Iranian footballers granted asylum. Australia announced Tuesday that it has granted asylum to five players from the Iranian women’s national team who are in the country after participating in the Asia Cup, while other members of the team remain in Sydney waiting to travel to Malaysia in the coming hours, according to the Australian public broadcaster ABC.
After U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called on the Australian government to grant asylum to the Iranian women’s national team and warned that Washington would receive the athletes if Canberra did not agree to shelter them, the Oceanic country’s authorities reported on Tuesday that they had granted humanitarian visas to five of the 25 called-up athletes.
Australia confirms protection for Iranian soccer players
“Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirms that humanitarian visas have been issued to five members of the Iranian women’s football team.
Iran latest ➡️ https://t.co/qxrxv21OTY
📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/2PiO7vqcfa
– Sky News (@SkyNews) March 9, 2026
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke by phone with Trump about the situation of the players, according to the Australian country’s leader.
In a conversation in which he told the U.S. president that five players who requested assistance in not returning to Iran after the tournament had already received protection and were in a safe place.
Albanese said today that government support remains available to other team members should they also choose to apply for assistance.
Around midnight local time, ABC reported that at least two other players have reportedly sought asylum in Australia.
However, the authorities have only confirmed the authorization of five humanitarian visas for the time being.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said from Sydney airport that more members of the ensemble have asked to stay, according to the same media outlet.
Iranian sportswomen, who arrived in Australia for the women’s Asia Cup last month before the start of the war in Iran, were the subject of controversy.
This after failing to sing the national anthem during their championship debut in a match against the South Korean national team.
Although they did sing it in their second and third games.
An Iranian state television called the players, who ended their participation in the tournament on Sunday after being eliminated, “traitors” (Filed under: Iranian footballers receive asylum).
“Desire to stay.”
Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian Women’s Soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe and have a home here. pic.twitter.com/2JQp9q9Z8W
– Tony Burke (@Tony_Burke) March 9, 2026
Burke explained Tuesday that talks with the players began in the early hours of the previous day.
Finally, five of them expressed their desire to stay, after which they were transferred to a safe place with the support of the Federal Police.
The minister pointed out that the athletes insisted that their intention is not to engage in political activism, but to ensure their personal safety.
And that the authorization of the humanitarian visas followed consultations with the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) to confirm that there were no objections.
The head of the Interior Ministry stressed that not all members of the Iranian team will take the same path (Filed under: Iranian footballers receive asylum)
Uncertain fate of the rest of the team
Five Iranian Women Footballers Granted Humanitarian Visas in Australia After Refusing National Anthem
The players, fearing repercussions at home, were allowed to stay following their Asian Cup exit. Immigration Minister Tony Burke emphasized they are athletes seeking safety,… pic.twitter.com/cwxfhiYqos
– Washington Eye (@washington_EY) March 10, 2026
A bus with national team players left a hotel in the Australian city of Gold Coast (northeast) on Tuesday under police escort.
He headed for the local airport amid tension over the granting of asylum to five players.
ABC found that the vehicle left the resort where the players were staying, the Royal Pines Resort, shortly after 13:00 local time (03:00 GMT).
While dozens of demonstrators tried to prevent their departure shouting “save our girls”.
At around 20:30 local time (9:30 GMT), an uncertain number of members of the group arrived in a bus escorted by the Federal Police on the tarmac at Sydney airport.
From where they are expected to travel on a Malaysian Airlines flight to Kuala Lumpur in the next few hours, according to ABC.
It is not known if this will be their final destination.
The Australian authorities have not confirmed the departure of the athletes for the moment (Filed as: Iranian footballers receive asylum).
“Concern” for others
Other members of the team remain in Sydney
QuéOnnda.com
The international human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) on Tuesday welcomed the Australian government’s decision to grant humanitarian visas to five Iranian footballers.
While expressing concern for the safety of the rest of the team.
AI said in a statement that there are “serious concerns” for the safety of the players who did not apply for asylum, possibly numbering around 20.
In this context, the organization indicated that Australia “has clear obligations” under the Refugee Convention.
It must therefore protect people with a well-founded fear of persecution in their home countries.
And he expressed his confidence that the government will maintain this commitment when evaluating requests for protection from those fleeing persecution or conflicts in the region (Filed as: Iranian footballers receive asylum).
With information from EFE
For more information, visit QuéOnnda.com
