Azadegan League

Azadegan League

Country	Iran
Confederation	AFC
Founded	1991 officially 2001 with current format
Divisions	1
Number of teams	20 (since 2015)
Level on pyramid	2 (2001–) 1 (1991–2001)
Promotion to	Persian Gulf Pro League
Relegation to	2nd Division
Domestic cup(s)	Hazfi Cup
Current champions	Foolad Novin (2014–15)
TV partners	IRIB
Website	www.lig1.ir
2015–16 Azadegan League

The Azadegan League (Persian: ليگ آزادگان‎‎) (also called 1st Division) is the second-highest division league in the Iranian football league system after the Persian Gulf Pro League. The top two teams from the group automatically get promoted to the Persian Gulf Pro League, while the third place team plays in the Persian Gulf Pro League promotion play-off against the third last Persian Gulf Pro League team. The four worst teams are directly relegated to the 2nd Division.

In 1991 the league was founded as Iran's top division. But, after the creation of the Persian Gulf Pro League in 2001, the Azadegan League was declared as the second highest football league in the county.

Since the leagues inception as the official second division in 2001, no club has ever won the league title multiple times. Paykan has come the closest to achieving the feat, finishing as runners-up in the 2005–06 season and winning the league in the 2011–12 season.

In the summer of 2015 the format of the league was changed from a two group league to an one group and twenty team league.

History

The first national league in Iran after the revolution was founded in 1989 with the name of Qods League. Esteghlal became winners of the first edition of the league.

In 1991, the national league was named to Azadegan League in honor of the Iranian prisoners of war who were released. The number of teams, playing in the league, varied from year to year. Pas and Saipa dominated the league in the first four years. Pas and Esteghlal both were also able to capture Asian Club Championships in the early 1990s. By the mid-90s Persepolis and Esteghlal regained their dominant form and the league champions in the period of 1995-2001 was either Esteghlal or Persepolis.

Until 2001 the league was the highest division football league in Iran, but that changed when the Iranian Football Federation decided to start a professional league. The Persian Gulf Pro League was created and since then, the Azadegan League became the second-highest division in the Iranian football league system.

In the summer of 2015, before the start of the 2015–16 season, the Iranian Football Federation decided to change the format of the league and make an one group, twenty team league, instead of a two group and twenty-four team league.

Ownership

Hazfi Cup

All teams in the Azadegan League are entered in the Hazfi Cup, if any club from the Azadegan League wins the cup, they participate in the AFC Champions League. Since 2001, when Azadegan League became the second-highest division league, no team from Azadegan League has become Hazfi Cup champion. Gostaresh Foolad is the only club from the Azadegan League that has reached the final of the Hazfi Cup.

Format

The Azadegan League consists of two subdivisions, each having 12 teams. The top teams in each group are automatically promoted to the Persian Gulf Pro League, while the second place teams play each other in a home and away play-off to decide the third and last promotion spot. The eleventh and twelfth placed teams in the groups are automatically relegated to the 2nd division. Sometimes the playoff match format is not used and one match takes place between the teams on a neutral ground instead.

League Champions

All-time Azadegan League (As second-highest Iran's football division) standings

Since the 2001–02 season, fourteen seasons of the Azadegan League have been completed. The table below shows the total ranking for the all football clubs competing in all 14 seasons.

¹ Nassaji Mazandaran was docked 3 points in 2012–13 season issued by Iranian Football Federation.
² Payam Mashhad was docked 3 points in 2010–11 season issued by Iranian Football Federation.
³ Steel Azin was docked 12 points in 2011–12 season issued by FIFA.
⁴ Badr Hormozgan was docked 6 points in 2013–14 season issued by Iranian Football Federation.

Top Goal Scorer

As second-highest Iran's football division

Season	Player	Club	Goals
2005–06	Hossein Abdi	Sanaye Arak	14
2006–07	Farhad Kheirkhah	Sorkhpooshan	11
2007–08	Mohammad Parvin	Steel Azin	15
2008–09	Abbas Porkhosravani	Gol Gohar	17
2009–10	Ali Karimi	Sh. Tabriz	17
2010–11	Afshin Chavoshi	Damash Gilan	13
	Mostafa Shojaei	Foolad Natanz	13
	Moslem Firoozabadi	Gol Gohar	13
2011–12	Bahman Tahmasebi	Aluminum	13
2012–13	Mohammad Abbaszadeh	Nassaji	17
2013–14	Mokhtar Jomehzadeh	Gol Gohar	15

Current clubs (2015–16)

Giti Pasand

Aluminium Hormozgan

Aluminium Arak

Iranjavan

Nassaji
Khoneh Be Khoneh

Mes Kerman

Sanat Naft

Machine Sazi

Kheybar

Foolad

Gol Gohar

Mes Rafsanjan

Pas

Parseh
Paykan

Damash

Naft MIS

Fajr Sepasi

Sh. Ardabil

Locations of clubs in 2015–16 Azadegan League

• Shahrdari Arak
• Aluminium
• Fajr Sepasi
• Damash
• Giti Pasand
• Iranjavan
• Mes Kerman
• Nassaji
• Machine Sazi
• Shahrdari Ardabil
• Paykan
• Khoneh Be Khoneh
• Foolad
• Gol Gohar
• Mes Rafsanjan
• Pas Hamedan
• Parseh
• Naft Masjed Soleyman
• Sanat Naft Abadan
• Machine Sazi

See also

• Hazfi Cup
• Iran Football's 2nd Division
• Iran Football's 3rd Division
• Iran Futsal's 1st Division
• Iran Futsal's 2nd Division
• Iranian Super Cup
• Iranian Futsal Super League
• Persian Gulf Pro League

References

External links

• Official website
• Azadegan League Stats
• Azadegan League Live Score, Player Statistics
• PFDC - Persian Football Dot Com
• Iran Goals
• Iran Sports Press
• Pars Football
• RSSSF database about Iranian league football.