Iran Pro League

Infobox football league
name = Persian Gulf Cup

pixels = 130
country = Iran
confed = AFC
founded = 2001
divisions = 1
teams = 18
relegation = Azadegan League
levels = 1
domest_cup = Hazfi Cup
confed_cup = AFC Champions League
champions = Persepolis
season = 2007–08
most successful club = Persepolis
tv = IRIB
website =
current = 2008-09 seasonThe Iran Pro League (IPL) (PerB|لیگ برتر فوتبال ایران, currently known as the Persian Gulf Cup (جام خلیج فارس) is a professional football league competition for clubs located at the highest level of the Iranian football league system.

The league system resembles the system being used in England currently. The Premier 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.

History

Pre-1970s

Before the early 1970's Iran did not have an official national league. Most teams would participate in city championships. Taj¹ and Persepolis² had become the two most popular teams in the mid 60s and continue to be in the present. Pas Tehran, Shahin, Taj, Daraei F.C., all won championships in the Tehran local league, during this period.

Takht Jamshid Cup

In 1972, the Takht Jamshid Cup was created. It was designed to include teams from all over the country, but as usual teams from Tehran dominated, mostly Pas Tehran, winning the final two. The league was in place until the Iranian Revolution took place, and the 1978 season was left uncompleted.

1980s

Due to the revolution and the Iran–Iraq War, football was no longer a priority. Clubs had very little money and due to political reasons team names, management and resources were changed. There was no major league competition during the 1980-89 period, only a few cup competitions and some local city league championships such as the 17th of Shahrivar league and the Qods Cup.In 1989 the Qods League was created and saw Esteghlal as its champion.

Azadegan League

In 1991 the Qods league was renamed the Azadegan League.Named the Azadegan League in honor of Iranian prisoners of war who were released, it began operations in the 1991-92 season. Pas Tehran was its first champion. For the first time in more than ten years Iran finally had a national league again. The number of teams playing in the league varied from year to year. Pas Tehran and Saipa dominated the league in the first four years. Pas Tehran and Esteghlal both were able to capture Asian Club Championships in the early 1990s. By the mid-90s Persepolis and Esteghlal regained their dominant form. The league championship every year between 1995-2001 was either Esteghlal or Persepolis. The two clubs always had the most talented players in Iran, the national team consisted mainly of Persepolis and Esteghlal players, and some of the greatest talents Iranian football has seen were discovered during this period.

Iran Pro League

The 2001-2002 season saw the beginning of the first professional football league in Iran. Unfortunately many say that the new league is professional in name only and is missing many of the required components of a pro league. Player salaries have risen significantly and other positives in the league are the emergence of provincial teams and raw talent which every IPL team boasts. Teams like Foolad Sepahan, Foolad Khouzestan, Zob Ahan FC and Esteghlal Ahvaz have all shown they can compete, even though they are not based in Tehran. The league can only continue to get better, and many are hoping this league will help Iran's football, in terms of quality and reputation improve.

Persian Gulf Cup

On August 12, 2006, the Iranian Football Federation decided to change the name of the league once again. The name of the league now is the Persian Gulf Cup. [cite web
title=fa icon برنامه‌ي كامل دور رفت ششمين دوره‌ي ليگ برتر فوتبال؛ ليگ برتر به «خليج فارس» تغيير نام داد
url=http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-769028&Lang=P
publisher=ISNA
accessdate=2006-08-14] . This was done to promote the name of the Persian Gulf, instead of the incorrect variations which some nations and organizations use. The league logo was also changed, with the winner being selected from over 130 designs and unveiled on November 14, 2006. [cite web
title=fa iconبرترين طرح ارائه شده براي ليگ برتر انتخاب شد
url=http://iriff.ir/news/files/show_news.asp?id=6641&rc=3
publisher=IRIFF Official Website
accessdate=2006-11-24]

Alltime Premier League standings

Since the 2001-2002 season, IPL/Persian Gulf Cup has had 7 seasons completed. The table below shows alltime statistics of all teams attended in the 7 seasons held.

League champions

Local Leagues

* 1960 Shahin F.C.
* 1961 Not Held
* 1963 Daraei F.C.
* 1964 to 1966 Not Held
* 1967 Pas Tehran
* 1968 Pas Tehran
* 1969 Not Held
* 1970 Taj

* 1971 Persepolis F.C.

=Takht Jamshid Cup=
* 1973 Persepolis F.C.
* 1974 Taj
* 1975 Persepolis F.C.
* 1976 Pas Tehran
* 1977 Pas Tehran
* 1978 Not Completed Due to Revolution

=1980s=
* 1979-1989 No national League Competition only Espandi Cup in 1979 and provincial leagues throughout the 1980s.

=Qods League=
* 1989-1990 Esteghlal F.C.

Azadegan League

* 1991-1992 Pas Tehran
* 1992-1993 Pas Tehran
* 1993-1994 Saipa F.C.
* 1994-1995 Saipa F.C.
* 1995-1996 Persepolis F.C.
* 1996-1997 Persepolis F.C.
* 1997-1998 Esteghlal F.C.
* 1998-1999 Persepolis F.C.
* 1999-2000 Persepolis F.C.
* 2000-2001 Esteghlal F.C.

=IPL=
* 2001-2002 Persepolis F.C.
* 2002-2003 Sepahan F.C.
* 2003-2004 Pas Tehran
* 2004-2005 Foolad F.C.
* 2005-2006 Esteghlal F.C.
* 2006-2007 Saipa F.C.
* 2007-2008 Persepolis F.C.Notes
1. Taj changed its name to Esteghlal F.C. in 1979.
2. Shahin F.C. changed its name to Persepolis F.C. 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.

Total Championships

The number of national championships that clubs in Iran have attained. (Since 1973)

All-time top scorers in Iran Pro League

:"See main article:List of IPL all-time top goal scorers"

ee also

*Azadegan League (1st Division)
*2nd Division
*3rd Division
*Hazfi Cup
*Iranian Super Cup
*List of foreign IPL players
*Takht Jamshid Cup
*Navad
*Fars Province League
*Isfahan Province League

Notes

External links

* [http://www.persianfootballcenter.com/ Persian Football center (PFC)] The Hard Talking, Hard Hitting Iranian Soccer Site aligned to Persian Gulf Task Force. We Expose Corruption in Iranian Football.
* [http://www.iranfootballonline.com/ Iran Football Online (IFO)] All Statistics - Daily News- Entertainment and MultiMedia - Live Sports Radio
* [http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/gb/ifp Iranian Football Page] (est. 1996) The oldest Iranian Football Discussion Board on the web.
* [http://www.havadarha.com/ Havadarha - Iran Football Fans' Website]
* [http://www.iriff.ir/ IRIFF - Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation]
* [http://www.iplstats.com/ Iran Pro League Statistics]
* [http://www.irangoals.com/ Iran Goals]
* [http://www.iransportspress.com/ Iran Sports Press]
* [http://www.parsfootball.com/ Pars Football]
* [http://www.persianleague.com/ Persian Football League]
* [http://www.persianfootball.com/ PFDC - Persian Football Dot Com]
* [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iranchamp.html RSSSF database about Iranian league football.]
* [http://www.teammelli.com/ TMDC - Team Melli Dot Com]
* [http://www.irfo.ir/ IRFO - Iranian FIFA Online]
* [http://www.irfo.ir/post/survey_iranian-premier-league An Online Survey on Iranian Premiere Football League]
* [http://www.zoodi.com/vrzsh.html Directory of Iranian Football Websites] - Links