WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: President’s wife challenges Falcons to dazzle the world
The wife of Nigeria’s President, Oluremi Tinubu has charged the Women National Team, Super Falcons to pull efforts, talents and skills together and dominate at the 9th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals starting in Australia and New Zealand in 18 days’ time.
Tinubu, a former senator, threw this challenge to the nine-time African champions at a Send-Forth dinner held for them at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Saturday, less than 24 hours before the team was due to depart Nigeria’s shores for a 15-day training camp in Down Under before the global spectacle.
“You are the shining star and pride of Africa. I charge you to go all out and do your very best to dominate other teams, and become the pride of the entire world,” she said in a speech read on her behalf by Dr. Betta Edu, APC National Women Leader.
“I am proud to note that our Super Falcons have remained in that mix of the very best globally in the world of football. They have featured in every single edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals since the competition started in 1991, and our country is also one of only seven countries worldwide to have done so.
“While our Falcons made it to the quarter-finals at the 1999 finals in the United States of America, and reached the second round at the last championship in France, our expectations as a nation and as a people is for a much better performance at what is certainly the biggest and best championship yet, in Australia and New Zealand starting from 20 July.”
The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ismaila Abubakar advised the girls to work as a team in order to achieve greater results, while President of NFF, Ibrahim Musa Gusau noted that the Super Falcons have won their last three matches and possess the winning mentality to be a strong force for any opposition in Australia and New Zealand.
“Our belief in the Super Falcons and what they are capable of achieving informed the NFF’s decision to spare no cost in adequately preparing the team for the finals, with tournaments and matches in Japan, Mexico and Turkey, and a 15-camping already planned in Australia before the tournament begins.”
The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu expressed confidence that the Falcons will go all the way to the Championship Final, and pledged to attend the quarter-final and semi-final matches if the girls get to the latter stages.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi urged the Falcons to observe the integrity of the sport and prioritize good character on and off the field of play at the finals.
Team captain Onome Ebi, on behalf of the players, said: “We are not just going to be part of the competition, but going to break records and surpass our previous outing which was Round of 16.”
The occasion was also attended by a representative of the Accountant General of the Federation, NFF partners and sponsors, members of the diplomatic corps, business moguls, NFF management and staff, members of the Supporters Club and other football stakeholders.
On Friday, the Australian High Commission in Nigeria had treated the Super Falcons to a celebration dinner hosted by the Ag. High Commissioner, Ms Leanne Johnston in Abuja, and which was also attended by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, General Secretary, the NFF Management team and football stakeholders and enthusiasts.
The Iranian women’s soccer team crossed the Turkish border into Iran on Wednesday to complete a fraught return journey from Australia, after five members withdrew asylum claims they had lodged there.
Australia had granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member after they sought asylum, saying they feared possible persecution if they returned to Iran.
Concerns over their safety surfaced when several players failed to sing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month after the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran. Iranian state television had labelled them “wartime traitors”.
The team, which flew into Istanbul on Tuesday, took a flight to Igdir in eastern Turkey on Wednesday morning.
The players emerged from Igdir Airport, pulling their luggage and chatted in front of the terminal before boarding a bus to the border. One of them briefly smiled and waved at a TV camera before the bus departed. After a trip of around two hours to the frontier, they went through passport control at the Gurbulak border gate before crossing over into Iran.
A bus carrying members of the Iranian women’s national soccer team arrives at the Gurbulak Border Gate, a crossing point between Turkey and Iran, as they travel to their home country after five players withdrew the asylum claims they had lodged in Australia over safety concerns about returning due to not singing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month, in the eastern Agri province, Turkey, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Ali Ihsan Ozturk
The team’s Asian Cup campaign began just as the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament more than a week ago.
Five of those who had sought asylum in Australia subsequently changed their minds and decided to return home, with Australian media reporting the latest withdrawal on Monday.
They rejoined the rest of the squad in Kuala Lumpur, where the team had been staying since leaving Sydney last week.
The Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) said last week that those who had changed their minds would travel home with the rest of the team “to once again be embraced by their families and homeland.”
Two players are still in Australia and have been pictured training with a local A-League club.
-Reuters
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The two players from the Iranian women’s soccer squad who chose to remain in Australia after seeking asylum have been pictured training with a local A-League club as they begin their new lives in the country.
Midfielder Fatemeh Pasandideh and defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh were among seven members of Iran’s delegation granted humanitarian visas amid fears of possible persecution if they returned home after competing in the women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
Concerns over their safety emerged after the players failed to sing their national anthem before their opening match on the Gold Coast in the state of Queensland. Iranian state media labelled them as “wartime traitors”, with the team’s campaign beginning as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran.
Five members of the group, however, subsequently changed their minds about Australia’s asylum offer and decided to return home.
Queensland-based A-League club Brisbane Roar announced on social media the remaining two players, Pasandideh and Ramezanizadeh, had joined a training session with its women’s team on Monday.
“Brisbane Roar officially welcomed both Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanizadeh to the club’s training facilities…and remain committed to providing a supportive environment for them whilst they navigate the next stages,” CEO Kaz Patafta said.
Photos posted by the club showed the two players meeting the Brisbane Roar squad and taking part in shooting drills.
“Thank you for everything,” wrote Ramezanizadeh, 33, under the post on Instagram.
Pasandideh, 21, also posted on her Instagram story on Monday a photo with FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis in Brisbane with a caption saying “everything will be fine”.
While the pair began their new lives in Australia, their former teammates made their way home to Iran from Malaysia.
The team was seen at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Monday evening, checking in on an Oman Air flight, although their destination was unclear.
-Reuters
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Three Iranian women soccer players to return home after seeking asylum in Australia
Three members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who had sought asylum in Australia have decided to return to Iran, Australia’s government said on Sunday.
Australia granted humanitarian visas to seven Iranian footballers last week after they sought asylum, saying they feared persecution if they returned home after they failed to sing the national anthem at a Women’s Asian Cup match.
Four of the seven members have decided to leave Australia so far. Another member changed her mind last week.
“After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options,” Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement.
“While the Australian Government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions,” he added.
The Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) named the players as Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali and Zahra Meshkehkar.
“After arriving in Malaysia and joining the rest of Iran’s women’s national football team, the three players will travel to Tehran in the coming days to once again be embraced by their families and homeland,” FFIRI added in a statement.
The Iranian team’s campaign in the Asian Cup started just as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament last Sunday.
-Reuters
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