Refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi thanked Australians on his return home on Tuesday, hours after the threat of extradition to Bahrain was lifted and more than two months after he was detained in Thailand.

Hundreds of supporters carrying welcome signs and singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" were waiting at Melbourne Airport when Al-Araibi arrived on a commercial flight direct from Bangkok.

"I would like to say thanks to Australia," Al-Araibi told the cheering crowd. "It's amazing to see all of the...

A Thai court ordered the release of refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi on Monday after prosecutors said they were no longer seeking his extradition to Bahrain.

Court spokesman Suriyan Hongvilai said Al-Araibi, who lives and plays football in Australia, was being processed for release.

On Monday, prosecutors submitted to court a request to withdraw the case to extradite Al-Araibi to Bahrain, where he faces a 10-year prison sentence for an arson attack that damaged a police station.

He has denied...

An Olyroos training camp and game in Thailand has been scrapped as Football Federation Australia takes a stand against the nation's ongoing detention of refugee soccer player Hakeem al-Araibi.

FFA on Wednesday cancelled a trip to Bangkok which was scheduled as part of a proposed pre-AFC Under-23 Championship qualifiers camp.

The decision was made in consultation with Socceroos and Australia U23 team coach Graham Arnold after his return from the Asian Cup.

"We reassessed our plans due to the ongoing...

Thai prosecutors submitted a request in court Friday for Thailand to extradite to Bahrain a detained football player who has refugee status in Australia.

Hakeem al-Araibi, a former player on Bahrain's national team, has said he fled his home country due to political repression and human rights groups and activists fear he risks torture if he is sent back. Bahrain wants him returned to serve a 10-year prison sentence he received in absentia in 2014 for vandalising a police station, which he denies.

The...

The Thai government has been asked by FIFA's leadership to release a Bahraini football player who is in detention while embroiled in extradition proceedings despite having refugee status in Australia.

FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura called for an urgent "humane outcome" to the case of Hakeem al-Araibi, who lives in Melbourne but was arrested while on vacation in Thailand last month on an Interpol notice.

The Australian government has also called for Al Araibi to be returned to his country of...