Persian Gulf Pro League

Persian Gulf Pro League
لیگ برتر خلیج فارس

Country	Iran
Confederation	AFC
Founded	1970 officially 2001 with current format
Divisions	1
Number of teams	16
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Azadegan League
Domestic cup(s)	Hazfi Cup Iranian Super Cup
International cup(s)	AFC Champions League
Current champions	Esteghlal Khuzestan (1st title)
Most championships	Persepolis (9 titles)
TV partners	IRIB TV3, Jame Jam 1, Varzesh
Website	Iranleague.ir
2016–17 Persian Gulf Pro League

The Persian Gulf Pro League (Persian: لیگ برتر خلیج فارس‎‎) formerly known as Iran Pro League (IPL) (Persian: لیگ برتر فوتبال ایران‎‎), is a professional football league competition for clubs located at the highest level of the Iranian football league system. It was founded in 1970 as the Takht Jamshid Cup, but the current format was adopted in 2001. Contested by 16 teams, it is ranked by the Asian Football Confederation as the 2nd best league in Asia and the best league in Western Asia.

The Persian Gulf Pro League is the top tier of an extensive pyramid-like structure, above the Azadegan League (or 1st Division), the 2nd division, the 3rd Division and the lower local leagues. Since the league's creation in 2001, seven different teams have become league champions. Sepahan is the most successful club with five trophies.

History

Iranian League Winners

Seasons	Winners	Runners-up
1970–71	Taj	Pas Tehran
1971–72	Persepolis	Pas Tehran
1973–74	Persepolis	Taj
1974–75	Taj	Persepolis
1975–76	Persepolis	Homa
1976–77	Pas Tehran	Persepolis
1977–78	Pas Tehran	Persepolis
1989–90	Esteghlal	Persepolis
1991–92	Pas Tehran	Esteghlal
1992–93	Pas Tehran	Persepolis
1993–94	Saipa	Persepolis
1994–95	Saipa	Esteghlal
1995–96	Persepolis	Bahman
1996–97	Persepolis	Bahman
1997–98	Esteghlal	Pas Tehran
1998–99	Persepolis	Esteghlal
1999–2000	Persepolis	Esteghlal
2000–01	Esteghlal	Persepolis
2001–02	Persepolis	Esteghlal
2002–03	Sepahan	Pas Tehran
2003–04	Pas Tehran	Esteghlal
2004–05	Foolad	Zob Ahan
2005–06	Esteghlal	Pas Tehran
2006–07	Saipa	Esteghlal Ahvaz
2007–08	Persepolis	Sepahan
2008–09	Esteghlal	Zob Ahan
2009–10	Sepahan	Zob Ahan
2010–11	Sepahan	Esteghlal
2011–12	Sepahan	Tractor Sazi
2012–13	Esteghlal	Tractor Sazi
2013–14	Foolad	Persepolis
2014–15	Sepahan	Tractor Sazi
2015–16	Esteghlal Khuzestan	Persepolis

Foundation

Before the 1970s, Iran did not have an official national league and most teams competed in their local leagues, the most popular being the Tehran Local League which featured teams like Pas Tehran, Persepolis, and Taj.

In 1970, the Local League was created. The league included teams from all Iran in different qualifying tournaments.

In 1972, the Takht Jamshid Cup was created as the national league and included teams from all over the country. Pas Tehran and Persepolis were the most successful clubs in the cup's five-year existence, each club winning the cup twice. In 1978, the league was abandoned because of the Iranian Revolution.

Due to the revolution and the Iran–Iraq War, football was no longer a priority. In 1985, the Qods League was created and was played among provincial teams. Tehran A and Esfahan were the most successful teams, each winning the league twice. In spite of many attempts to create a national league, the most important competition in Iran in the 1980s was the Tehran Clubs Cup in which Persepolis dominated.

In 1991, the Qods League was renamed the Azadegan League in honor of the Iranian prisoners of war who were released. Pas Tehran won the inaugural season of the league and Iran had a national league for the first time since the revolution. Pas Tehran, Persepolis, and Esteghlal were the league's most successful sides, with Pas and Esteghlal winning the Asian Club Championships and Persepolis winning the Asian Cup Winners' Cup. In 2001, the league was dissolved with the introduction of the new Iran Pro League.

Iran Pro League

The 2001–02 season saw the introduction of a professional football league in Iran.^[1] The first winner of the Iran Pro League was Persepolis, who beat archrival Esteghlal by one point on the final match day. In the 2002–03 season, Sepahan won the league comfortably with seven points separating them and second placed Pas Tehran. In the 2003–04 season, Pas Tehran won their first title after coming in second place the previous year; defending champion Sepahan finished in the 6th place. The 2004–05 season was a surprising one as Foolad shockingly won the title, finishing on top by six points. In the 2005–06 season, Tehran club Esteghlal won their first league title, winning on the final day as they finished one point ahead of second placed team Pas Tehran.

Persian Gulf Cup

On August 12, 2006, the Iranian Football Federation decided to change the name of the league once again; it was changed to the Persian Gulf Cup.^[2] This was done to promote the name of the Persian Gulf, instead of many variations that some nations and organizations use which Iran disputes. The logo of the league was also changed, with the winner being selected from over 130 designs and unveiled on November 14, 2006.^[3]

Saipa was the 6th team to win the new edition of the league which meant six different teams won the league title in a row. However, Persepolis regained the title after six years in 2008 by a dramatic win against rivals Sepahan in the 96th minute of the final matchday and became the first team to win two titles in the new edition of the league. The next season, Esteghlal did the same thing and won the league for the second time on the final match day.

Sepahan's domestic dominance started in the 2009–10 season, where they won the league comfortably, a feat which they did again the following season. They also won the 2011–12 edition of the league; they had a more difficult job repeating the glory of the past years, they won it on the final match day for the third time in a row. They are the first club in the history of the Iran Pro League to win the league title 3 consecutive times. Sepahan's dominance ended in the 2012–13 season, when Esteghlal cruised to a comfortable league victory.

Before the start of the 2012–13 season, the IFF, who were recommended by Iran national football team manager Carlos Queiroz, announced that for the 2013–14 season the number of the teams will be reduced from 18 to 16, to increase the competitiveness of the league.

The 2013–14 season witnessed the closest title race since the league's inception. Coming into the last match day, 5 teams had the possibility of becoming champions; in the end, Foolad became champions after beating Gostaresh 1–0; while Persepolis finished second, two points behind Foolad. Although Sepahan beat Naft Tehran 1–0 on the final matchday, Naft Tehran finished third ahead of Sepahan because of better goal difference. With Esteghlal's 1–3 loss to Tractor Sazi, Esteghlal finished 5th and missed out on a Champions League spot for the first time in four years.

In the summer of 2014, the league's name was officially changed to Persian Gulf Pro League, and a new logo was made as well.

Current clubs (2016–17)

Perspolis
Esteghlal
Naft Tehran
Paykan
Saipa

Tractor Sazi
Machine Sazi
Gostaresh

Saba

Sepahan
Zob Ahan

Mashhad
Padideh

Esteghlal Khuzestan
Foolad

Sanat Naft

Location of teams in 2016–17 Persian Gulf Pro League

Team	City	Venue	Capacity
Esteghlal	Tehran	Azadi	78,116
Esteghlal Khuzestan	Ahvaz	Ghadir	38,960
Foolad	Ahvaz	Ghadir	38,960
Gostaresh	Tabriz	Gostaresh Foulad	12,000
Machine Sazi	Tabriz	Bagh Shomal	25,000
Mashhad	Mashhad	Samen	35,000
Naft Tehran	Tehran	Takhti Tehran	30,122
Padideh	Mashhad	Samen	35,000
Paykan	Tehran	Shahr-e Qods	25,000
Persepolis	Tehran	Azadi	78,116
Saba Qom	Qom	Yadegar-e Emam	10,610
Saipa	Tehran	Shahid Dastgerdi	8,250
Sanat Naft	Abadan	Takhti Abadan	22,000
Sepahan	Isfahan	Naghsh-e-Jahan	75,000
Tractor Sazi	Tabriz	Yadegar-e-Emam	66,833
Zob Ahan	Isfahan	Foolad Shahr	15,000

Champions

List of champions by season since 2001

Season	Winner	No. IPL titles [Total titles]
2001–02	Persepolis	1 [8]
2002–03	Sepahan	1 [1]
2003–04	Pas Tehran	1 [5]
2004–05	Foolad	1 [1]
2005–06	Esteghlal	1 [6]
2006–07	Saipa	1 [3]
2007–08	Persepolis	2 [9]
2008–09	Esteghlal	2 [7]
2009–10	Sepahan	2 [2]
2010–11	Sepahan	3 [3]
2011–12	Sepahan	4 [4]
2012–13	Esteghlal	3 [8]
2013–14	Foolad	2 [2]
2014–15	Sepahan	5 [5]
2015–16	Esteghlal Khuzestan	1 [1]

Most successful clubs since 2001 in Persian Gulf Pro League

Team	Winners	Runners-up	Third Place
Sepahan	5 (2002–03, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15)	1 (2007–08)	1 (2012–13)
Esteghlal	3 (2005–06, 2008–09, 2012–13)	3 (2001–02, 2003–04, 2010–11)	4 (2004–05, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2015–16)
Persepolis	2 (2001–02, 2007–08)	2 (2013–14, 2015–16)	2 (2002–03, 2006–07)
Foolad	2 (2004–05, 2013–14)	—	2 (2001–02, 2003–04)
Pas Tehran	1 (2003–04)	2 (2002–03, 2005–06)	—
Saipa	1 (2006–07)	—	1 (2005–06)
Esteghlal Khuzestan	1 (2015–16)	—	—
Zob Ahan	—	3 (2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10)	1 (2010–11)
Tractor Sazi	—	3 (2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15)	—
Esteghlal Ahvaz	—	1 (2006–07)	—
Naft Tehran	—	—	2 (2013–14, 2014–15)

All-time Persian Gulf Pro League standings

Season	Persepolis	Esteghlal	Sepahan
2001–02	1	2	9
2002–03	3	9	1
2003–04	5	2	6
2004–05	4	3	10
2005–06	9	1	7
2006–07	3	4	5
2007–08	1	13	2
2008–09	5	1	4
2009–10	4	3	1
2010–11	4	2	1
2011–12	12	3	1
2012–13	7	1	3
2013–14	2	5	4
2014–15	8	6	1
2015–16	2	3	11
Top three finishes	6	10	7
Key:	Champions
	2nd or 3rd place
	4th or below

Since the 2001–02 season, fifteen seasons of Iranian Professional League have been completed. The table below shows the total rankings for football clubs which have competed in 15 seasons.
Teams in bold compete in 2016–17 season.

Pos.	Club	Seasons	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Best Rank
1	Esteghlal	15	462	224	147	91	685	447	+238	818^5	Champion
2	Sepahan	15	462	212	146	104	672	446	+226	779^1	Champion
3	Persepolis	15	462	199	153	110	646	492	+154	743^2	Champion
4	Zob Ahan	15	462	183	155	124	569	465	+104	703^3	2nd
5	Foolad	14	428	169	138	121	519	443	+76	645	Champion
6	Saipa	15	462	145	161	156	529	535	-6	596	Champion
7	Saba Qom	12	384	122	149	113	446	427	+19	515	3rd
8	Malavan	14	436	121	145	170	403	502	-99	507^5	7th
9	Fajr Sepasi	12	368	101	135	132	347	406	-59	438	4th
10	Tractor Sazi	8	252	106	87	59	349	265	+84	404^5	2nd
11	Paykan	11	338	98	96	144	342	431	-89	390	5th
12	Rah Ahan	11	354	91	114	149	353	447	-94	387	8th
13	Mes Kerman	8	264	85	99	80	310	292	+18	354	3rd
14	Aboumoslem	9	270	83	90	97	298	304	-6	339	4th
15	Esteghlal Ahvaz	9	274	80	78	116	327	402	-75	318	2nd
16	Naft Tehran	6	192	78	67	47	230	183	+47	301	3rd
17	Pas Tehran	6	168	72	59	37	263	181	+82	274^4	Champion
18	Bargh Shiraz	8	236	60	78	98	250	335	-85	258	7th
19	Damash Gilan	8	248	56	81	111	228	343	-115	248^5	7th
20	Sanat Naft	5	162	43	42	77	178	251	-73	171	9th
21	Pas Hamedan	4	136	38	48	50	143	165	-22	162	5th
22	Esteghlal Khuzestan	3	90	25	38	27	94	97	-3	113	Champion
23	Shahin Bushehr	3	102	23	38	41	96	118	-22	107	13th
24	Gostaresh	3	90	23	33	34	97	105	-8	102	9th
25	Steel Azin	2	68	19	23	26	85	112	-27	80	5th
26	Shamoushak	3	86	16	26	44	64	118	-54	74	14th
27	Padideh	2	60	16	24	20	53	60	-7	72	10th
28	Shahrdari Tabriz	2	68	14	29	25	79	97	-18	71	12th
29	Aluminium Hormozgan	1	34	7	14	13	26	40	-14	35	15th
30	Payam Mashhad	1	34	9	8	17	33	52	-19	35	16th
31	Mashhad	1	30	7	6	17	23	34	-11	27	13th
32	Mes Sarcheshmeh	1	34	5	9	20	23	54	-31	24	18th
33	Naft Masjed Soleyman	1	30	3	13	14	19	39	-20	22	16th
34	Shirin Faraz	1	34	3	12	19	25	59	-34	21	18th
35	Shahid Ghandi Yazd	1	30	4	7	19	21	43	-22	19	16th
36	Gahar Doroud	1	34	3	10	21	24	59	-35	19	18th
37	Machine Sazi	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—	0	—

¹ Sepahan was docked 3 points in 2007–08 season issued by Iranian Football Federation.
² Persepolis was docked 6 points in 2007–08 season issued by FIFA.
³ Zob Ahan was docked 1 point in 2005–06 season issued by Iranian Football Federation.
⁴ Pas Tehran was deducted 1 point in 2006–07 season after the team illegally fielded 4 foreign players in the 20th round of the competition.
⁵ Persepolis, Esteghlal, Malavan, Damash and Tractor Sazi were deducted 1 point each in 2013–14 season due to poor fan behavior in their home matches.

Competition format and sponsorship

Competition

There are currently 16 clubs in the league,^[4] although the competition started in 2001–02 with 14 teams.^[5] The season lasts from August to May, with each club playing the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents for a total of 30 games for each club, with a total of 240 games in each season. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned as champion. At the end of the season, the three worst teams are relegated directly to the Azadegan League.

In the Azadegan League the top three teams are automatically promoted to the top flight.

In 2012, the league considered reducing the amount of teams to 16, for the 2012–13 season. This idea was dismissed for the 2012–13 season, but was implicated for the 2013–14 season.

Qualification for Asian competitions

As of 2008 four teams from Iran qualify for the AFC Asian Champions League annually. This includes the top three teams of the PGPL together with the winner of the Hazfi Cup. If the winner of the Hazfi Cup is also among the three top PGPL teams then the fourth best PGPL team also qualifies.

Sponsorship

Former logo, used from 2006 to 2014

The Persian Gulf Pro League has been sponsored since 2005. There have been four sponsors since the league's formation. In 2014, Irannovin Company became the League's sponsor for a record fee.

• 2001–2005: No sponsor
• 2005–2007: Zamzam
• 2007–2009: Padideh
• 2009–2014: Irancell
• 2014–2016: Sun Star
• 2016–present: fanap

According to a November 2012 study, in the 2010–11 season Iran Pro League clubs on average obtained 15% of their income from sponsorship.^[6]

Ownership

Media coverage

Channel 3 broadcast two games a week nationally and IRIB 2 broadcast two games a week internationally, however due to the immense popularity of Tehran teams Persepolis F.C. and Esteghlal F.C. only these teams' matches are shown on IRIB 2 internationally. Since the 2012–13 season IRIB Varzesh will televise a second game each week nationally. With the provincial channels broadcasting the rest of their local games. Occasionally on important match days, such as the final day, Channel 2 and Shoma broadcast games nationally.

On 20 July 2011, IRIB and the IFF came to agreement regarding TV rights of both IPL and national team matches worth $96.5 million that will run until 2014.^[7]

Players

Transfer season

• The summer transfer season for teams in the Persian Gulf Pro League lasts from June 18 to 12 pm on August 8.
• The winter transfer season for teams in the Persian Gulf Pro League lasts from January 1 to 12 pm on January 31.

Foreigner cap

Each team is allowed as many foreign players in their squad as they desire, however there is a rule that only permits three foreign players the pitch at any one time for each side. In the past there have been breaches of this rule and in the 2006–07 season Pas Tehran were docked one point for fielding four foreigners on one occasion and handed a 3–0 loss. Shortly after the 2011–12 Iran Pro League season finished, the IFF announced that foreign goalkeepers on Iranian teams would be banned from Azadegan League, Iran Pro League, Hazfi Cup, and Asian Champions League. A few weeks later, the IFF announced that the ban of foreign goalkeepers had been lifted, and that each team is allowed 4 foreign on the field including the goalkeeper.

Ranking

As of 2014 it was ranked as the 61st strongest league in the world by the IFFHS,^[8] behind the K-League, Saudi Professional League, J.League and the Qatar Stars League. It was also ranked the third best league in Asia and the second best in Western Asia by the Asian Football Confederation in the 2015 AFC Champions League Ranking.

Records

All-time top scorers

All-time League top scorers

last update: 24 August 2015

No.	Player	Goals	Years
1	Reza Enayati	143	2001–present
2	Arash Borhani	113	2002–present
3	Mehdi Rajabzadeh	102	2001–present
4	Fereydoon Fazli	85	2001–2010
5	Edmond Bezik	84	1994–2006
6	Ali Asghar Modirroosta	80	1991–2003
7	Karim Ansarifard	77	2007–2014
8	Édinho	75	2007–2015
9	Jalal Rafkhaei	73	2005–present
10	Ali Daei	72	1994–2007
11	Emad Mohammed	70	2005–2012
12	Rasoul Khatibi	68	1997–2010
13	Reza Sahebi	67	1989–2003
	Reza Norouzi	67	2007–present
15	Siavash Akbarpour	65	2004–2015
	Mohammad Gholami	65	2001–present
17	Gholam Hossein Mazloumi	63	1971–1979
18	Mohsen Garousi	61	1989–2002
	Mohsen Bayatinia	61	2001–2014
20	Ibrahima Touré	60	2007–2011
21	Behnam Seraj	59	1996–2004
	Faraz Fatemi	59	1997–2011
23	Aziz Espandar	58	1971–1979
	Mohammad Momeni	58	1989–2003
	Hossein Khatibi	58	1991–2000
	Iman Razaghirad	58	2001–2013
27	Alireza Vahedi Nikbakht	55	1998–2014
28	Hadi Asqari	52	2005–2010
	Farshad Pious	52	1989–1997
	Bahman Tahmasebi	52	1999–2011
31	Samad Marfavi	51	1989–1998
	Ali Samereh	51	1999–2012
33	Davoud Haghi	50	2003–2014
Includes when Azadegan League and Takht Jamshid Cup were Top Division[9]

Players in bold are still active in the league.

Winning managers

last update: May 13, 2016

Season	Nationality	Winning manager	Club
2001–02	Iran	Parvin, AliAli Parvin	Persepolis
2002–03	Iran	Kazemi, FarhadFarhad Kazemi	Sepahan
2003–04	Iran	Jalali, MajidMajid Jalali	Pas Tehran
2004–05	Croatia	Mladen Frančić	Foolad
2005–06	Iran	Ghalenoei, AmirAmir Ghalenoei	Esteghlal
2006–07	Iran	Daei, AliAli Daei	Saipa
2007–08	Iran  United States	Ghotbi, AfshinAfshin Ghotbi	Persepolis
2008–09	Iran	Ghalenoei, AmirAmir Ghalenoei	Esteghlal
2009–10	Iran	Ghalenoei, AmirAmir Ghalenoei	Sepahan
2010–11	Iran	Ghalenoei, AmirAmir Ghalenoei	Sepahan
2011–12	Croatia	Kranjčar, ZlatkoZlatko Kranjčar	Sepahan
2012–13	Iran	Ghalenoei, AmirAmir Ghalenoei	Esteghlal
2013–14	Iran	Faraki, HosseinHossein Faraki	Foolad
2014–15	Iran	Faraki, HosseinHossein Faraki	Sepahan
2015–16	Iran	Veisi, AbdollahAbdollah Veisi	Esteghlal Khuzestan

Multiple winning managers

last update: May 13, 2016

No.	Winning manager	Club	No. titles
1	Amir Ghalenoei	Esteghlal, Sepahan	5
2	Hossein Faraki	Foolad, Sepahan	2
3	Ali Parvin	Perspolis	1
	Farhad Kazemi	Sepahan
	Majid Jalali	Pas Tehran
	Mladen Frančić	Foolad
	Ali Daei	Saipa
	Afshin Ghotbi	Persepolis
	Zlatko Kranjčar	Sepahan
	Abdollah Veisi	Esteghlal Khuzestan

Multiple winning players

last update: May 13, 2016

No.	Winning player	Club	No. titles
1	Moharram Navidkia	Sepahan	5
2	Hossein Papi	Sepahan	4
	Rahman Ahmadi	Saipa, Sepahan
	Jalal Hosseini	Saipa, Sepahan
	Mehdi Rahmati	Esteghlal, Sepahan
	Hashem Beikzadeh	Esteghlal, Sepahan
3	Mohsen Bengar	Sepahan	3
	Hadi Aghili	Sepahan
	Ahmad Jamshidian	Sepahan
	Mehdi Karimian	Sepahan
	Mehdi Jafarpour	Sepahan
	Ehsan Hajsafi	Sepahan
	Shahin Kheiri	Sepahan, Esteghlal
	Pejman Montazeri	Foolad, Esteghlal
	Kianoush Rahmati	Pas Tehran, Esteghlal
	Siavash Akbarpour	Esteghlal
	Arash Borhani	Pas Tehran, Esteghlal
	Mojtaba Jabbari	Esteghlal
	Fábio Januário	Esteghlal, Sepahan

See also

• Hazfi Cup
• Iranian Futsal Super League
• 17th of Shahrivar league
• Qods League
• Iranian Super Cup
• Tehran Football Competitions
• List of foreign IPL players
• Takht Jamshid Cup
• List of Iranian Football League managers

Notes

1. Mehrdad Estiri, Mohammad Haghighi, Reza Mohammadkazemi, Hamzeh Rayej & Mohammad Jahed (2010). "Promotion in Iran's Football Pro-league: Important but Weak!" (PDF). International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences. Korea Institute of Sports Science. 22 (1): 62. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
2. برنامه‌ي كامل دور رفت ششمين دوره‌ي ليگ برتر فوتبال؛ ليگ برتر به "خليج فارس" تغيير نام داد (in Persian). ISNA. Retrieved 2006-08-14.
3. برترين طرح ارائه شده براي ليگ برتر انتخاب شد (in Persian). IRIFF Official Website. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
4. "Persian Gulf Cup". Soccerway. Global Sports Media. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
5. "Iran League Seasons". Persianleague.com. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
6. Mahsa Qorbani; Mohammad Javad Sheikh; Meysam Bagheri (November 2012). "A comparative study of how to finance professional football premier leagues in Iran and England" (PDF). Scholarly Journal of Business Administration. 2 (9): 147. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
7. http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9004295645
8. The World's Strongest National League 2014, IFFHS, 19 January 2015, retrieved 12 July 2015
9. شهريار به‌ بزيک، مديرروستا و عنايتى‌ نرسيد على‌ دايى‌ در 72 متوقف‌ شد (in Persian). khabars.net. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2007-05-30.

External links

• Persian Gulf Pro League official website
• Persian Gulf Pro League official twitter
• League at Soccerway.com