Iran blames US for coercing women footballers for Australia asylum, says 'who would send team for FIFA WC'

Iran's participation in upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 has been further jeopardized after five of country's women footballers took asylum in Australia during the ongoing Asia Cup. The Middle Eastern country's plans to play in the FIFA tournament became unclear after US and Israel's joint strike on Iran last month on Feb 28. The attack saw Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenie dead, further escalating the tensions between the two sides. As for women footballers, there were branded "wartime traitors" for not singing the national athem and not slauting during Iran's opening match against South Korea. Iran's football federation chief Mehedi Taj, however, has blamed the USA for coercing its women footballers into becoming refugees.

Why Iran women footballers took asylum in Australia?

After the Iranian state media branded some women footballers as "wartime traitors" on the national television, five of them slipped away from the team hotel to claim asylum in Australia - host of ongoing women's Asia Cup. The development was confirmed by the Australian government that five Iranian women footballers asked for sanctuary on Tuesday (Mar 10). Later on, two more of the team member asked for the asylum on the same as well, reported AFP citing the local news.

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The Aussie government gave the asylum to five Iranian players including captain Zahra Ghanbari. Taj, blaming the US government for incident, targetted US president Trump.

"Our women’s national team sang the national anthem and gave the military salute,” he said on Iranian media as reported by AFP. "The US president himself… tweeted two tweets about a women’s team [saying] ‘we welcome them and that they should become refugees.'"

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"He threatened Australia that ‘if you don’t grant them asylum, I will give them asylum in the US,'" Taj added.

Will Iran travel to the US for FIFA World Cup 2026?

Speaking on the matter of Iran travelling to the US, which is hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026 from Jun 11 to Jul 19 along with Canada and Mexico, Taj seemed unsure and again blamed the US for the situation.

"If the World Cup is like this, who in their right mind would send their national team to a place like this?" the country's football defedration chief said. "How could one be optimistic about the World Cup that is supposed to be held in America?"

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