Australia grants protection to Iranian women’s soccer team members

Two more members of the Iranian women’s soccer team were granted asylum in Australia , just before the rest of the squad departed, Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed Wednesday. This raises the total number of team members receiving humanitarian visas to seven, following five players who sought asylum earlier.

One of the latest recipients was a player and the other a team staffer , both making their requests privately before their teammates were transported to the airport. The remainder of the team left Sydney amid protests from Iranian Australians , who feared for the women’s safety in Iran.

The squad had arrived for the Women’s Asian Cup last month, shortly before the outbreak of war in Iran on Feb. 28 . Knocked out over the weekend, the women faced returning to a nation under bombardment. Australia offered them a chance to consider asylum individually, without pressure , through interpreters. Burke said, “ The choice that Australia gave… is a choice every individual should be entitled to .” Temporary visas were granted, leading to permanent residency, while some team members were ineligible due to links with Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard .

The team had drawn widespread attention in Australia after initially not singing the Iranian anthem, a moment Burke described as a “ silence heard as a roar all around the world .” Iranian officials criticized the asylum offers, calling it interference in family affairs and warning that political commentary could impact the 2026 World Cup .

The saga underscores the intersection of courage, safety, and international diplomacy , highlighting the personal choices athletes face amid conflict.