2 hours ago
2
Opinion
June 16, 2026 — 11:45am
In the backyard with my toddler on Sunday afternoon, I heard my husband yell from the living room while a chorus of cheers erupted from neighbouring houses. Darting back inside, I watched Nestory Irankunda deliver Australia’s opening goal against Turkey. This was a goal that began in a refugee camp.
And it’s not just Irankunda. There’s Mohamed Touré and Awer Mabil, also born in refugee camps, in Guinea and Kenya, respectively. And Milos Degenek, who fled Croatia with his family before migrating to Australia. In fact, more than half the Socceroos squad hail from migrant backgrounds.
Now household names in Australia, they are celebrated across the political spectrum. They embody the sporting prowess and fighting spirit we like to claim as deeply held Australian values. They also embody the diversity we should all be proud of – though there are voices rising against their inclusion.
The Socceroos’ victory is what happens when we embrace, celebrate and foster a truly multicultural vision of Australia. But the alarming reality is that hostility towards refugees such as Irankunda and his family is growing fast. The pathway to safety that brought them to Australia is rapidly closing.
Those who celebrate the Socceroos’ win while opposing the arrival of refugees and immigrants into Australia now have two options. The first is silence because there really is no counterargument to the proof that refugees and migrants are real Australians and do make noteworthy contributions to our country.
The second is to argue that people like Irankunda came “the right way”. This is a false and toxic framing about what a person must do in fleeing for their lives, what parents must do to protect their children. There is no single static way to access safety in Australia.
When Irankunda was born, in 2006, there were about 9.9 million refugees, 71,700 of whom were resettled around the world. Today, 117.8 million individuals have been forcibly displaced, 41.6 million of whom are recognised as refugees. Meanwhile, countries are slashing their resettlement quotas, with only 120,000 places expected to be available globally in 2026. Despite the need for protection growing exponentially, our provision of a safe home and fresh start has not.
It’s legal to seek asylum. It’s legal to seek asylum in Australia – but it’s bloody hard.
The complexity of the pathways and processes to Australia is mind-boggling. There are different visas with different conditions based on when you arrived, how, with whom, where you are. It is a gauntlet people at their most vulnerable must pass to ensure they are not sent back to the danger they fled.
Yes, Irankunda has achieved something incredible as the Socceroos’ youngest-ever goalscorer at a FIFA World Cup. But the untold story is the heroism his parents demonstrated in fleeing Burundi, surviving a refugee camp in Tanzania before settling in Australia with a young family.
At the Refugee Advice & Casework Service, we work with many people just like Irankunda and his family. We have met many talented people, including young professional athletes who long to represent Australia at the highest level. The only obstacle? Their visa. Because of the technicalities of how and when they came to Australia, permanency and the possibility of competing for Australia is at present closed to them. Sadly, support for the politicians who would keep it this way is rising.
On Wednesday, Pauline Hanson will address the National Press Club. One Nation’s policy would withdraw Australia from the 1951 Refugee Convention. It would make people wait eight years before being eligible for citizenship and any welfare support. It would dictate that Irankunda, Touré, Mabil and Degenek would probably never have made it to Australia, let alone be the sporting greats we are celebrating.
In a moving video shared recently, each Socceroo affirms “No matter where you come from, football is for everyone.” I would add, “No matter where you come from, safety is for everyone.”
The refugee and immigrant-fuelled success of the Socceroos is a beautiful and true reflection of our country. Let this moment be our chance to shut down the festering rhetoric that – as this weekend has shown – fundamentally has no place in our Australian hearts. As we claim Irankunda’s goal as our own, let us claim the welcome we should show to families, like his, who seek refuge with us.
Sarah Dale is the centre director and principal solicitor at the Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS).
Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter.
