Australia grants asylum to five players of Iran women’s football team

Five members of Iran’s women’s national football team who left the squad while in Australia and sought refuge in the country have been granted humanitarian visas, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said as he met the players, now unveiled.

The players – Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramezani-Zadeh and Mona Hamoudi -left the team’s hotel in the city of Gold Coast and are currently in a safe location.

The development comes after days of tension surrounding the team during an Asian tournament in Australia.

The issue caught the attention of President Donald Trump who posted twice on Truth Social on Monday – first after learning that the players were seeking asylum following threats from senior Iranian officials, who warned them of harsh punishment for refusing to sing the Islamic Republic’s anthem.

Later, Trump confirmed he had spoken with Australia’s Prime Minister.

“I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia concerning the Iranian National Women’s Soccer Team,” Trump wrote. “He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way.”

In a heartfelt post, Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, shared photos with the football players on X and wrote that they are “welcome to stay in Australia to be safe and have a home here.”

The players were required to wear compulsory hijab during all public appearances while representing the national team.

The controversy surrounding the team began earlier in the tournament when members of the squad refused to sing the national anthem of the Islamic Republic before their first match against South Korea.

Images of the players and coaching staff standing silently during the anthem quickly spread on social media, with many interpreting the gesture as a protest against the government.

In their second match against Australia, however, the players were seen giving a military salute and singing the anthem after what reports described as threats and warnings from security officials accompanying the delegation.

An Iranian state television host later threatened the team on air, saying both the public and officials should treat them as “war-time traitors.”

Tensions escalated further after the team’s final match, when videos circulated online showing Iranians living in Australia attempting to stop the team bus as it left the stadium.