Iranian women’s football team arrives in Turkiye on journey home

Published March 17, 2026 Updated March 17, 2026 10:11pm

The Iranian women’s football team has arrived in Istanbul on their way home from Malaysia, after five players withdrew asylum claims they had lodged in Australia, Reuters reports.

Australia granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member after they sought asylum, saying they feared persecution if they returned to Iran.

Concerns over their safety surfaced after several players failed to sing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month.

Five of the group have since changed their minds and decided to return home, with Australian media reporting the latest withdrawal on Monday.

They rejoined the rest of the squad in Kuala Lumpur, where the team had been staying since leaving Sydney last week, leaving only two players still in Australia.

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