Five members of Iran’s women’s national football team have been allowed to remain in Australia after being granted humanitarian visas, following fears they could face punishment if they returned home.
The development comes amid growing concern about the safety of Iranian athletes and women activists, particularly those who have publicly challenged state authority.
According to news agency ANI, the players – Zahra Sarbali, Fatemeh Pasandideh, Atefeh Ramezanizadeh, Zahra Ghanbari, and Mona Hamoudi – sought help from Australian authorities after leaving their team supervisors at a hotel on the Gold Coast. They had travelled to Australia for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Officials later moved them to a secure location.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government approved humanitarian visas after an overnight process.
“I signed off last night for their applications to go onto humanitarian visas and a little bit after 1.30 am this morning the processing was completed by the Department of Home Affairs,” Burke said.
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
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the women were now safe in the country.
“Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women. They’re safe here, and they should feel at home here,” Albanese said.
Anthem protest and safety fears triggered crisis
Concerns about the players’ safety surfaced during the tournament when the Iranian team did not sing the national anthem before their opening match against South Korea. The move was widely seen as a sign of protest.
Iranian state media reportedly criticised the players and called them “traitors”.
The tension appeared to escalate after the team’s final group-stage match against the Philippines. Reports said some players signalled distress as their bus departed the stadium.
Activists and members of the Iranian diaspora in Australia urged authorities to protect the players, warning they could face serious consequences if forced to return to Iran.
International pressure and political attention
As a result, the situation attracted global attention.
US President Donald Trump urged Australia to grant asylum to the athletes. In a post on Truth Social, he warned that sending them back could endanger their lives.
“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Women’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed. Don’t do it. Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The US will take them if you won’t. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote.
He later praised the Australian government after learning that visas had been granted.
“Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way,” he wrote, adding that some players may still choose to return because of fears for their families in Iran.
The episode has renewed international scrutiny over the risks faced by Iranian sportswomen and activists during a period of political tension involving Iran.