The Iranian women’s soccer team is splintering after its final Women’s Asian Cup game amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.
The squad has been in Australia for the tournament since shortly before the U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran on Feb. 28.
At their first match of the tournament last week, the team did not sing Iran’s national anthem, echoing a move by their counterparts on the men’s national team at their opening match of the 2022 World Cup.
The women sang the national anthem and saluted for their next two matches, reportedly under pressure.
Five players reportedly defected after Sunday’s game, and the rest face an uncertain prospect, with Iranian government media calling the players “wartime traitors” and saying, “Anyone who takes a step against the country under war conditions must be dealt with more severely.”
It’s now unclear where the rest of the team is headed, and several bodies are calling for Australia to offer the players formal protection.
“The safety and security of IR Iran’s women’s national team are FIFA’s priority, and we therefore remain in close contact with the AFC and the relevant Australian authorities, including Football Australia, in relation to the team’s situation,” a FIFA spokesperson told CNN Sports on Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump made several posts on his Truth Social platform about the team Monday, and said that he spoke with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the “rather delicate situation.”
“He’s on it!” Trump posted. “Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way. Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return.”
The Asia and Oceania arm of the global players’ union FIFPRO released a statement Friday calling on FIFA and the Asian confederation to “undertake all necessary steps” to protect the players. The group said the state TV presenter’s words “significantly heighten concerns for the players’ safety should they return to Iran after the tournament.”
One of the returners might be head coach Marziyeh Jafari, the AFC coach of the year in 2025. She said after the match Sunday: “Personally, I would like to return to my country as soon as possible and be with my compatriots and family.”
Trump had said earlier that Australia was making a “terrible humanitarian mistake” by letting the women go back to Iran, “where they will most likely be killed.” He wrote in his first post, “The U.S. will take them if you won’t.”
More World Cup Impacts
As the World Cup fate of the Iranian men’s team continues to hang in the balance, Iraq’s national team is also facing issues caused by the conflict.
One game stands between Iraq and its first World Cup since 1986, a FIFA playoff qualifier scheduled for Monterrey, Mexico, on March 31. But Iraqi airspace is closed until April 1, and some players haven’t been able to get their visas amid embassy closures.
Iraq wants the game delayed; even its coach, Graham Arnold, is stuck in Dubai.
“Please help us with this game because right now we are struggling to get our players out of the country of Iraq,” Arnold told the Australian Associated Press.
FIFA suggested players drive through northern Iraq to Turkey and travel to Mexico from there, according to The Guardian. Iran has struck sites in northern Iraq in retaliation for the U.S. and Israeli strikes, and Iraq rejected the proposal.
Iraq could also qualify if Iran pulls out of the tournament, given it would be the next team up from the AFC. No potential replacement for Iran has been confirmed.
FIFA did not respond to requests for comment about the Iran women’s team or the Iraq men’s team.
Iran’s national federation skipped FIFA meetings held in Atlanta last week; both Iranian and Qatari delegations did not make planned trips to Seattle due to airspace restrictions.
