Before 1970 Before the 1970s, Iran did not have an official national football league. Most clubs participated in championships of their city or province. Therefore, the champion of the
Tehran Premier League was seen as the
Iranian football champion. Due to their achievements in the Tehran Premier League,
Shahin Tehran and
Taj, today known as
Esteghlal, were the most popular teams at this time. Also
Daraei and
PAS Tehran were successful clubs in
Tehran's own league.
Local League In 1970, the Local League was created. For the first time, the league comprised also teams from many other cities and provinces including
Sepahan from
Isfahan and
East Azerbaijan club
Tractor. The first recognized Iranian football champion was
Taj after beating
PAS Tehran 2–1 in the final of the
1970–71 Local League.
Takht Jamshid Cup In 1972, the
Takht Jamshid Cup was founded as the national league and included teams from all over the country. The
Iranian Football Federation had decided to create a league similar to European football leagues. The league was named after
Takht-e Jamshid, the ancient
Achaemenid capital known outside of Iran as
Persepolis. The Takht Jamshid Cup comprised twelve clubs in the
1973–74 season.
Persepolis became the first champions of the Takht Jamshid Cup, two points ahead of rival
Taj. Before the beginning of the
1974–75 season, the number of teams were increased from twelve to 16 teams.
Esteghlal claimed its first Takht Jamshid Cup title after winning the league ahead of Persepolis. The
1975–76 Takht Jamshid Cup was won by Persepolis with a great performance by Iranian football legend
Ali Parvin. The second place team was another
Tehran based club, Homa. The next two seasons were won by
PAS Tehran under coach
Hassan Habibi. PAS Tehran won their championships both times ahead of Persepolis. At this time the Takht Jamshid Cup was one of the strongest football leagues in Asia. The
Iran national football team won in 1976 their third successive
AFC Asian Cup and qualified 1978 for the
FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country's history. The
1978–79 Takht Jamshid Cup season was abandoned due to the
1979 Revolution.
Shahbaz was leading the league after twelve matchdays ahead of Persepolis and Taj.
1979 Revolution and 1980s Due to the
Islamic Revolution and the
Iran–Iraq War, the Takht Jamshid Cup was dissolved and also the lower leagues were unorganized. Once again the champion of the
Tehran Province League was seen as the
Iranian football champion. The league was dominated by
Persepolis with five titles and
Esteghlal with two championships. In 1987 the
17th of Shahrivar league was created with mainly teams from
Tehran, but also with clubs from some others cities. The league was won by Persepolis ahead of
Daraei. Due to the fact that the league was part of the Tehran Province League, Persepolis' title is today not accepted as a national championship.
Qods League In 1989 the
Qods League was formed as the national Iranian football league. The first official Iranian football champion since the revolution was
Esteghlal. After only one season the Qods League was abolished.
Azadegan League In 1991 the Azadegan League was formed as the top flight of Iranian football. The league was named as Azadegan League in honor of the Iranian
prisoners of war who were released.
Azadegan means
the liberated in
Persian. The league started with a format of 12 teams in the first
season. In the
1992–93 Azadegan League season the league changed its format. 16 clubs participated in two groups of eight teams.
PAS Tehran were the champions in both seasons. 16 teams participated in one group until 1999. Persepolis were the champions in
1995–96, and
1998–99, while Esteghlal became champion in the
1997–98 season. In 1999 the league was reduced to 14 teams. Persepolis won the
1999–2000 Azadegan League season, sitting seven points clear of rival Esteghlal. The
2000–01 season was the last year of the Azadegan League as the top-level football league of Iran. Esteghlal became champion in a league of 12 teams.
Pro League / Persian Gulf Cup The
2001–2002 season saw the beginning of the first professional football league in Iran. On 12 August 2006, the Iranian Football Federation decided to change the name of the league once again, this time to "Persian Gulf Cup".{{cite web The league changed its name from "Persian Gulf Cup" to "
Persian Gulf Pro League" in 2014. The Iranian Football Federation decided also to change the logos of both the Persian Gulf Pro League and of the
Azadegan League.
Notes 1.
Taj changed its name to
Esteghlal in 1979. 2.
Shahin changed its name to
Persepolis in 1968, which in turn changed to Piroozi in 1986; but the 'old' name Persepolis is still used in preference to Piroozi in Iran. 3.
Azadegan League is now the name of the 2nd highest division in Iran, only the IPL is higher.
Women's league The
Kowsar Women Football League was established in 2007. ==Championships==