Three More Members of the Iranian Women’s Soccer Team Decide to Return to Iran - WSJ

WSJ
March 15, 2026
2 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

Three Iranian women's soccer team members decide to return to Iran.

AI Summary

Three additional members of Iran's women's soccer team have decided to return to Iran. The players' decision follows previous departures by other team members who had remained abroad. This brings the total number of players who have chosen to go back to their home country to at least three beyond any earlier returnees. The returns come amid ongoing tensions surrounding the Iranian women's national team and restrictions on women's sports participation in Iran.

Source Coverage Map

3 of 43 tracked sources covered this story

Overlooked Story
7% coverage
Did Not Cover (40)
ICIJ97AP World News96AP News96AP US News96AP Top News96+35 more

Following this story?

Get notified when new coverage appears

Other Sources Covering This Story

3 sources

Multiple outlets have reported on this story. Compare perspectives from different sources.

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

Trump calls on Australia to give asylum to Iranian women's soccer team members - Reuters
Global

Trump calls on Australia to give asylum to Iranian women's soccer team members - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitAFBVV95cUxNTE9SSmRSZUxzZE5VV1FmNHJTYVc2U19vQlJ4LUN2Q01pM29LX1hpVmllV2tGcks5NXdYLU1hdWs4b1Zpb0k0WngxQ2ZzYUw4YWxfYUFUY2RBRHdvMEtxd3BSVkRXbHF2SUQ2cl80b01kNTIzNTBlTzNZWUZhdXhJeGNYSDJPSURXUGdkcXRxVzlxNHJzMG9kSUJEZjhES2hlQVJnaXVhTHI0a0VQbHp1cXBWZWw?oc=5" target="_blank">Trump calls on Australia to give asylum to Iranian women's soccer team members</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

ReutersMar 9
Trump urges Australia to grant asylum to Iranian women’s soccer team after tournament exit - AP News
Politics

Trump urges Australia to grant asylum to Iranian women’s soccer team after tournament exit - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqgFBVV95cUxNVExRMGlsUHNTOTFEbEt3X1NrNTFraEFFdW9Db3FLaDRVTE8tX0ZWZzlfMW10NnI4RThqZnV0czZkTzczSGE3REo1RDA1cEhzZ05laGltNEpPNnI2b0pNcUMzN1hycS1sY1o0cVpuZTRtX1piTXk5cVNMS29ROGhITFVRSFRVM0FGVmlUdFp3MHBpQmhIT0JBend1TlZ4d2tCQndRWE5yVlVhdw?oc=5" target="_blank">Trump urges Australia to grant asylum to Iranian women’s soccer team after tournament exit</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 9
Not "unlikely" some Iranian football players pressured to return from Australia
Civil Rights

Not "unlikely" some Iranian football players pressured to return from Australia

Australian police helped two more members of the Iranian women's soccer delegation slip their minders to claim asylum, but one has changed her mind and decided to go back to Iran, according to authorities. Concerns about the players' safety upon their return home ‌grew after Iranian state television labelled the team "wartime traitors" for refusing to sing the national anthem during a women's Asian ⁠Cup match in Australia. FRANCE 24's Grégory Plesse breaks down what happened from Sydney.

AFP / France 24Mar 11
Iran's soccer team cannot participate in the FIFA World Cup, Iranian minister says
Global

Iran's soccer team cannot participate in the FIFA World Cup, Iranian minister says

Iran is set to play three games in the U.S. this June. But amid the U.S.-Israel military campaign that has killed Iran's supreme leader, Iran's sports minister said the team would pull out.

NPRMar 11
Trump discourages Iranian soccer team from attending the World Cup, citing safety concerns
Global

Trump discourages Iranian soccer team from attending the World Cup, citing safety concerns

Iranian leaders said earlier this week that it's "not possible" for the country to participate in the World Cup.

PBS NewsHourMar 12
Iranian exile factions vie for US leaders’ blessing to lead Iran
Global

Iranian exile factions vie for US leaders’ blessing to lead Iran

<p>Maga world figures throw weight behind Maryam Rajavi, MEK’s leader, and Reza Pahlavi, the son of last Shah of Iran</p><p>As a US battle group steamed to the Gulf in November 2002, competing Iraqi exiles, some championed by American insiders, jockeyed for position in the hopes of taking charge once George W Bush toppled Saddam Hussein. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2002-12-29/iraqs-unruly-opposition">Bloomberg</a> dubbed them “Iraq’s unruly opposition”.</p><p>The most notorious Iraqi exile, failed former banker Ahmad Chalabi, boasted to his neoconservative allies that his return to Baghdad would be welcomed by cheering throngs. Among his competition was a former doctor named Ayad Allawi, who was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2004/jul/23/guardianweekly.guardianweekly1">backed</a> by Britain’s MI6 and the Central Intelligence Agency in his bid for support to rule Iraq.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/11/iran-leaders-us-...

The Guardian US NewsMar 11
Read Next
They Didn’t Want to Have C-Sections. A Judge Would Decide How They Gave Birth.
Civil Rights

They Didn’t Want to Have C-Sections. A Judge Would Decide How They Gave Birth.

The post They Didn’t Want to Have C-Sections. A Judge Would Decide How They Gave Birth. appeared first on ProPublica .

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources