Seven members of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s women’s national football team have applied for asylum in Australia in order to protect their safety. This comes after they refused to sing the Islamic Republic’s national anthem during their first match against South Korea, on the second day following the death of Iran’s leader, Ali Khamenei.

The players’ refusal to sing the anthem was met with threats from state media. A presenter on Iran’s state television described them as traitors and called for their punishment. Under pressure, all players sang the anthem in the following two matches while performing a military salute. It is reported that Mohammad Rahman Salari, a member of the board of the Iran Football Federation who accompanied the team in Australia, pressured the players by searching their mobile phones and threatening their families in Iran.

The list of asylum seekers includes team captain Zahra Ghanbari, who also holds the record for most goals scored in Iran, along with Atefeh Ramazani Zadeh, Fatemeh Pasandideh, Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali, Mohadeseh Zolfi, and coach Soltan Moshkehkar, who was part of the Iranian national team staff.

Following the players’ request for asylum, before the Iranian team was due to leave Australia for Malaysia, officials warned the athletes that they should be concerned about the safety of their families and return to Iran with the team. The Iranian regime has frequently responded to athletes seeking asylum by placing pressure on their families as a form of guarantee. In cases where athletes such as Elnaz Rekabi have deviated from the ideological lines of the Islamic Republic, authorities have attempted to manage the crisis through threats directed at their families.

AFC Womens Asian Cup Australia 2026

Trump voices support for Iranian footballers

At a critical moment when many expected FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to take a public stance in support of the players, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed strong support for the women on the social media platform Truth Social. He described their return to Iran as “a terrible and inhumane mistake” and warned that their lives would be at risk if they went back.

At the same time, Israel’s Minister of Science Gila Gamliel sent a letter to the Australian government urging it to grant asylum to the footballers, describing them as courageous women.

Reza Pahlavi, a prominent figure in the Iranian opposition who appears to enjoy significant support among many Iranians for a potential return to Iran, also reacted to the situation and called on the Australian government to support the players.

The lack of support from the Asian Football Confederation for Iranian athletes has sparked widespread criticism on social media. What is clear is that in the absence of international sports bodies, which many believe should not remain indifferent in such cases, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stood alongside the Iranian players from the earliest hours. Writing on social media, he stated: “Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian women’s national football team that they can stay in Australia, be safe, and have a home here.”

Supporters of Iran are seen in the stadium waving flags