Five members of Iran’s women’s national football team have been granted humanitarian visas to remain in Australia after fleeing their Gold Coast hotel amid fears of persecution for refusing to sing the Islamic Republic’s national anthem during the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup 2026.
Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke confirmed the five players as captain Zahra Ghanbari, midfielders Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Sarbali Alishah, and Mona Hamoudi, and defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh. Burke said he had personally told the five players “they are welcome to stay in Australia, that they are safe here, and they should feel at home here.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the asylum grants on Tuesday and said the offer remained open to the rest of the squad. “We’re willing to provide assistance to other women in the team,” he said, adding that it was ultimately the players’ own choice whether to accept. “We say to them, if you want our help, help is here, and we will provide that.”
The crisis began on March 2 when the players stood in silence during Iran’s national anthem before their opening Asian Cup match against South Korea, a gesture that triggered immediate condemnation from hardliners back home. An Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting presenter labelled the players “wartime traitors,” saying: “Traitors during wartime must be dealt with more severely.” The team sang and saluted for their two subsequent matches, a move activists said was forced upon them by Iranian officials travelling with the squad.
Iran were eliminated from the tournament on Sunday after a 2-0 defeat to the Philippines, triggering an immediate international response. Players were seen making the international SOS distress signal from inside the team bus as it left the stadium, with Iranian fans outside chanting “let them go” and banging on the side of the vehicle.
US President Donald Trump intervened on Monday, calling on Prime Minister Albanese to grant the players asylum or warning Australia would be making a “terrible humanitarian mistake.” Within two hours he posted again, saying he had spoken with Albanese directly: “He’s on it. Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way. Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families.”
Iran’s women’s team delegation head Farideh Shojaei said direct flights home had been cancelled due to regional airspace disruptions caused by the ongoing Iran war, and that officials were exploring alternative routes including transiting through Turkey and travelling overland by bus.
Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref dismissed the international attention as “psychological warfare” and insisted Iran welcomed its citizens home with open arms.
Global players’ union FIFPRO said it had been unable to make direct contact with the squad and called on FIFA, the AFC, and the Australian government to ensure all players retained full agency over their next steps, acknowledging that some may genuinely wish to return while others may not.
