[71024] A Wave of Professional Licensing Approvals for Top Iranian Football Clubs
[71024] A Wave of Professional Licensing Approvals for Top Iranian Football Clubs
Major football clubs in Iran, including Persepolis, Esteghlal, and Tractor, have received professional licensing for participation in Asian leagues, while questions arise regarding the transparency of their financial data.
Wave of Licensing Approvals for Iranian Football Clubs
In the last 24 hours, several prominent football clubs in Iran announced that they have received a Professional License for the 2026-2027 season, a critical step that allows them to participate in Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions. Persepolis and Esteghlal officially announced their receipt of the approval after, according to them, meeting the required standards in management, finance, and infrastructure. Tractor Club also noted that it has received approval for participation in the "AFC Champions League Elite."
In addition to the three major clubs, it was reported that Aluminium Arak and Gol Gohar (for both men's and women's departments) have also received the necessary approvals from the relevant committee of the Iranian Football Federation, following a lengthy document review process.
Alongside the celebratory announcements, question marks have been raised by opposition figures and fans. The Persepolis fan channel, which regularly criticizes the establishment's conduct, placed a "big question mark" regarding Esteghlal's approval. The channel questioned how the club could be approved while its financial reports have not been published as required in the transparency systems (Codal), and claimed there is a "fog" surrounding compliance with financial conditions.
In addition to licensing matters, Iran International published sharp criticism of the football federation's conduct, based on a report by "Football 360." According to the report, the establishment is employing "information engineering" and censorship within the national football team, turning journalists into "agents of the system" and damaging public trust through propaganda.