NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Earlier this month, Australia granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who were visiting the country for a tournament when the United States and Israel launched a joint military campaign against the country. The other members of the team, however, faced uncertainty.
After the team was eliminated from the Women’s Asian Cup, most of the players who had initially applied for asylum later changed their minds.
On Wednesday, all but two finally returned to Iran after refusing offers of asylum in Australia, according to unconfirmed reports from Iranian state media.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
A video circulating on social media showed the footballers entering Iran after landing from a flight in Türkiye. These same athletes were previously seen traveling across the country by bus shortly after returning from their flight to Iran. Several officials were reportedly present at the border when the football team arrived.
Members of the Iranian women’s football team board a bus at Igdir airport to join Dogubeyazit in Igdir, March 18, 2026. (Ali Ihsan Ozturk/AFP via Getty Images)
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were the two members of the Iranian national team who reportedly chose to stay in Australia. Both trained with the Brisbane Roar club.
IRAN WRESTLING CHAMPION DENOUNCES COUNTRY’S TREATMENT OF FEMALE ATHLETES AMID FOOTBALL PLAYERS’ CONCERNS
The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the tournament shortly before the start of the war on 28 February. The team first gained worldwide attention after some players remained silent during the Iranian national anthem before their first match.
Members of the Iranian women’s football team leave Igdir airport while waiting to reach Dogubeyazit, Igdir, March 18, 2026. (Ali Ihsan Ozturk/AFP via Getty Images)
When the team was eliminated from the tournament and faced with the prospect of returning to a bombed country, calls grew for the Australian government to offer asylum to the women. Iranian groups in Australia and President Donald Trump were among those who expressed fears for the women’s safety.
Iran’s first vice president, Mohammad Reza Aref, last week rejected suggestions that women would not be safe if they returned home, saying the country “welcomes its children with open arms and the government guarantees their safety.”
Trump also commented on the Iranian men’s team’s participation in the World Cup, suggesting last week that while the team is “welcome” to compete in the United States after qualifying, it might not be “appropriate.”
Iranian players pose for a team photo before a 2026 FIFA World Cup Asia Qualifiers Group A match against North Korea at the Azadi Sports Complex in Tehran on June 10, 2025. (Atta Kenaré/AFP)
“The Iranian national soccer team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t think it’s appropriate for them to be there, for their own lives and safety,” Trump wrote in a message published in Truth Social on March 12.
The Iranian men’s team is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California against New Zealand on June 15. They are also scheduled to face Belgium on June 21 before finishing the group match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The United States will host the tournament along with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
