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Earlier in the week, one player had already withdrawn her asylum request and rejoined the team, who are returning to Iran via Malaysia, according to Iranian media.
Iran Women’s Football Team. (X)
Two additional players from the Iranian women’s football team, which participated in the Asian Cup in Australia, along with one backroom staff member, have rescinded their asylum requests in the country, Iranian state media announced on Saturday.
Initially, seven members of the visiting delegation – six players and one backroom staff member – sought asylum in Australia after being labelled “traitors” for not singing the national anthem during the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US and its ally, Israel.
Earlier in the week, one player had already withdrawn her asylum request and rejoined the team, who are returning to Iran via Malaysia, according to Iranian media and Australian authorities.
State broadcaster IRIB reported on Saturday that “two players and a member of the technical staff of the women’s national football team have withdrawn their asylum applications in Australia and are currently en route to Malaysia.”
A picture of the three women, wearing Islamic hijabs, was posted as they appeared to be boarding a plane. The rest of the team is believed to still be in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, awaiting their return to Iran.
According to Australian authorities, the first woman who changed her mind about the asylum application revealed the location of the other asylum seekers when she contacted Iran’s embassy in Australia, forcing them to relocate to a new safe house.
Rights groups have frequently accused Iranian authorities of pressuring athletes abroad by threatening their relatives or seizing property if they defect or speak out against the Islamic republic.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the women’s bravery, assuring that they would be welcomed with open arms.
However, Iran’s football governing body accused Australia of kidnapping the players and coercing them to abandon their home nation against their will.
Iranian players remained silent during the national anthem before a tournament match in Australia, an act seen as defiance against the Islamic republic.
A presenter on Iranian state TV labelled the players “wartime traitors”, raising concerns about potential persecution or worse if they returned home.
Five players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, slipped away from the team hotel under the cover of darkness to seek asylum in Australia. Two more team members – a player and a support staffer – claimed asylum before the team departed Sydney earlier this week.
(With Inputs From Agencies)
March 14, 2026, 21:15 IST
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