Fatemeh Pasandideh (Persian: فاطمه پسندیده; born 8 April 2004) is an Iranian professional footballer who last played as a midfielder for the Kowsar Women Football League club Bam Khatoon and the Iran national team. She started training with Brisbane Roar in Australia on 16 March 2026.
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 8 April 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Kermanshah, Iran | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024–2026 | Bam Khatoon | ||
| International career | |||
| 2022– | Iran | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Early life and education
editFatemeh Pasandideh was born on 8 April 2004 in Kermanshah, Iran.[1]
Career
editPasandideh played as a midfielder for Bam Khatoon, which plays in the Kowsar Women Football League in Iran. She played for the club at the AFC Women's Champions League in its inaugural edition in 2024–5[2] and 2025-6.[3] She wore number 9 at Bam Khatoon.[4] After the club won the league in February 2026, Pasandideh posted on social media "A championship that found its meaning in the heart of sorrow, alongside the grieving mothers of my land and the noble people of Bam... The result of one year of effort and standing strong, out of respect for the pains that are never forgotten".[5]
She has also played in the Iran's national women's team.[6] In February 2026 she was announced as a member of the squad of 25 players by coach Marzieh Jafari for the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup, to be held in Australia.[7] She played as No.10.[8]
In March 2026, Pasandideh, along with four teammates from the national football team, left the team's training camp in Australia after being eliminated from the tournament, and sought refuge due to fears of retaliation from Iranian authorities.[9][8] After the start of the 2026 Iran war, the team had refrained from singing the Iranian national anthem before the first game of the tournament. The Australian Government under Anthony Albanese subsequently granted humanitarian visas to the players.[10][11] Although most of the original group ended up changing their minds and returned to Iran, Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanizadeh chose to remain in Australia, and on 16 March 2026 started training with A-League Women team Brisbane Roar in Queensland.[12][13] Brisbane Roar's social media post about the women being welcomed to train with them, which included photos, went viral.[14] Pasandideh posted a picture of herself with Jill Ellis, chief football officer of FIFA, and a peace sign emoji on Instagram, saying "Everything will be fine".[15][16]
British women's football magazine She Kicks wrote that Pasandideh's story is more than the story of a single footballer, but one that "shines a light on the challenges faced by women athletes in Iran and the courage it takes to speak – or stay silent – when the stakes are this high".[17]
References
edit
- ↑ "Fatemeh Pasandideh Stats | Soccerway". www.soccerway.com. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ↑ "AFC Women's Champions League 2024/25: Technical Report" (PDF). 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 December 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- ↑ "AFC Women's Champions League 2025-26: East Bengal beat Bam Khatoon 3-1 in group opener". Olympics.com.
- ↑ "Bam Khatoon FC Women squad". BE Soccer. Archived from the original on 11 March 2026. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- ↑ Healy, Jon (10 March 2026). "Who are the Iranian Women's Asian Cup players granted asylum by Australia?". ABC News. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ↑ "Iran to build on youth talent for AFC Asia Cup mission". newspaper.irandaily.ir. Archived from the original on 31 January 2026. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ↑ "Iran's women's football team announced for 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup". Tehran Times. 18 February 2026. Archived from the original on 21 February 2026. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- 1 2 "فاطمه پسندیده، شماره ۱۰ تیم ملی زنان ایران، به استرالیا پناهنده شد (Fatemeh Pasandideh, No. 10 of the Iranian women's national team, has been granted asylum in Australia)". www-iranintl-com.translate.goog (in Persian). 9 March 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
- ↑ "Australia urged to offer Iran women's team refuge amid fears of backlash after refusing to sing anthem". The National. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ↑ McIlroy, Tom; Butler, Josh; Farrer, Martin (9 March 2026). "'They are safe here': five Iranian women footballers granted humanitarian visas in Australia". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ↑ Tregenza, Holly; Armstrong, Clare (10 March 2026). "Iranian soccer players escape minders and secure asylum in Australia". ABC News. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ↑ Khadem, Nassim (17 March 2026). "Former Iranian footballer fears for athletes' safety as they return to Iran". ABC News. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
- ↑ Liamzon, Bella Javier (17 March 2026). "Two Iran Football Players Who Sought Asylum in Australia Pictured Training With Brisbane Roar". International Business Times. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
- ↑ "Two remaining Iran players in Australia train with A-League club Brisbane Roar". 7NEWS. 16 March 2026. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
- ↑ Sharma, Shweta (17 March 2026). "Iranian footballer who stayed back in Australia says 'everything will be fine' as she starts training for new club". The Independent. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
- ↑ Atkinson, Simon (16 March 2026). "Iranian footballer says 'everything will be fine' as she trains with Oz team". BBC Home. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
- ↑ Hartley, Imogen (17 March 2026). "Iran Women Football Team Star Fatemeh Pasandideh Seeks Asylum in Australia & Joins Brisbane Roar". SheKicks. Retrieved 23 March 2026.