Overview
- Five players — Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi — left the team base on the Gold Coast and are in a safe location under Australian protection, according to exiled sources and local reporting.
- President Donald Trump publicly urged Australia to grant asylum, said he spoke with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and offered U.S. refuge if needed, while indicating some players fear for their families if they do not return.
- FIFA said the team’s safety is a priority and it is in close contact with the AFC and Australian authorities, as FIFPRO and Professional Footballers Australia reported serious welfare concerns and difficulty reaching players.
- The crisis followed several players standing silent for Iran’s anthem in their opener, after which Iranian state TV figures branded them “traitors,” with subsequent anthem singing and salutes in later matches reported as possibly under pressure.
- Supporters confronted the team bus after Iran’s elimination, videos showed players making distress signals, petitions urged Australia to prevent departures, and officials cited privacy rules in declining to discuss individual cases.