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  "path": "/sport/football/iran-women-football-team-middle-east-asylum-australia",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-17T01:45:29.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Iranian women's football team",
    "raised by human rights activists and Donald Trump",
    "Iran football captain 'performs U-turn on asylum bid' amid conflict in the Middle East",
    "WATCH: Protesters attempt to blockade Iranian soccer team from leaving Australia hotel",
    "Donald Trump warns Iran women’s football team 'will most likely be killed' as he makes asylum demand",
    "team was embraced as \"heroes\"",
    "Human rights activists said players",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nThe Iranian women's football team will return to the Middle East after the majority of the seven squad members who were seeking asylum in Australia reversed their decisions.\n\nWindsor John, the general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), said he was told the team is now flying to Oman - but this is not their final destination.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHe said he was not aware of their full travel plans, which have been organised by the Iranian embassy, and it remains unclear if the team will return to Iran.\n\nWhen asked if the team would be safe in Iran, he said the AFC and FIFA would check up on the team regularly.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nThe team flew from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on March 10 after being eliminated from the Women's Asian Cup in Australia.\n\nConcerns for the team were raised by human rights activists and Donald Trump when the players did not sing the Iranian national anthem in protest before a match.\n\nThe US President urged Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to offer the squad asylum.\n\nSix players and a member of staff then stayed in Australia having accepted protection visas and seeking asylum.\n\nBut four of the players, as well as the staffer, have since reversed course and have reunited with their team in Kuala Lumpur.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe AFC chief claimed there were no direct complaints from players about returning home, despite media reports about retaliation they might face.\n\nAustralia's Assistant Immigration Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said the situation was \"very complex\" and added the Government respects the decisions of the football players who chose to return to the team.\n\nHe added the Government will \"continue to offer support to the two that are remaining\".\n\nThe two players who stayed in Australia have now been moved to an undisclosed safe location and are receiving aid from the Government and the Iranian community.\n\n### IRAN'S WOMEN - READ MORE:\n\n\n\n\n  * Iran football captain 'performs U-turn on asylum bid' amid conflict in the Middle East\n  * WATCH: Protesters attempt to blockade Iranian soccer team from leaving Australia hotel\n  * Donald Trump warns Iran women’s football team 'will most likely be killed' as he makes asylum demand\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe team was embraced as \"heroes\" by Iran's former men's coach Afshin Ghotbi, who said their decision to stay silent during the national anthem brought him to tears.\n\nIran's embassy in Canberra remains staffed, despite the Australian Government expelling the ambassador and cutting off diplomatic relations in August.\n\nAustralian political scientist Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who was imprisoned in Iran between 2018 and 2020, said \"winning the propaganda war\" had overshadowed the welfare and safety of the women.\n\nHuman rights activists said players were coerced to abandoning their asylum claims through intimidation targeting relatives back home.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nBut Iranian state TV claimed the players were pressured to seek asylum by the Australian authorities.\n\nIran's Tasnim news agency said the players were \"returning to the warm embrace of their family and homeland\".\n\nFears remain that the team faces persecution and jail upon their arrival to Iran.\n\nThe team has already lost one player.\n\nZahra Azadpour, 27, is said to have been shot dead in January by Iranian forces while protesting against the regime in Karaj.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Iran women's footballers to return to Middle East after REVERSING asylum decision"
}