Skip to content
Surf Wiki
Save to docs
sports

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Iran women's national football team

Women's national football team representing Iran


Women's national football team representing Iran

FieldValue
NameIran
NicknameIranian lionesses
("Shirzanan")
Persian ladies
FIFA TrigrammeIRN
AssociationFootball Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI)
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationCAFA (Central Asia)
CoachMarziyeh Jafari
CaptainZahra Ghanbari
Most capsSara Ghomi (34)
Top scorerZahra Ghanbari (13)
Home StadiumArarat Stadium
FIFA Rank
FIFA max48
FIFA max dateSeptember 2008 – March 2009
FIFA min72
FIFA min dateJune – August 2021
kit_alt1white jersey with red pinstripes, white shorts, white socks with light red band
pattern_la1_irn21h
pattern_b1_irn21h
pattern_ra1_irn21h
pattern_sh1_irn21h
pattern_so1_irn21h
leftarm1FFFFFF
body1FFFFFF
rightarm1FFFFFF
shorts1FFFFFF
socks1FFFFFF
pattern_la2_irn21a
pattern_b2_irn21a
pattern_ra2_irn21a
pattern_sh2_irn21a
pattern_so2_irn21a
leftarm2EC0000
body2EC0000
rightarm2EC0000
shorts2EC0000
socks2EC0000
First gameIRN Iran 1–5
(Tehran, Iran; 9 May 1971)First FIFA International
Iran 5–1
(Amman, Jordan; 23 September 2005)
Largest winIran 12–1
(Amman, Jordan; 3 September 2007)
Largest loss8–1 Iran
(Bangkok, Thailand; 8 July 2009)
Iran 2–5
(Mumbai, India; 23 January 2022)
Regional nameAsian Cup
Regional cup apps2
Regional cup first2022
Regional cup bestGroup stage (2022)
2ndRegional nameCAFA Championship
2ndRegional cup apps2
2ndRegional cup first2018
2ndRegional cup bestRunners-up (2018, 2022)
typewomen
Note

the women's team

("Shirzanan") Persian ladies | Sub-confederation = CAFA (Central Asia)

--

(Tehran, Iran; 9 May 1971)First FIFA International Iran 5–1 (Amman, Jordan; 23 September 2005) (Amman, Jordan; 3 September 2007) (Bangkok, Thailand; 8 July 2009) Iran 2–5 (Mumbai, India; 23 January 2022)

--

The Iran women's national football team, nicknamed the Lionesses, represents Iran in international women's football around the world, and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI). The Iran women's team played its first international match in May 1971 against Italy and first FIFA international in September 2005 against Syria.

History

Early years

In 1969, a group of Iranian women attended FIFA coaching classes for women's football in South Korea, Singapore and India. During their time in those countries they also watched women's football matches. Upon their return home, Iran Football Federation after many meetings decided to kick start women's football in Iran. Soon after, clubs such as Taj, Persepolis, Deyhim, Oghab, and PAS formed women's football teams and a women's football league was established in Tehran. Persepolis women football team was coached by Alan Rogers whose assistant was Ali Parvin.{{Cite web|url=https://footballdokht.ir/577-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AE%DA%86%D9%87-%D9%81%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B9%DA%A9%D8%B3.html

On 7 May 1971, visitors to Tehran, Italy took to the field and won against Iranian club side Taj S.C 2-0. The goals were scored by Medri and Bertolo. The Italians also missed a penalty kick by Nonni. It was the first time an Iranian women's team faced a foreign opponent. Two days later there was the second match which was between Iran women's national football team and Italy, with the Azzurre scoring five goals. Nonni, Gerwien, who scored a brace, Pesenti and Gualdi scored.

Both matches were organized by Pari Abasalti editor-in-chief of Ettelaat-e Banuvan magazine who was also the president of Iran's Damsels and Ladies Association. The venue was Amjadieh stadium in Tehran. Iran women's national team composed of players selected from Taj, Persepolis, Deyhim, Oghab and PAS. Some of the players who played were Hengameh Afshar, Goli Rahani and Effat Mohammadi. The team's head coach was Aziz Asli.

Women's football was abandoned as of Iranian Revolution in 1979.

Refounded in 2005, Trying to start over

Refounded in 2004, the team reached second place at the 2005 West Asian Football Federation Women's Championship in Amman, Jordan held in September and October 2005.

In May 2006, the women's team hosted their first foreign visitors when a club from Berlin, Germany called BSV Al-Dersimspor played out a 2–2 draw in Ararat Stadium, Tehran.

The team won second place again at the 2007 and 2011 West Asian Football Federation Women's Championship.

2010s

Iran were briefly banned by FIFA from international competition in 2011 for wearing hijabs. This caused Iran to forfeit its bid to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The ban was lifted in 2012.

In 2015 there were reports that eight players on the team were males awaiting sex change operations.

On 27 December 2019, Zahra Khajavi broke the clean sheet record of Iranian football by not conceding any goal for 953 minutes. Also, she, along with Alireza Biranvand, are known as the record holders of the longest hand throws in Iranian football. As one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Iranian football, Khajavi was able to once again draw the attention of the domestic media to the Iranian women's national football team. Her achievements played a key role in the progress of the women's national football team in these years.

2020s

In the 2020s, women's football became more popular among young Iranians, both boys and girls. File:Zahra Khajavi Iranian goalkeeper.jpg|Khajavi playing for Iran in 2022 File:Iran women's national football team to the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup.jpg|Iran national football team before the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup File:Iran women national football team vs Australia 2023 Persian lionesses.jpg|Iran against Australia, 2023 Iran qualified for their first ever AFC Women's Asian Cup when they won against Jordan on penalties in the qualifiers for the 2022 edition to be hosted in India. In Iran's historic debut, Iran impressed by holding India goalless, but following India's withdrawal due to COVID-19 pandemic, Iran's only point was lost, and thus Iran was left vulnerable to China and Chinese Taipei, losing 0–7 and 0–5 in process and was eliminated as the worst third-placed team.

In 2023, a report on BBC Persian reported the lack of facilities and friendly matches for the team. This report mentioned the "unwillingness" of the Iranian Football Federation to have a women's team. In the 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Maryam Azmoun's team had one draw and two defeats (in second round of the tournament), although their slight loss against powerful Australia was predictable for the fans.

Team image

Nicknames

The Iran women's national football team have been known or nicknamed as the "Iranian Lionesses" (in Persian: Shirzanan). The Iran women's national football team is widely nicknamed the Persian stars since 2010. "Parsi women" or Persian ladies are another nicknames of the team in Asian football.

Media coverage and promotion

In the decades after 1979, the media coverage of women's football in Iran had problems, but the matches of the women's national team are usually followed by Iranian men and women in the national and foreign media.

Persian-language documentaries and sports programs are made about the team's winning potential and history.

Kits and crest

Kit suppliers

The table below shows the history of kit supplier for the Iranian national football team.

Kit supplierPeriodNotes
GER Uhlsport2019–2022
IRN Merooj2022–present

Home stadium

Iran plays their home matches on the Ararat Stadium.

Attendance of women in football matches

On 9 November 2018 Fatma Samoura, Secretary General of International Federation of Football Association FIFA said she would ask Iranian government to end ban on women’s entry to sport stadiums.

In September 2019 it was reported that Iranian female football star Sahar Khodayari, dubbed the "blue girl", died after self-immolating in front of a court in Tehran when she found out she could face a two year sentence for attempting to enter a football stadium to watch her team play.

Results and fixtures

Main article: Iran women's national football team results

The following is a list of matches in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

;Legend

2024

  • Al-Jamaeen
  • Feras

2025

  • Alizadeh
  • Foroozandeh
  • Adeli
  • Sarbali
  • Foroozandeh
  • Marlock
  • González
  • Marcano
  • Zandi
  • Ghanbari
  • Chatrenoor
  • Didar
  • Zandi
  • Alizadeh
  • Behesht
  • Makhdoumi
  • Ghohrood
  • Didar
  • Zaharin
  • Ghanbari
  • Alizadeh
  • Shaban
  • Zandi
  • Ghanbari
  • Zolfi
  • Tamrian
  • Lhazom
  • Maalouf
  • Shaban
  • Didar
  • Zandi
  • Amineh
  • Didar
  • Didar
  • Ghanbari
  • Behesht

2026

Head-to-head record

!width=30|W !width=30|D !width=30|L !width=35|GF !width=35|GA !width=35|GD !width=130|Confederation |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#FFFFCC |-bgcolor=#FFFFCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#FFFFCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#CCFFCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |-bgcolor=#FFCCCC |- class="sortbottom" !Total||99||39||13||47||212||168||+44 |}

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

PositionNameRef.
Head coachIRN Marziyeh Jafari
Assistant coachesIRN Sara Ghomi
IRN Parvaneh Karan Khosravi
Goalkeeping coachIRN Mahdiyeh Molaei
Sport medical personnelIRN Sanaz Kabiri
IRN Mahdieh Mirmohammadkhani
PhysiotherapistIRN Zeynab Hosseinzadeh
AnalystIRN Houtan Negari
Goalkeeping consultantIRN Mohammad Habibi
Physical training consultantIRN Mohammad Reza Molaei
Technical managerIRN Hossein Abdi
SupervisorIRN Fatemeh Boudaghi

Manager history

  • IRN Aziz Asli (1971)
  • IRN Shahrzad Mozafar (2005)
  • CHN Zhu Fang Shin (2008)
  • IRN Maryam Irandoost (2010–2012)
  • POR Helena Costa (2012–2014)
  • IRN Mahnaz Amirshaghaghi (2014–2016)
  • IRN Maryam Azmoon (2016–2020)
  • IRN Maryam Irandoost (2021–2022)
  • IRN Maryam Azmoon (2022–2025)
  • IRN Marziyeh Jafari (2025–)

Players

Main article: List of Iran women's international footballers

Current squad

The following players were called up for two friendly matches to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in November 2025.

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to the squad in the past year.

Current foreign-based players available for selection for national team

Players of Iranian heritage in other national teams

Unfortunately, due to strict FIFA rules, Iran women's team is unable to acquire experienced footballers who have many caps for other national teams. Two players of Iranian heritage in other national teams are Sara Doorsoun (Germany Germany), and Natasha Shirazi (Uganda Uganda).

Players from Iranian diaspora

The following players from Iranian diaspora (dual citizens) capped for Iran national team, the flag next to them shows their citizenship:

  • USA Katayoun Khosrowyar
  • USA Melika Mohammadi

Several others such as the following never capped for the national team despite having capped for Iran's youth national team:

  • USA Sofia Askari
  • USA Kimya Raietparvar Taloukie
  • USA Vida Raietparvar Taloukie

Captains

  • Zahra Ghanbari (20xx–present)

Honours

Regional

  • WAFF Women's Championship : [[File:Med 2.png]] Runners-up: 2005, 2007, 2011

  • CAFA Women's Championship : [[File:Med 2.png]] Runners-up: 2018, 2022

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup recordQualification recordYearResultPositionGPWDLGFGAGDGPWDLGFGAGDTotal0/9
China 1991 to United States 2003Did not existDid not exist
China 2007Did not enterDid not enter
Germany 2011Did not qualifyVia AFC Women's Asian Cup
Canada 2015
France 2019
AustraliaNew Zealand 2023
Brazil 2027To be determined
Costa RicaJamaicaMexicoUSA 2031To be determined
UK 2035

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics recordQualification recordYearRoundGPWD*LGFGAGDGPWD*LGFGAGDTotal0/8196493326+7
USA 1996 to Greece 2004Did not existDid not exist
CHN 2008Did not enterDid not enter
Great Britain 2012Did not qualify7214713−6
Brazil 2016210152+3
Japan 20205212197+12
France 2024512224−2
United States 2028To be determinedTo be determined
Australia 2032

Notes:

:*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

AFC Women's Asian Cup

AFC Women's Asian CupQualification recordYearResultGPWD*LGFGAGDGPWD*LGFGAGDTotal2/212002012−122091105346+7
HKG 1975 to Thailand 2003Did not existDid not exist
Australia 2006Did not enterDid not enter
Vietnam 2008Did not qualify52031012−2
China 20102002210−10
Vietnam 20143102311−8
Jordan 20184202198+11
India 2022Group stage2002012−12211050+5
AUS 2026Qualified4301145+9
UZB 2029To be determinedTo be determined

:*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Asian Games

Asian Games recordYearResultGPWD*LGFGAGDTotal0/9
CHN 1990 to KOR 2002Did not exist
QAT 2006 to CHN 2022Did not enter
JPN 2026To be determined
QAT 2030
KSA 2034

:*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

WAFF Women's Championship

WAFF Women's Championship recordYearRoundPldWD*LGSGA
Jordan 2005Runners-up 4301202
Jordan 2007Runners-up3201172
UAE 2010Group stage200205
UAE 2011Runners-up5410217
JOR 2014Did not enter
2019–onwardNot WAFF member
Total4/7149145816

:*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Malavan F.C. participated at the 2010.

CAFA Women's Championship

CAFA Women's Championship recordYearRoundPldWD*LGSGA
Uzbekistan 2018Runners-up 4301163
Tajikistan 2022Runners-up 4301101
Total2/28602264

:*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Iran U-23 team participated at the 2018 edition.

FIFA World Ranking

  • Sport in Iran
    • Football in Iran
      • Women's football in Iran
  • Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (IFF)
  • Iran women's national football team
    • Iran women's national football team results
    • List of Iran women's international footballers
  • Iran women's national under-20 football team
  • Iran women's national under-17 football team
  • Iran women's national futsal team
  • Iran men's national football team

References

References

  1. (26 December 2021). "1️⃣3️⃣ x ⚽️ Zahra Ghanbari is Team Melli Baanovaan's highest goal-scorer 🔥".
  2. (18 March 2023). "بانوان تاج مقابل منتخب ایتالیا".
  3. (20 May 2021). "Quella volta che la Nazionale femminile scrisse una pagina memorabile di storia".
  4. (8 March 2022). "عفت محمدی، بازیکن اولین تیم فوتبال زنان پرسپولیس: مربی ما آلن راجرز بود".
  5. (25 August 2015). "انقلاب فوتبال زنان در ایران".
  6. (13 October 2011). "UAE triumph in West Asian Women's Championship".
  7. (7 June 2011). "Iran women's soccer team thwarted by hijab ban". CBS News.
  8. "Iran's women soccer team banned from Olympics, because of headscarves". The Washington Post.
  9. (6 March 2012). "Lifting of hijab ban in world soccer welcomed". CBC News.
  10. News.com.au. (2015-10-01). "Most players on Iran's women's team are men: official".
  11. (2015-10-02). "Eight of Iran women's football team are men, official claims".
  12. "دروازه‌بان کردستانی رکورد کلین‌شیت فوتبال ایران را شکست / ‌زهرا خواجوی‌ 20 ساله ‌940 دقیقه گل نخورد‌- اخبار کردستان - اخبار استانها تسنیم {{!}} Tasnim".
  13. (2019-12-27). "زهرا خواجوی رکورد دار شد/ ۹۵۳ دقیقه بدون گل خورده".
  14. (2023-09-19). "زهرا خواجوی رکورد کلین شیت فوتبال ایران را شکست".
  15. "تاریخ و آمار فوتبال زنان ایران - چاپ دوم".
  16. "فوتبال زنان در ایران - چاپ دوم".
  17. (25 September 2021). "Iran's Women's Football Team Makes History – Sports news".
  18. (2023-10-25). "فوتبال زنان ایران در انتخابی المپیک ۲۰۲۴؛ ماموریت غیرممکن با امکاناتی در حد صفر".
  19. (2023-11-05). "فیلیپین ۱-۰ ایران؛ پایان کار تیم ملی فوتبال زنان ایران در انتخابی المپیک".
  20. Lynch, Joey. (2023-10-26). "Matildas 2-0 Iran: Australia secure first win of Olympic qualifying campaign – as it happened". the Guardian.
  21. (2023-11-01). "Iran defeated by Philippines in Olympics qualifier".
  22. "Khabarvarzeshi newspaper, ۹ شهریور ۱۴۰۱, First".
  23. نیوز, اخبار روز ایران و جهان {{!}} آفتاب. "مقایسه برند لباس تیم ملی با رقبا در جام جهانی".
  24. [https://en.radiofarda.com/a/fifa-engage-iran-on-women-allowed-in-stadiums/29590427.html FIFA To Engage With Iran To Lift Ban On Women In Stadiums]
  25. "'Blue girl': Iran's football fan, denied stadium entry, dies".
  26. "آنچه باید از کادرفنی جدید تیم ملی زنان بدانید؛ با حضور کاپیتان سابق و مربی پیشین پرسپولیس".
  27. (24 Mar 2020). "تاریخچه فوتبال زنان در ایران + عکس". footballdokht.
  28. (22 May 2014). "Helena Costa has 'no fear' of coaching men's team". [[BBC Sport]].
  29. (4 May 2021). "Maryam Irandoost takes charge of Iran's women's football team". [[Tehran Times]].
  30. "آخرین تمرین تیم ملی بانوان پیش از اعزام به ازبکستان". footballi.
  31. "PARISA GERAVANDI - Player Details TFF".
  32. "MARYAM YEKTAEI - Player Details TFF".
  33. "FAEZEH ESFAHANIAN - Player Details TFF".
  34. "HANANEH AMINGHASHGHAY - Player Details TFF".
  35. "Masha Mehri".
  36. "Instagram".
  37. (2011-06-05). "Iran protests Fifa ban on women's football team". The New Age (South Africa).
  38. (4 June 2011). "Đội tuyển nữ Iran bỏ cuộc tại Vòng loại thứ 2 Giải bóng đá nữ Olympic London 2012". [[Vietnam Football Federation]].
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Iran women's national football team — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report