Neel Shelat

Iran women’s football team heads to airport as clock ticks on Australia’s offer of asylum * Protesters try to block bus carrying Iran women players at hotel * Advocates working to inform players of their rights The Iranian women’s football team left their hotel and arrived at Gold Coast airport on Tuesday afternoon, appearing to have just hours left to take up Australia’s offer of asylum before they depart the country. Five players, led by captain Zahra Ghanbari, were formally granted protection in Australia by home affairs minister Tony Burke early on Tuesday morning. The group has already been given an offer to train with A-League Women club Brisbane Roar. Continue reading...

Iran women’s football team heads to airport as clock ticks on Australia’s offer of asylum

five Iranian players have reportedly escaped their handlers on the Gold Coast and are being protected by police. incredible.

www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...

Commentators aren't calling it as confirmed but as far as I can tell Uzbekistan's 4-0 should be enough for them to seal progression to their first-ever Women's Asian Cup knockouts thanks to goals scored. Incredible achievement ahead of hosting the tournament in 2029!

Things are getting very interesting in Group B. China's lead means that Australia are set to face North Korea in the QF, while Uzbekistan have gotten up to 3-0 against Bangladesh and need just one more goal to go through as one of the better third-placed teams. #PRKCHN #BANUZB

#Footy-Live

This means Australia's next possible match in Sydney (at Stadium Australia) will be the final.

The other game in Group A blows things wide open because South Korea have drawn 3-3 with Australia after a cracking contest to win the group on GD. As things stand, they're on a collision course with Japan in the SFs, while the hosts' route to the final now includes North Korea and China. #AUSKOR

Iran's Asian Cup campaign ends with a 0-2 loss to the Philippines, but it was another mightily impressive performance. The game really could've gone either way at the start, and they fought till the end. Philippines take 3rd place in the group, likely enough for the QFs. #IRNPHI

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Preview: Barcelona visit Athletic Club to continue their title charge Barcelona’s lead at the top of LaLiga’s standings grew to four points last weekend. As we enter the final third of the season, their sights are set on claiming their 29th Spanish top-flight title.

Barcelona are aiming to restore their four-point lead at the top of La Liga as they face Athletic Club. Match preview for FotMob:

www.fotmob.com/topnews/2647...

Japan absolutely thrash India 11-0 in what will surely be the biggest win of this Asian Cup. The challenge for the Blue Tigresses will be to bounce back in three days' time, because they'll still have a chance of advancing to the knockouts if they beat Taiwan. #INDJPN

#Footy-Live

Huge win for Taiwan with a professional performance vs Vietnam. Showed some nice passing in the first half (including for the goal) before totally shutting up shop in the second. Having limited their loss to Japan to 0-2, they're in a great position to advance to the knockouts #TPEVIE

#Footy-Live

Having given them a pretty big scare in the Champions League, Monaco have now recorded a 3-1 win over PSG to do the league double. The defending champions continue to look quite easy to play through in midfield, which will be a huge concern going forward in the UCL. #MONPSG

#Footy-Live

How Brazil replace Rodrygo at the World Cup + Man City can't close YouTube video by The Transfer Flow

Rodrygo is out for the World Cup with an ACL.

The name to replace him might surprise you.

Plus, why can't Man City close out games?

New episode with @ShelatNeel and @HVanBrewer out now!

youtube.com/watch?v=2pnGeOZF5uk&feature=youtu.be

(Video) Gyokeres, Sesko & The Transfers We Got Wrong + MLS Is Changing FAST | The Transfer Flow Get more from The Transfer Flow on Patreon

Talked about some of the Premier League's big-name forward transfers of this season as well as a couple of interesting trends in MLS in this week's @thetransferflow.bsky.social Patreon episode:

www.patreon.com/posts/video-...

How Brazil replace Rodrygo at the World Cup + Man City can't close YouTube video by The Transfer Flow

Talked about the Premier League relegation battle (Spurs 😬), title race and how Brazil might shape up for the World Cup in this week's @thetransferflow.bsky.social podcast episode:

youtu.be/2pnGeOZF5uk?...

WAFCON 2026 postponed fewer than two weeks before planned start date CAF said the decision was taken "in the light of certain unforeseen circumstances".

The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has been postponed, fewer than two weeks before it was due to begin.

This comes after WAFCON 2024 was delayed until July 2025, in order to avoid a clash with the 2024 Olympic Games.

More from @colinmillar.bsky.social ⬇️

Silent slaughter - josimarfootball.com Enough footballers were killed by the Iranian Islamist regime in the space of forty-eight hours in January to make up two full teams. Fifa’s response? Silence.

'Silent Slaughter'

By Zohreh Abdollahkhani for @josimarfootball.bsky.social.

* Warning: it's a brutal (but very necessary) read.

josimarfootball.com/2026/03/05/s...

Al Jazeera live update from 11:50 GMT which reads: International football stadium ‘destroyed’ in strikes Tehran’s Azadi stadium, which has hosted international football matches, has been “destroyed” in the strikes on the country, Iran’s state broadcaster is reporting. IRIB posted footage showing extensive damage to the stadium, with clouds of smoke billowing from the stands.

While Iran's women's national team kicks off the second half of their Asian Cup match against hosts Australia, Al Jazeera is reporting that the national Azadi Stadium in Tehran has sustained heavy damage amid bombardment. #IRNAUS

Huge match for India as they begin their bid to qualify for a first-ever FIFA World Cup. Chinese Taipei's performance against Japan showed that this group is going to go right down to the wire. #VIEIND

#Footy-Live

A like-for-like Andoni Iraola replacement is succeeding at Rayo Vallecano Many were concerned about Rayo Vallecano’s fate after Andoni Iraola’s departure, but his former assistant Iñigo Pérez has stepped up and even outperformed his previous boss.

Wrote about Iñigo Pérez and his development at Rayo Vallecano for this week's @thetransferflow.bsky.social newsletter:

www.thetransferflow.com/p/a-like-for...

That was a mightily impressive performance from Bangladesh in their Women's Asian Cup debut, taking the fight to defending champions China and only going down 2-0. The battle for the World Cup play-off spots looks set to get very interesting. #CHNBAN

the courage and spirit of the Iranian players to do anything at all tonight, with so much chaos and uncertainty unfolding back home, is just remarkable. they should be so, so proud. #KORvIRN #AFCWAC

Just over 10 minutes to go before Iran play their first Women's Asian Cup match in front of a crowd (their debut in 2022 was at a time of lockdown). The stadium at the Gold Coast looks largely empty, but the broadcast certainly showed a good few Iranian fans in the stands. #KORIRN

#Footy-Live

Who else but Sam Kerr gets the opening goal of the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup, under 15 minutes into Australia's opener against the Philippines. She already has an Asian Cup title to her name from 2010, but will be desperate to win this one on home soil. #AUSPHI

#Footy-Live

No Kyra Cooney-Cross in the Australian XI or even bench is the big team news ahead of the Women's Asian Cup 2026 opener. No word from the Australian FA yet as far as I can tell.

#Footy-Live

2026 Women’s Asian Cup: Can the Matildas triumph on home soil? With Joe Montemurro at the helm and World Cup qualification on the line, the Matildas face mounting pressure to deliver in front of their own fans.

The Matildas will kick off their home Asian Cup campaign in under half an hour as one of the tournament favourites. Preview of what promises to be a big tournament for them for The Cutback:

www.thecutback.com/p/2026-women...

2026 Women’s Asian Cup: Favourites, players to watch and predictions Heavyweights, emerging challengers and World Cup qualification define a wide-open tournament in Australia.

The 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup kicks off tomorrow. All being quieter in 10 days' time, I'm looking forward to being in Australia for the knockouts. For the moment, starting off my coverage for The Cutback with a tournament preview:

www.thecutback.com/p/asian-cup-...

Starting to think this Lamine Yamal might be good at football. #VillarrealBarça

#Footy-Live

2026 Women’s Asian Cup: Favourites, players to watch and predictions Heavyweights, emerging challengers and World Cup qualification define a wide-open tournament in Australia.

The 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup kicks off tomorrow. All being quieter in 10 days' time, I'm looking forward to being in Australia for the knockouts. For the moment, starting off my coverage for The Cutback with a tournament preview:

www.thecutback.com/p/asian-cup-...

A grand total of zero shots between Wolves and Aston Villa since Morgan Rogers' attempt from the edge of the box was saved in the 23rd minute. Riveting. #WOLAVL

#EPL-Live