Donald Trump urges Australia to grant asylum to Iran women’s football team

• Donald Trump called on Australia to offer asylum to the Iran women’s national football team
• Concerns have emerged about player safety if they return to Iran after the AFC Women’s Asian Cup
• FIFA says it is monitoring the situation and remains in contact with Australian authorities

Donald Trump has urged Australia to grant asylum to members of the Iran women’s national football team following concerns about their safety if they return home.

The issue arose during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Gold Coast, where the Iranian players did not sing the national anthem before their opening match. The gesture raised fears they could face repercussions in Iran.

Iran were eliminated from the tournament after a defeat to the Philippines women’s national football team on Sunday. Under normal circumstances the team would have returned home soon after the group-stage exit.

However, local media reports said the players remained in Australia and that the Australian Federal Police had helped five members of the squad leave the team’s base and move to a safe location.

The AFP and the Department of Home Affairs have not publicly commented on the reports.

Trump called on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to offer protection to the entire squad.

“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

He added that the United States would accept the players if Australia declined to grant asylum.

Less than two hours later, Trump posted again saying Albanese was addressing the issue and claiming that several players had already been helped.

The Australian government has not clarified what steps it may take regarding the players’ future.

FIFA said it is in close contact with Australian authorities and emphasised that the safety and security of the players is its priority.

The players sang the national anthem before their final two matches of the tournament, but their earlier decision not to do so prompted criticism from supporters of the Iranian government.

Speaking at a general assembly in Sydney, Beau Busch said the global players’ union had not been able to contact the team but stressed that the players should retain control over their next steps.

“We’ve been asking the government to work on the players having agency,” said Busch, representing FIFPro.

“There may be players who want to return, and others who may want to seek asylum or remain in Australia longer. It is a very challenging situation.”

The situation comes amid rising tensions in the region following military strikes involving the United States and Iran, which have affected travel and security conditions across parts of the Middle East.

Those tensions have also created logistical problems for the Iraq national football team ahead of a World Cup playoff scheduled in Mexico later this month, according to their coach Graham Arnold.