Iranian football league system
Encyclopedia
The Iranian football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for football clubs in Iran
.
(IPL) is the highest level of club football in Iran. It is also called the Persian Gulf Cup. Below it is the Azadegan League, also known as the 1st division, which consists of two twelve-team groups. One level further down from that is the 2nd division
which is made up of 28 teams evenly distributed into two groups. One step down, and the final nation-wide league, is the 3rd division
. This level has eight groups and 45 teams. Each groups contains teams that are located in the same area of the nation. The final level of the football system consists of 28 provincial
leagues. Local teams from each province participate in these leagues, and some of the leagues are divided into further divisions.
The system works with a promotion-relegation system, meaning that a team from the lowest level of the system can make it to the top level after a number of years. The number of teams in each league often changes from season to season, due to the lack of any professional management in the lower levels of the system. Currently the IPL is the only league that is considered professional, despite many of its rules about club facilities and management being broken. It is not uncommon for teams in the lower levels of the system to change team names because of sponsorship issues or for teams to completely withdraw from a competition.
The top four levels of the system are managed by the Iranian football federation, while the bottom level leagues are managed by their respective provincial football committee.
When the Takht Jamshid Cup began in 1973, it became the highest league in the football system, above one lower league and several provincial leagues. This system continued until 1978.
After the Iranian revolution
and during the Iran–Iraq War the national league was closed and clubs played in provincial leagues. After the war, the first Azadegan League began and a football system similar to the one today was implemented, with the only major difference being that the Azadegan League was the top level at the time.
In 2001, the IRIFF decided to create a professional league, and the IPL was born. The Azadegan League went down one level and was incorporated into the current system.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
Structure
The current structure has been in place since 2001. The Iran Premier LeagueIran's Premier Football League
The Iran Pro League , is a professional football league competition for clubs located at the highest level of the Iranian football league system.The league system resembles the system being used in England currently...
(IPL) is the highest level of club football in Iran. It is also called the Persian Gulf Cup. Below it is the Azadegan League, also known as the 1st division, which consists of two twelve-team groups. One level further down from that is the 2nd division
Iran Football's 2nd Division
Iranian football's 2nd division is the third-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 2nd division was known as the 3rd division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of two, fourteen...
which is made up of 28 teams evenly distributed into two groups. One step down, and the final nation-wide league, is the 3rd division
Iran Football's 3rd Division
Iranian football's 3rd division is the fourth-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 3rd division was known as the 4th division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of six groups,...
. This level has eight groups and 45 teams. Each groups contains teams that are located in the same area of the nation. The final level of the football system consists of 28 provincial
Provinces of Iran
Iran is subdivided into thirty one provinces , each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital of that province...
leagues. Local teams from each province participate in these leagues, and some of the leagues are divided into further divisions.
The system works with a promotion-relegation system, meaning that a team from the lowest level of the system can make it to the top level after a number of years. The number of teams in each league often changes from season to season, due to the lack of any professional management in the lower levels of the system. Currently the IPL is the only league that is considered professional, despite many of its rules about club facilities and management being broken. It is not uncommon for teams in the lower levels of the system to change team names because of sponsorship issues or for teams to completely withdraw from a competition.
The top four levels of the system are managed by the Iranian football federation, while the bottom level leagues are managed by their respective provincial football committee.
History
The first football leagues in Iran were local city leagues, played between amateur teams with no set promotion and relegation system. When the first national league began it had a playoff elimination format, with participating teams having to play in a qualification tournament beforehand.When the Takht Jamshid Cup began in 1973, it became the highest league in the football system, above one lower league and several provincial leagues. This system continued until 1978.
After the Iranian revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
and during the Iran–Iraq War the national league was closed and clubs played in provincial leagues. After the war, the first Azadegan League began and a football system similar to the one today was implemented, with the only major difference being that the Azadegan League was the top level at the time.
In 2001, the IRIFF decided to create a professional league, and the IPL was born. The Azadegan League went down one level and was incorporated into the current system.
Current system
| Level | League/Division(s) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iran Pro League (Persian Gulf Cup) 18 clubs |
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| 2 | Azadegan League Group 1 1st Division Group 1 14 clubs |
Azadegan League Group 2 1st Division Group 2 14 clubs |
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| 3 | 2nd Division Group 1 Iran Football's 2nd Division Iranian football's 2nd division is the third-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 2nd division was known as the 3rd division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of two, fourteen... 14 clubs |
2nd Division Group 2 Iran Football's 2nd Division Iranian football's 2nd division is the third-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 2nd division was known as the 3rd division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of two, fourteen... 14 clubs |
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| 4 | 3rd Division Group 1 Iran Football's 3rd Division Iranian football's 3rd division is the fourth-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 3rd division was known as the 4th division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of six groups,... 12 clubs |
3rd Division Group 2 Iran Football's 3rd Division Iranian football's 3rd division is the fourth-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 3rd division was known as the 4th division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of six groups,... 12 clubs |
3rd Division Group 3 Iran Football's 3rd Division Iranian football's 3rd division is the fourth-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 3rd division was known as the 4th division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of six groups,... 12 clubs |
3rd Division Group 4 Iran Football's 3rd Division Iranian football's 3rd division is the fourth-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 3rd division was known as the 4th division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of six groups,... 12 clubs |
3rd Division Group 5 Iran Football's 3rd Division Iranian football's 3rd division is the fourth-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 3rd division was known as the 4th division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of six groups,... 12 clubs |
3rd Division Group 6 Iran Football's 3rd Division Iranian football's 3rd division is the fourth-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 3rd division was known as the 4th division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of six groups,... 12 clubs |
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| 5 | Provincial Leagues Alborz Province League, Ardabil Province League, Bushehr Province League, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province League, East Azarbaijan Province League, Esfahan Province League, Fars Province League, Gilan Province League, Golestan Province League, Hamadan Province League, Hormozgan Province League, Ilam Province League, Kerman Province League , Kermanshah Province League, Khuzestan Province League, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province League, Kordestan Province League, Lorestan Province League, Markazi Province League, Mazandaran Province League, North Khorasan Province League, Qazvin Province League, Qom Province League, Razavi Khorasan Province League, Semnan Province League, Sistan and Baluchestan Province League, South Khorasan Province League, Tehran Province League, West Azarbaijan Province League, Yazd Province League, Zanjan Province League (league organized by provincial committees) |
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See also
- Persian Gulf CupIran's Premier Football LeagueThe Iran Pro League , is a professional football league competition for clubs located at the highest level of the Iranian football league system.The league system resembles the system being used in England currently...
- Azadegan League
- 2nd DivisionIran Football's 2nd DivisionIranian football's 2nd division is the third-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 2nd division was known as the 3rd division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of two, fourteen...
- 3rd DivisionIran Football's 3rd DivisionIranian football's 3rd division is the fourth-highest football division overall in the Iranian football league system.Before 2001, the 3rd division was known as the 4th division, but this was changed when Iran's football structure officially became professional.The league consists of six groups,...
- League systemLeague systemA league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport, usually with a system of promotion and relegation between consecutive levels of the hierarchy. They are often called pyramids due to their tendency to split into an increasing number of regional divisions the further down the pyramid one descends...
- Hazfi CupHazfi CupThe Hazfi Cup is a knockout cup competition in Iranian football, run by the Iranian Football Federation. The competition wasn't regarded important by clubs until the IRIFF decided to award one of Iran's four AFC Champions League spots to the champion....
- Iranian Super CupIranian Super CupThe Iranian Super Cup is an Iranian association football trophy awarded to the winner of a match between the Iranian Premier League's season champion and the winner of the Hazfi Cup. It is similar to numerous other Super Cup tournaments held in other countries....
- List of Iranian football clubs in 2009–10 season
- List of Iranian football clubs in 2010–11 season
- List of Iranian football clubs in 2011–12 season