Fifth member of Iranian women's soccer team withdraws Australia asylum offer

Record ID: 2365847

  • Title: Fifth member of Iranian women's soccer team withdraws Australia asylum offer
  • Date: 16th March 2026
  • Summary: GREELEY, COLORADO, UNITED STATES (MARCH 16, 2026) (REUTERS) JBS MEATPACKING PLANT EMPLOYEES MARCHING, HOLDING PLACARDS, DURING STRIKE DEMONSTRATION, ONE EMPLOYEE SPEAKING ON MEGAPHONE EMPLOYEES MARCHING, HOLDING PLACARD, DANCING TO MUSIC AND CHEERING DEMONSTRATORS WALKING ON SIDE OF STREET HOLDING PLACARDS DEMONSTRATORS WALKING ON SIDEWALK HOLDING PLACARDS (MUTE) DRONE VIE
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Asian Cup Australia Iran Iran women's football team Lionesses Malaysia asylum football humanitarian visa soccer
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: Australia
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA003428816032026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A fifth member of the Iranian women's soccer team who had sought asylum in Australia has changed her mind and decided to return home to Iran, Australian media reported on Monday (March 16).
    Australian Minister for Education Jason Clare said that he is proud that Australia offered the players a choice, but "ultimately it is their choice if they wanted to take up that offer or not and some have chosen not to."
    Australia had granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member last week from the Iranian squad after they sought asylum over fears of possible persecution upon returning home. The concerns came after they failed to sing the national anthem at a Women's Asian Cup match.
    Three members of the delegation on Sunday (March 15) decided to abandon the asylum offer. Another member changed her mind last week, leaving only two members in Australia.
    The members who have decided to decline Australia's asylum offer are expected to join the rest of the team in Malaysia before leaving for Tehran soon "to once again be embraced by their families and homeland," the Iranian Football Association said.
    The Iranian team's campaign in the Asian Cup started just as the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament a week ago.
    (Production: James Redmayne)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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