WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
New Zealand family purchase 1,500,000th FIFA Women’s World Cup
A record-breaking tournament has continued with an Aotearoa New Zealand family today purchasing the 1,500,000th ticket sold at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™.
The milestone tickets were purchased by Maria Strong, organising a family outing to the Group G fixture between Italy and Argentina at Auckland’s Eden Park to celebrate her son’s 12th birthday.
Mrs Strong, her husband and three children were invited to meet FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who offered them the opportunity to attend the remaining matches in the tournament at the Auckland venue. President Infantino said it was an honour to celebrate the 1,500,000-ticket milestone with Maria Strong’s family.
“It was great to meet the family that has bought the 1,500,000-ticket, they are a family from Auckland with three children and they have a passion for the game,” said Mr. Infantino.
“I enjoyed my time with them, and it was a real pleasure to invite them to every game here in Auckland, so they can enjoy more family time here at this wonderful stadium. Every match at Eden Park so far has had a great atmosphere and I’m sure the upcoming matches will be the same.”
It is the latest achievement for a tournament which has already reached several milestones and broken many records, both globally and in the two host nations.
With 1.5m tickets now sold, the sales target has been passed only five days into the tournament, thus ensuring that these finals are set to be the most attended FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in history, surpassing the previous record held by the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015.
The opening games in the tournament have also seen record attendances for a women’s football match in both Australia (75,784 for Australia v Republic of Ireland) and Aotearoa New Zealand (42,137 for New Zealand v Norway).
Attending with her husband, Jason Roxburgh, and their children Isobel (12), Boston (11) and Harry (9), Mrs Strong said it has been a wonderful experience and easy to organise.
“Boston is a real football-loving fanatic so we thought attending this match would be a great family outing,” said Mrs Strong. “We purchased the tickets last night and it’s been such a great night: we’re from Botany in Auckland, so caught the train in and even though it’s a school night, it’s been amazing and so easy.”
With a family-friendly atmosphere and world-class football, Mrs Strong said the family was instantly hooked.
“Aside from when Boston is playing, we haven’t watched much football, but we loved this game, have absolutely loved the atmosphere, and we will be back to watch,” she added.
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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- AFCON1 week ago
AFCON to Expand to 28 Teams as CAF Unveils New Competition Calendar
- World Cup6 days ago
Infantino promises FIFA backing for Iran to play at World Cup
- AFCON1 week ago
CAF May Sanction Senegal Over AFCON Trophy Parade
- Governing Bodies1 week ago
BREAKING! Nigeria’s Samson Adamu Appointed Acting CAF General Secretary
- Nigerian Football5 days ago
NFF to inaugurate electoral committees ahead of September elections
- Table Tennis1 week ago
Aruna Faces Tough Draw as Africa Targets Glory at ITTF World Cup in Macao
- Governing Bodies2 days ago
The Building of Another Sports Dynasty: From Fahmy to Adamu
- World Cup3 days ago
Italy federation chief resigns after another World Cup failure