Ali Daei is an Iranian football manager and former player. A striker, he was the captain of the Iranian national team between 2000 and 2006. He played in the German Bundesliga for Arminia Bielefeld, Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin. He is regarded as one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time.
The AFC Asian Cup is the primary association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), determining the continental champion of Asia. It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and until 2015 qualified for the FIFA Confederations Cup.
The Iran national football team, recognised by FIFA as IR Iran, represents Iran in international football and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI).
Football is the most popular sport in Iran, with wrestling and volleyball as close contenders. Football has been a part of life for Iranians for many decades now and is played in schools, streets, and football clubs nationwide.
Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan Sport Club, commonly known as Sepahan S.C., are an Iranian sports club based in Isfahan, best known for their association football branch that play in the Persian Gulf Pro League, the highest tier of Iranian football.
The Persian Gulf Pro League, formerly known as the Iran Pro League, is the highest division of professional football in Iran. It is the top-level football league in Iran since its foundation. Each year, its top team becomes the Iranian football champion, and the two lowest finishers are relegated to Azadegan League.
Esteghlal Football Club, commonly known as Esteghlal, is an Iranian football club based in capital Tehran that competes in the Persian Gulf Pro League. The first team of the capital of Iran, the club was founded in 1945 as The Cyclists and previously known as Tâj between 1949 and 1979. The club is part of the multisport club Esteghlal of Iran Athletic and Cultural Company .Esteghlal is the most successful Persian team in Asian competitions. They were the first team to reach 1,000 points in Persian Gulf Pro League.
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football, beach football, and futsal in some countries/territories in Asia and Oceania. It has 47 member countries most of which are located in Asia. Australia, formerly in OFC, joined AFC in 2006. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, both territories of the United States, are also AFC members that are geographically in Oceania. The Asian Ladies Football Confederation (ALFC) was the section of AFC who managed women's association football in Asia. The group was independently founded in April 1968 in a meeting involving Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. In 1986 ALFC merged with AFC.
The AFC Champions League is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's top-division football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition in Asian football, played by the national league champions of their national associations.
The Bahrain national football team represents Bahrain in international football and is controlled by the Bahrain Football Association, which was founded in 1951 and joined FIFA in 1966. They have never reached the World Cup, but have twice come within one match of doing so. Bahrain won the FIFA's most improved team award in 2004, and finished fourth in the 2004 Asian Cup, beating Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals but losing to Japan in the semi-finals 4–3. Bahrain then lost to Iran in the third-place match, thus finishing in fourth place overall. Bahrain had a golden year in 2019, winning both the WAFF Championship and the Arabian Gulf Cup for the first time, under the stewardship of Hélio Sousa.
The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran is the governing body for football in Iran. It was founded in 1920, and has been a member of FIFA since 1948. It is also a member of the Asian Football Confederation.
Persepolis Football Club is an Iranian professional football club based in Tehran, that competes in the Persian Gulf Pro League.
Hazfi Cup is the Iranian football knockout cup competition, run by the Iranian Football Federation.
The Azadegan League, also known as League 1, is the second highest division of professional football in Iran. It was the top-level football league in Iran from its foundation in 1991 until 2001, when the Persian Gulf Pro League was established. Each year, the top finishing teams in the Azadegan League are promoted to the Persian Gulf Pro League, and the lowest finishing teams are relegated to League 2.
Iran national under-23 football team, also known as Iran U-23 or Iran Olympic Team; represents Iran in international football competitions in Olympic Games, Asian Games and AFC U-22 Asian Cup, as well as any other under-23 international football tournaments. It is controlled by the Iran Football Federation.
The Iranian football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for football clubs in Iran.
The Iran women's national football team represents Iran in international women's football around the world, and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI). The FFIRI official in charge of women's football is Seyyedeh Shohreh Mousavi.
The Iranian Futsal Super League, is a professional futsal league competition for clubs located at the highest level of the Iranian futsal league system founded in 2003.
Iran national under-20 football team represents Iran in international football competitions in AFC U-19 Championship and FIFA U-20 World Cup, as well as any other under-20 international football tournaments. It is controlled by the Iran Football Federation.
The Iran national under-17 football team, more commonly known as Nojavanan, is controlled by the Iran Football Federation and represents Iran in international under-17 football competitions.
