Australia offers asylum to 5 Iranian footballers amid security concerns at home
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Australia has granted asylum to five players from the Iranian women’s soccer team who were visiting for a tournament when the US-Israeli offensive against Iran began.
Australian police on Tuesday moved five women from their hotel on the Gold Coast, Australia, to a “place of safety” after they applied for asylum to meet Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and complete the processing of their humanitarian visas.
“Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian Women’s Soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, be safe and have a home here,” Burke told X.
The move comes after the team refused to sing Iran’s national anthem before their first Asian Women’s Cup match earlier last week against South Korea, although they later sang and saluted the national anthem in the next two matches, including before their final game, when they were knocked out by the Philippines.
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Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stands with five Iranian female soccer players who have been granted asylum in Australia, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Australian Ministry of Home Affairs)
“I don’t want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each woman, but last night was a joy, a relief,” Burke told reporters after signing the papers. “People were very excited about starting a life in Australia.”
The five women said they were happy for their names and photos to be published, according to Burke, who emphasized that the players want to make it clear that they are not political activists.
The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the tournament before the start of the war against Iran on February 28.
After the team was eliminated from the competition at the weekend, they faced the possibility of returning to a country that is still plagued by relegation. The team’s coach, Marziyeh Jafari, said on Sunday that the players “want to return to Iran as soon as possible.”
The official team list named 26 players, along with Jafari and other coaches.
While only five players were granted asylum, Burke said the request was granted to everyone on the team.
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Iranian players during their national anthem before the Asian Women’s Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP)
“These women are very popular in Australia, but we can see that they are in a very difficult situation with the decisions they are making,” Burke said. “The opportunity will continue to be there for them to talk to Australian officials if they wish.”
It is not clear when the remaining players will leave Australia.
“Australians are touched by the plight of these brave women,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters. “They are safe here and they must feel at home here.”
“Then they had to think about that and do it in a way that did not harm them or their families and friends back home in Iran,” he continued.
The asylum request came after US President Donald Trump on Monday urged Australia to grant asylum to any member of the group who wanted it.
Trump criticized Australia on social media, saying Australia “made a terrible humanitarian mistake” by allowing the group to be “forced back to Iran, where they will be killed.”
Fans react with a bus carrying the Iranian women’s players following their Women’s Asian Cup soccer match against the Philippines in Gold Coast, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAP Photo via AP)
“America will take them if you don’t want them,” Trump said, despite his administration’s efforts to limit the number of immigrants in the US who can get asylum for political purposes.
A few hours later, Trump praised Albanese in another post.
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“He’s here! Five have been taken care of, and more are on the way,” Trump wrote.
Albanese said Trump called him for a “very good conversation,” about the issue. The prime minister said he explained “the action we have taken in the last 48 hours” to support women.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
