Persian Gulf Pro League facts for kids
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| Organising body | Football League Organization |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2 November 2001; 23 years ago |
| Country | Iran |
| Confederation | AFC |
| 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 Elite AFC Champions League Two |
| Current champions | Persepolis (16th title) (2023–24) |
| Most championships | Persepolis (16 titles) |
| Most appearances | Jalal Hosseini (494) |
| Top goalscorer | Reza Enayati (149 goals) |
| TV partners |
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| Website | IranLeague.ir |
The Persian Gulf Pro League is the top professional football league for men in Iran. It is also known as Lig-e Bartar-e Xalij-e Fârs in Persian. This exciting league is managed by the FFIRI (Iran Football Federation). Sixteen teams compete each year, playing 30 matches to find out who will be the champion.
The team that finishes first becomes the Iranian football champion. The two teams at the very bottom of the league move down to a lower league called the Azadegan League. The winner of the Persian Gulf Pro League and the winner of the Hazfi Cup (another big football competition in Iran) get to play in the AFC Champions League Elite. This is a major competition for top clubs in Asia. The third-place team in the Persian Gulf Pro League also gets a chance to play in the AFC Champions League Elite, but they have to go through a play-off round first.
Contents
History of the League
The idea for a professional football league in Iran started around the year 2000. In 2001, the Iran Pro League was officially created. It became the highest level of football in the country. Before this, the Azadegan League was the top league, but after 2001, it became the second-highest.
The first winner of the Iran Pro League was Persepolis in the 2001–02 season. They won by just one point! In the 2003–04 Iran Pro League, PAS Tehran became the champion. This was their last championship before their professional team was later closed down in 2007.
In 2004, the league grew from 14 teams to 16 teams. Foolad from Ahvaz became the first champion from the Khuzestan Province. In the 2005–06 Iran Pro League, Esteghlal won their first championship since 2001.
The Persian Gulf Cup Era
On August 12, 2006, the Iranian Football Federation decided to change the league's name to Persian Gulf Cup (PGC). This was done to highlight the name of the Persian Gulf, which has been a topic of discussion. They also changed the league's logo.
Saipa won the 2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup. For a while, six different teams won the league title one after another, showing how competitive it was! An interesting fact from this time is that a Nigerian player named Daniel Olerum became the league's top goal scorer, with 17 goals.
Before the 2007–08 season, the number of teams increased again, from 16 to 18. Some teams also moved cities. For example, PAS Tehran was replaced by a new club called PAS Hamedan in Hamadan. Also, Saba Battery moved from Tehran to Qom and became Saba Qom.
The championship in the 2007–08 season was decided on the very last day! Persepolis won against Sepahan to claim the title. The next season, Esteghlal won. Then, Sepahan had a great run, winning the league three times in a row from 2009–10 to 2011–12. Esteghlal won again in 2012–13, making it their eighth championship.
Before the next season, the league went back to 16 teams. Foolad won the championship that year.
The Persian Gulf Pro League Today
In 2014, the league changed its name again, from Persian Gulf Cup to Persian Gulf Pro League. The Iranian Football Federation also updated the logos for this league and the Azadegan League.
The 2014–15 Persian Gulf Pro League season was very exciting, with Sepahan, Tractor, and Naft Tehran all fighting for the championship. There were some confusing moments on the last day, but Sepahan eventually secured their title.
The 2015–16 Persian Gulf Pro League was also decided on the final matchday. Esteghlal Khuzestan won, ahead of Persepolis and Esteghlal. Persepolis then had a fantastic period, winning the league in 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19, making it three championships in a row!
How the League Works (Format)
The Persian Gulf Pro League currently has 16 teams. The season usually runs from July to May. Each team plays every other team twice: once at home and once away. This means each team plays a total of 30 games.
- Teams get three points for a win.
- They get one point for a draw (a tie).
- They get zero points for a loss.
Teams are ranked by their total points. If points are tied, goal difference (goals scored minus goals against) is used. If still tied, goals scored, and then head-to-head records are used.
The champion team, the runner-up, and the Hazfi Cup winner all get to play in the group stage of the AFC Champions League. The team that finishes third in the league enters the AFC Champions League in a play-off round. The two teams with the fewest points at the end of the season are moved down to the Azadegan League. All teams in the Persian Gulf Pro League can also play in the Hazfi Cup.
| Number of teams | Period |
|---|---|
| 14 | 2001–02 until 2003–04 |
| 16 | 2004–05 until 2006–07, since 2013–14 |
| 18 | 2007–08 until 2012–13 |
League Logo
Teams in the League (2023–24)
Sixteen teams are competing in the Persian Gulf Pro League for the 2023–24 season. These teams come from different cities across Iran.
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | Arak | Imam Khomeini | 15,000 |
| Esteghlal | Tehran | Azadi | 78,116 |
| Esteghlal Khuzestan | Ahvaz | Ghadir | 38,900 |
| Foolad | Foolad Arena | 30,655 | |
| Gol Gohar Sirjan | Sirjan | Qassem Soleimani | 8,000 |
| Havadar | Tehran | Shahid Dastgerdi | 8,250 |
| Malavan | Bandar-e Anzali | Sirous Ghayeghran | 8,000 |
| Mes Rafsanjan | Rafsanjan | Shohadaye Mes | 10,000 |
| Nassaji Mazandaran | Ghaemshahr | Vatani | 27,700 |
| Paykan | Shahr-e Qods | Shahr-e Qods | 18,000 |
| Persepolis | Tehran | Azadi | 78,116 |
| Sanat Naft | Abadan | Takhti Abadan | 8,000 |
| Sepahan | Isfahan | Naghsh-e-Jahan | 75,000 |
| Shams Azar | Qazvin | Sardar Azadegan | 15,000 |
| Tractor | Tabriz | Yadegar-e Emam | 66,833 |
| Zob Ahan | Fooladshahr | Fooladshahr | 20,000 |
League Champions Over Time
Many different clubs have won the Persian Gulf Pro League title since it began. Here's a look at the champions:
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persepolis |
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2001–02, 2007–08, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24 |
| Sepahan |
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2002–03, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15 |
| Esteghlal |
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2005–06, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2021–22 |
| Foolad |
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2004–05, 2013–14 |
| PAS Tehran |
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2003–04 |
| Saipa |
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2006–07 | |
| Esteghlal Khuzestan | 2015–16 | ||
| Zob Ahan |
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| Tractor |
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| Esteghlal Ahvaz |
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Total Championships (All Leagues)
This table shows the total number of times clubs have won the top football league in Iran, including older leagues before the Persian Gulf Pro League.
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
Persepolis |
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1971–72, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2007–08, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24 |
| Esteghlal |
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1970–71, 1974–75, 1989–90, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2021–22 |
| PAS Tehran |
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1976–77, 1977–78, 1991–92, 1992–93, 2003–04 |
| Sepahan |
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2002–03, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15 | |
| Saipa |
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1993–94, 1994–95, 2006–07 |
| Foolad |
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2004–05, 2013–14 |
| Esteghlal Khuzestan |
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2015–16 | |
| Zob Ahan |
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| Tractor |
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| Bahman |
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| Homa |
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| Esteghlal Ahvaz |
League Statistics and Records
All-Time Top Scorers
These players have scored the most goals in the history of the Persian Gulf Pro League.
| No. | Player | Goals | Apps | GPGR | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Reza Enayati |
147 | 358 | 0.41 | 2001- 2017 |
| 2 | Mehdi Rajabzadeh |
116 | 381 | 0.30 | 2001- 2018 |
| 3 | Arash Borhani |
115 | 339 | 0.33 | 2002- 2017 |
| 4 |  Luciano Chimba |
115 | 325 | 0.35 | 2012-Present |
| 5 | Fereydoon Fazli |
85 | 178 | 0.47 | 2001–2010 |
| 6 | Édinho |
82 | 183 | 0.44 | 2008-
2017 |
| 7 | Jalal Rafkhaei |
79 | 308 | 0.25 | 2005-
2016 |
| 8 | Mohammad Reza Khalatbari |
79 | 428 | 0.18 | 2003–2023 |
| 9 | Karim Ansarifard |
77 | 182 | 0.42 | 2007-
2014 |
| 10 | Mohammad Ghazi |
76 | 340 | 0.22 | 2004-Present |
Players in bold are still active in the league.
*GPGR: Goals Per Game Ratio (Goals Per Game Ratio)
Players with Most Appearances
These players have played in the most matches in the Iran league.
| No | Player | Appearance | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jalal Hosseini |
492 | 2002–2022 |
| 2 | Mehdi Rahmati |
482 | 2001–2020 |
| 3 | Ebrahim Sadeghi |
438 | 2001–2017 |
| 4 | Mohammadreza Khalatbari |
428 | 2003–2023 |
| 5 | Mehdi Rajabzadeh |
381 | 2001–2018 |
| 6 | Morteza Asadi |
380 | 2005–2018 |
| 7 | Amir Hossein Sadeghi |
379 | 2003–2018 |
| 8 | Mohsen Bengar |
372 | |
| 9 | Khosro Heydari |
370 | 2002–2019 |
| 10 | Mohammad Nouri |
369 | 2005–2021 |
Broadcasting and Sponsors
Watching the Games (Broadcasting)
The state-owned TV channel, IRIB, has the rights to show most of the matches. This includes games from the Persian Gulf Pro League, Azadegan League, and Hazfi Cup. Big matches, especially those involving Esteghlal and Persepolis, are shown on IRIB TV3. In 2024, it was announced that the picture quality of broadcasts will be improved to HD in the future.
League Sponsors
The Persian Gulf Pro League has had sponsors since 2005. These companies help support the league financially.
- 2001–2005: No sponsor
- 2005–2007: Zamzam
- 2007–2009: Padideh
- 2009–2014: Irancell
- 2014–2016: Sun Star
- 2016–present: Fanap
The Championship Trophy
The trophy given to the league champions is special! It has two parts: a shiny chrome part and a smaller golden part. The sides of the trophy are designed to look like the armor of ancient Persian soldiers from the Achaemenid Empire. The trophy also has symbols related to the Persian Gulf. A new trophy is made each season for the winners, taking about a month and a half to create. The medals and the trophy are made of brass and are covered in gold.
Images for kids
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Persepolis players celebrating winning the 2017–18 season.
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Esteghlal Khuzestan celebrating their championship in 2016.
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See also
- Football in Iran
- Iranian football league system
- League 2
- League 3
- Iranian Super Cup
