Six members of Iran’s women’s national football team have chosen to remain in Australia after taking part in the Asian Cup, requesting humanitarian protection amid concerns for their safety if they returned home. The players had travelled to Queensland for the tournament shortly before the conflict involving Iran began. Attention focused on the team after they did not sing the national anthem before a match on 2 March, a moment which observers saw as either a gesture of protest or of mourning for the US-Israeli attacks on their country. Iranian media commentators have strongly criticised the silence, and reportedly threats have been voiced against them, regarding them as disloyal during wartime. After security assessments, the Australian authorities granted temporary humanitarian visas to six team members, allowing them to stay for twelve months while considering longer-term options. The other members of the squad chose to return to Iran with the rest of the delegation.