Concerns and uncertainty have grown over the return home of the Iranian women’s soccer team from Australia during the Israel-US war and alleged threats to its security.
Iran were eliminated from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 on Sunday when they lost their final group match against the Philippines in Gold Coast, Australia.
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However, it is not the team’s performance on the field but their trip home that has caused a stir as the global footballers’ union and human rights activists urge the Australian government and tournament organizers to extend the players’ stay in the host country.
FIFPRO, which represents professional footballers globally, said on Monday there were serious concerns for the well-being of Iranians as they prepared to return home after being labeled “wartime traitors” for refusing to sing their national anthem before an Asian Cup match.
Beau Busch, FIFPRO president for Asia and Oceania, said the union had been unable to contact the players to discuss whether they would like to apply for asylum in Australia.
“The reality right now is that we can’t get in touch with the players. That’s incredibly concerning. That’s not something new. This has really happened since the crackdown really ramped up in February and January,” Busch told reporters in Australia.
“So we are really worried about the players, but our responsibility now is to do everything in our power to try to make sure they are safe.”
Busch said the organization was working with FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Australian government to ensure “all pressure is applied” to protect players and give them “agency over what happens next.”
“It’s a really challenging situation,” he said.
“There may be players who want to return. There may be some players within the group who want to apply for asylum and stay in Australia for longer.”
More than 66,000 people have also signed a petition calling on the Australian government to ensure the players, who are still in Queensland, do not leave “while credible fears remain for their safety”.
Australia’s Home Office told Al Jazeera it would not comment on “the team’s travel plans”, while the AFC did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
Footage from outside the team hotel on the Gold Coast showed the presence of Queensland Police Service vehicles, as well as hotel security cordoning off part of the hotel entrance.
Players ‘eager to return’ to Iran
While the players have not publicly expressed any concerns for their own safety, they have spoken of the difficulty of playing in a tournament thousands of miles from home while being “completely disconnected” from their families during the US-Israeli attacks.
Australian media quoted their head coach, Marziyeh Jafari, as saying the players want to return to Iran “as soon as we can.”
“I want to be with my country and my home… We can’t wait to get back,” the Australian Associated Press quoted Jafari as saying in a post-match news conference.
Human rights activists and members of Australia’s Iranian community raised fears about the team’s well-being after players saluted and sang the national anthem before their second and third Asia Cup matches.
This contrasted with their decision to remain silent during the playing of the anthem before the first match and led FIFPRO to urge the AFC and FIFA to protect the Iranian team after an Iranian state television presenter branded them “traitors in wartime”.
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting host Mohammad Reza Shahbazi said in a video that the players showed a lack of patriotism and that their actions amounted to the “pinnacle of dishonour” in images widely circulated on social media.
“Let me say just one thing: traitors in times of war must be treated more severely,” Shahbazi said.
“Anyone who takes a step against the country under conditions of war must be treated more severely, like this issue of our women’s soccer team not singing the national anthem… These people must be treated more severely.”
In response, FIFPRO issued a strong and extensive statement outlining its concerns.
Video on social media showed dozens of protesters chanting “Let them go” and slowing down the team bus as it left the stadium after Sunday’s game. Protesters also chanted “Save our girls” as Australian police and security cleared the way for the team bus to leave the stadium.
Team Iran has no further training or official appearances scheduled in the tournament, which concludes with a final on March 21.
The United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and sparking conflict across the region, as Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and other Middle Eastern countries where U.S. forces operate.
As a result of the war, 1,255 people have been killed in Iran, including 165 girls whose primary school was attacked in the first wave of attacks.
