WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Super Falcons’ first opponents and Olympic champions, Canada have first World Cup medal in sights
Canada’s women’s soccer team finally found golden glory after years of tantalising near misses when they beat Sweden in a nerve-jangling shootout to triumph at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
However, much has changed since they celebrated on the Yokohama pitch and Bev Priestman’s side head to the Women’s World Cup with a number 7 ranking, still mired in an equity pay battle with the federation and missing key players to injury.
“The mindset going into this tournament is ambitious, striving for more and looking to climb the steepest mountain,” Portland Thorns forward Adriana Leon told Canada Soccer.
Canada won back-to-back Olympic bronze medals before their Tokyo joy but have not had the same success at the World Cup despite playing in every one since the inaugural edition in 1991. They lost the bronze game in 2003 in their best finish.
The Canadians were undefeated in 14 of 17 games in 2022, but have lost four of their last five with three defeats at the SheBelieves Cup in February when they played under protest and called out what they called the “disgusting” discrepancy between the support for Canada’s men’s versus women’s programmes.
Long-time captain Christine Sinclair said the women want the pay dispute with their federation settled before they leave for Australia.
“(The) time’s coming where we want it done so as players we’re not having to deal with it while we’re trying to prepare,” the 40-year-old told The Canadian Press.
Canada are in Group B with hosts Australia, Nigeria and Ireland.
POSSIBLE RECORD
Canada’s talisman Sinclair, their all-time top scorer with 190 goals and one of the country’s most recognisable athletes, will become the first person to score at six World Cups if she finds the net Down Under.
Sheridan is expected to get the nod in goal.
“Getting that confidence from Bev has been massive,” the San Diego Waves keeper told Canada Soccer. “Stepping into (retired keeper Stephanie Labbe’s) shoes is never going to be easy and anybody who’s been before me has been a world-class goalkeeper.
“Bev has given me a lot of confidence and been challenging me in areas I didn’t think I could challenge myself in.”
Janine Beckie’s season-ending knee injury in March was a blow but Canada have had good news including Chelsea defender Kadeisha Buchanan’s return from injury late in the WSL season.
“The mindset of the team going into the tournament is unbreakable,” Sheridan said.
Buchanan and Vanessa Giles are expected to anchor Canada’s back line. Jessie Fleming, fresh off an FA Cup triumph with Chelsea, Sophie Schmidt, who plans to retire post-World Cup, and Julia Grosso should command the midfield.
“Knowing that the country is behind us is our 12th man, it means everything to us to have the support of Canada,” Leon said.
-Reuters
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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