Australia was forced to move several members of the Iran women’s national football team from a secret location after one player changed her mind about seeking refuge and revealed their whereabouts to the Iran embassy. Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke revealed this in their parliament on Wednesday.

Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian Women’s Soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe and have a home here. pic.twitter.com/2JQp9q9Z8W

— Tony Burke (@Tony_Burke) March 9, 2026

Seven members of the Iranian football squad, who had travelled to Australia to participate in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, were granted asylum due to concerns over their safety back home. The concerns arose after several members of the team refused to sing the Iranian national anthem before their opening match against South Korea as a silent protest.

A member of the Iranian team changes her mind

This led to threats being issued against them and their family members if they returned home. The Australian government then granted humanitarian visas to six players and one staff member. However, one of them later changed her mind and contacted the Iranian embassy, which created a security risk for the others, forcing Australia to relocate the rest.

“One of the two who had made the decision to stay last night, had spoken to some of the teammates who had left and had changed her mind. In Australia people are able to change their mind. We respect the context in which she had made that decision,” Burke said on March 11, a day after the rest of the team left the country via Sydney following their group stage losses in the tournament.

“Unfortunately, in making that decision, she’d been advised by her teammates and coach to contact the Iranian embassy and to get collected. I immediately gave the instruction for people to be moved, and that’s been dealt with immediately,” he added.

Iranian women’s team asylum controversy explained

Initially, only five players – Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi – had sought the humanitarian visas from Australia. Another player Mohaddeseh Zolfi and a support staff member Zahra Soltan Meshkeh Kar later joined them after also deciding not to go back to Iran. However, one of them now wants to go back home.

The members of the Iranian team, who stayed back, have protested against the Islamist regime, especially to show support for the recent anti-government protests.

Last night I travelled to Brisbane and Sydney in case any additional members of the Iranian women’s football team wanted to seek assistance from Australia.

— Tony Burke (@Tony_Burke) March 10, 2026

After the Iranian players refused to sing the national anthem, they were reportedly labelled as traitors on state television due to the ongoing war in the country. This raised serious concerns regarding their safety if they returned home. The United States and Israel attacked Iran late last month and killed their Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran then responded with missile strikes, attacking Israel and other countries in West Asia, which they believe are close associates of the US.

Meanwhile, the head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, has reportedly accused the United States and Australia of taking the players hostage. As per CNN, Mehdi told state television that US President Donald Trump threatened Australia to give everyone asylum, referring to his earlier statement, where
Trump had urged Australia to allow the Iranian team to stay back or else they would “most likely be killed.”

In other news, the
Iranian men’s football team has withdrawn from the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iran’s Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali has said that they are in no circumstance to go to the US for the World Cup due to the ongoing war.