia blaming Tehran, while no public explanation was given for the reversals and Kylie Moore-Gilbert warned of a 'propaganda war'.
83 Articles
83 Articles
Four Iranian soccer team members abandon asylum bid
After members of Iran’s women’s soccer team refused to sing their national anthem and were labeled “wartime traitors” by Iranian state media, seven were granted asylum in Australia. Now, only two remain after several reversed their decision. CNN’s Christina Macfarlane reports.
As a result of regime threats to their families back in Iran, just two of seven Iranian women’s soccer team members granted asylum in Australia, remain in Australia
Another Iranian soccer player has dropped her asylum bid with the Australian government after several members of the team decided they would return to Iran over the weekend. Seven members of the delegation, including a staff member, received humanitarian visas from the Australian government last week after opting not to travel back to Iran. […]
More and more Iranian players are now relinquishing asylum in Australia and returning to their home country despite the war. Now the captain has also left. The team is still in Malaysia.
By Christina Macfarlane, Sana Noor Haq and Alessandra Freitas, CNN - Five members of Iran's women's national soccer team withdrew their asylum applications and departed from Australia for Iran, the latest in a series of reversals involving players who initially sought refuge during the Asian Women's Cup. This leaves only two Iranian women in Australia on humanitarian visas, following intense activity by immigration authorities after the team's e…
Fifth asylum-seeking women's soccer player decides to return to Iran
A fifth member of the Iranian women's national soccer team who originally decided to remain in Australia on a refugee visa had a chance of heart and decided to return home Sunday evening, the Australian government announced.
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