Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran

History

The federation was founded in 1920, has been a member of FIFA since 1950, and a member of the Asian Football Confederation since 1954.

In 2001, Iran was a founding member of the West Asian Football Federation, along with Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria.

In 2014, Iran was a founding member of the Central Asian Football Association alongside Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Controversies

On 23 November 2006, the federation was suspended by FIFA, due to government interference in football matters. FIFA rules decree that a national football federation should remain autonomous from the national government. However, on 17 December 2006, the ban was lifted and a new Transitory Board was composed.

During the 2009 Iranian election protests, seven members of the Iran national football team were initially reported to have been banned for life by the federation for wearing green armbands in support of the Iranian Green Movement.

Iran women's national football team was briefly suspended by FIFA from international competition in 2011 for being required by the federation to wear headscarves.

In 2015, the federation banned players from the men's national team due to conscription problems.

In August 2017, the federation banned Masoud Shojaei and Ehsan Hajsafi from the national team after they played against the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in the UEFA Europa League.

On 9 November 2018 Fatma Samoura, Secretary General of International Federation of Football Association FIFA said she would ask the Iranian government to end the ban on women's entry to sports stadiums. On 7 August 2019, Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, prosecutor general of Iran, supporting the ban, said that it should not concern FIFA if women in Iran can enter sports stadiums or not. However, after continuous pressure from FIFA, IRNA deputy Sports Minister Jamshid Taghizadeh said women would be allowed to enter Azadi Stadium to watch the men's World Cup 2022 qualifier match between Iran and Cambodia in October. However, in March 2022, Iranian women were again banned from entering the stadium for a World Cup qualifier.

During the 2022 FIFA World Cup as well as the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, the Iranian government and federation reportedly sent paid members of the Basij and IRGC to cheer for the team in the stands and to counter protesters.

In April 2024, goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini was summoned, suspended, and fined by the Iranian federation for hugging a female fan. In October 2024, Zahra Ghanbari was suspended and forced to apologize by the Iranian federation for "improper hijab" during a goal celebration at the 2024–25 AFC Women's Champions League. In December 2024, defender Ramin Rezaeian was summoned by the federation as well after hugging a female fan.

Prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, a group stage match scheduled to be played in Seattle was designated as a "Pride Match" by the City of Seattle to coincide with the city's annual Pride celebrations and to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion. Following the draw, the fixture was confirmed to be the match between Iran and Egypt. Both Iran and Egypt are countries where homosexuality is criminalized under domestic law, with Iran in particular having imposed capital punishment in certain cases. The Iranian Football Federation and the Egyptian Football Association objected to the match's designation; however, FIFA and local organizers confirmed that associated LGBTQ+ events would proceed, and that rainbow flags would be permitted inside the stadium.

In January 2026, multiple Iranian footballers and athletes were killed during the 2026 Iran massacres amidst the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, including former Tractor Sazi F.C. midfielder Mojtaba Tarshiz, prompting former Iran national team captain Masoud Shojaei to criticise FIFA for its silence over the killing of Iranian athletes during protests, while then-captain Mehdi Taremi expressed solidarity with the Iranian people. On 14 January, the federation, along with the Islamic Republic of Iran Wrestling Federation, were exempt from posting a picture to their Instagram accounts opposing Donald Trump's threats to attack Iran for its response to the protests, and also claiming that athletes were killed during the Israel–Iran War. After the massacres, the AFC ruled that Iranian clubs cannot host AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League Two matches at home, and would therefore have to move them to neutral venues.

Competitions

Men's

• Persian Gulf Pro League
• Azadegan League
• League 2 (Iran)
• League 3 (Iran)
• Hazfi Cup
• Iranian Super Cup

Women's

• Kowsar Women Football League
• Hazfi Cup (women)
• Iranian Supercup (women)

Membership

Presidents

Board members

|}

National teams

• Iran national football team Head coach: Amir Ghalenoei
• Iran national under-23 football team Head coach: Reza Enayati
• Iran national under-20 football team Head coach: Samad Marfavi
• Iran national under-17 football team Head coach: Hossein Abdi
• Iran national under-15 football team *Head coach: Ali Doustimehr *
• Iran national futsal team Head coach: Vahid Shamsaei
• Iran national under-20 futsal team Head coach: Ali Sanei
• Iran national beach soccer team Head coach: Ali Naderi
• Iran women's national football team Head coach: Maryam Azmoon
• Iran women's national under-23 football team Head coach: TBD
• Iran women's national under-20 football team Head coach: TBD
• Iran women's national under-17 football team Head coach: Shadi Mahini
• Iran women's national futsal team Head coach: TBD

References

References

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