The Persian Gulf Pro League, branded as the Persian Gulf Premier League (, Lig-e Bartar-e Xalij-e Fârs), formerly known as the Iran Pro League (, Lig-e bartar-e Irân), is a professional association football league in Iran and the highest level of the Iranian football league system. It is controlled by the FFIRI and is contested by 16 teams over a 30-matchday period.
Each year, its top team becomes the Iranian football champion, and the two lowest finishers are relegated to the Azadegan League.
Since 2013, the league comprises 16 teams. The winner of the Persian Gulf Pro League along with the Hazfi Cup champion automatically qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite group stages. The third of the Persian Gulf Pro League is qualified for the AFC Champions League Elite Play-off round. The bottom two teams in the league are relegated to Azadegan League. In the past, the format and number of teams were changed for various times.
History
At the turn of the millennium, the Iranian Football Federation decided to create a new professional football league. In 2001, the Iran Pro League was founded as the new top-level football league in Iran. After the Iran Pro League was established as the professional football league of Iran, the Azadegan League was declared as the second-highest league in the Iranian football league system. Since then, the league had been primarily known in Iran as Persian Gulf Cup (PGC). The Football Federation decided this to promote the Persian naming. The name of the Persian Gulf has been disputed by some Arab countries since the 1960s due to political and ethnic differences between Iran and Arab countries. The football Federation decided also to change the logo of the league. The final logo was selected from over 130 designs and unveiled on 14 November 2006. Saipa won the 2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup. Until 2007, six different teams won the league title successively. A foreign player became the league's top goal scorer. Nigerian striker Daniel Olerum scored 17 goals in 27 matches for Aboomoslem. The winner of only two seasons before, Foolad, had to relegated to Azadegan League.
thumb|left|250px|Persepolis players celebrating winning [[2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League|2017–18 season]]
Before the start of the 2007–08 season, the number of teams was increased from 16 to 18 teams. The professional football team of PAS Tehran was also dissolved before the start of the season. Instead of PAS Tehran a new club was founded in Hamadan and named PAS Hamedan. In 2008, Saba Battery was moved from Tehran to Qom and renamed Saba Qom F.C.. The championship of the 2007–08 season was decided on the last matchday. Persepolis defeated Sepahan. Sanat Naft and Shirin Faraz (today known as Rahian Kermanshah) relegated to Azadegan League. The next season was dominated by Esteghlal and the two surprising teams Zob Ahan and Mes Kerman. Zob Ahan was the leading team after 75 minutes on matchday 34, before they lost their match against Foolad due to three conceded goals in the last 15 minutes with 1–4. Payam Mashhad was relegated, alongside Bargh Shiraz and Damash.
The 2009–10 Persian Gulf Cup was dominated by the two Isfahan-based clubs, Sepahan and Zob Ahan. Ultimately Sepahan won the league. Sepahan repeated their success by winning the 2010–11 and 2011–12 Persian Gulf Cup. Esteghlal won the 2012–13 Persian Gulf Cup and became for the eight time in their history the Iranian champion.
The League was scaled down from 18 to 16 teams before the beginning of the next season. Foolad won the 2013–14 Persian Gulf Cup. Foolad saved their championship after they defeated Gostaresh Foulad away .
Persian Gulf Pro League
thumb|280px|right|Esteghlal Khuzestan celebrate their championship in 2016.
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 the Persian Gulf Pro League and of the Azadegan League.
The 2014–15 Persian Gulf Pro League was dominated by a championship battle between Sepahan, Tractor, and Naft Tehran. Sepahan secured their title with a 2–0 victory over Saipa, but thousands of Tractor supporters celebrated on the pitch, mistakenly believing that they won the league for the first time in club's history.
The 2015–16 Persian Gulf Pro League was not decided until the last matchday. Esteghlal Khuzestan won the league in front of Persepolis and Esteghlal. Persepolis dominated the next season and won the 2016–17 Persian Gulf Pro League.
Format
In the past, the number of teams was changed at various times. Since 2013, the league comprises 16 teams. Over the course of a season, which runs annually from July to the following May, each team plays twice against the others in the league, once at home and once away, resulting in each team competing in 30 games in total. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the league table by points gained, then goal difference, then goals scored and then their head-to-head record for that season.
At the end of the season, the club with the most points becomes the Iranian champion. Currently, the Champions, the Runners Up and the Hazfi Cup champions qualify automatically for the group phase of the AFC Champions League, while the third-place team enters the AFC Champions League at the Play-off round. The bottom two teams are relegated to Azadegan League. Furthermore, all teams in the Persian Gulf Pro League can participate in the Hazfi Cup.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Number of teams
! Period
|-
| 14
| 2001–02 until 2003–04
|-
| 16
| 2004–05 until 2006–07, since 2013–14
|-
| 18
| 2007–08 until 2012–13
|-
|}
Logo
center|thumb|The official logo of the Pro League football competition, introduced in 2016.
Ranking
{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! colspan="4" | Ranking
! rowspan="2" | Member association<br />
! colspan="8" | Club points
! rowspan="2" | Total
! colspan="3" | 2026–27 Competition
|-
!
!2023–24|| data-sort-type="number" | ||
!2016<br/>
!2017<br/>
!2018<br/>
!2019<br/>
!2021<br/>
!2022<br/>
!2023–24<br/>
!2024–25<br/>
!ACL Elite
!ACL Two
!Challenge
|-
|1
|1 || — || W 1 || align=left| Saudi Arabia
|9.500
|18.600
|10.000
|26.350
|20.950
|19.075
|27.100
|34.542
|119.957
|3+0
|1+0
|0
|-
|2
|2 || — || E 1 ||align=left| Japan
|10.500
|21.850
|13.850
|21.800
|17.875
|20.088
|21.350
|27.970
|107.663
|3+0
|1+0
|0
|-
|3
|3 || — || E 2 ||align=left| South Korea
|20.750
|9.950
|18.350
|13.600
|22.750
|15.800
|22.350
|14.762
|90.982
|2+1
|1+0
|0
|-
|4
|4 || — || W 2 ||align=left| United Arab Emirates
|18.000
|11.350
|8.100
|7.633
|14.400
|8.083
|25.500
|16.400
|74.466
|2+1
|1+0
|0
|-
|5
|5 || —|| W 3 || align="left" | Qatar
|22.000
|13.400
|19.850
|15.900
|7.300
|13.500
|8.100
|14.701
|69.326
|2+1
|1+0
|0
|-
|6
|6 || — || W 4 || align="left" | Iran
|13.000
|16.200
|18.850
|11.500
|14.225
|13.250
|9.300
|13.274
|68.907
|1+1
|1+0
|0
|-
|}
Clubs (2024–25)
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Team
!Location
!Stadium
!Capacity
|-
| Aluminium
|Arak
|Imam Khomeini
| style="text-align:center" |12,500
|-
|Chadormalu
|Yazd
|Shahid Nasiri
| style="text-align:center" |15,000
|-
| Esteghlal
|Tehran
|Azadi
| style="text-align:center" |78,116
|-
| Esteghlal Khuzestan
| rowspan="2" |Ahvaz
|Ghadir
| style="text-align:center" |38,900
|-
|Foolad
|Foolad Arena
| style="text-align:center" |30,655
|-
| Gol Gohar Sirjan
|Sirjan
|Qassem Soleimani
| style="text-align:center" |8,000
|-
| Havadar
|Tehran
|Shahid Dastgerdi
| style="text-align:center" |8,250
|-
|Kheybar
|Khorramabad
|Takhti
| style="text-align:center" |10,000
|-
| Malavan
|Bandar-e Anzali
|Sirous Ghayeghran
| style="text-align:center" |9,000
|-
| Mes Rafsanjan
|Rafsanjan
|Shohadaye Mes
| style="text-align:center" |10,000
|-
| Nassaji Mazandaran
|Ghaemshahr
|Vatani
| style="text-align:center" |27,700
|-
| Persepolis
|Tehran
|Azadi
| style="text-align:center" |78,116
|-
| Sepahan
|Isfahan
|Naghsh-e-Jahan
| style="text-align:center"|75,000
|-
| Shams Azar
|Qazvin
|Sardar Azadegan
| style="text-align:center" |15,000
|-
| Tractor
|Tabriz
|Yadegar-e Emam
| style="text-align:center"|66,833
|-
| Zob Ahan
|Fooladshahr
|Fooladshahr
| style="text-align:center" |20,000
|-
|}
Champions
Persian Gulf Pro League
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Club
! Winners
! Runners-up
! Winning seasons
|-
| Persepolis
|
|
| 2001–02, 2007–08, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24
|-
| Sepahan
|
|
| 2002–03, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15
|-
| Esteghlal
|
|
| 2005–06, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2021–22
|-
| Foolad
|
|
| 2004–05, 2013–14
|-
|Tractor
| rowspan="4" |
|
| 2024–25
|-
| PAS Tehran
|
| 2003–04
|-
| Saipa
| rowspan="2" |
| 2006–07
|-
| Esteghlal Khuzestan
| 2015–16
|-
|Zob Ahan
| rowspan="2" |
|
| rowspan="2" | –
|-
|Esteghlal Ahvaz
|
|}
Total
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Club
! Winners
! Runners-up
! Winning seasons
|-
| Persepolis 20px
|
|
| 1971–72, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2007–08, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24
|-
| Esteghlal
|
|
| 1970–71, 1974–75, 1989–90, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2021–22
|-
| PAS Tehran
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |
| 1976–77, 1977–78, 1991–92, 1992–93, 2003–04
|-
| Sepahan
| 2002–03, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15
|-
| Saipa
|
| rowspan="2" |
| 1993–94, 1994–95, 2006–07
|-
| Foolad
|
| 2004–05, 2013–14
|-
|Tractor
| rowspan="2" |
|
| 2024–25
|-
| Esteghlal Khuzestan
|
| 2015–16
|-
|Zob Ahan
| rowspan="4" |
|
| rowspan="4" | –
|-
|Bahman
|
|-
|Homa
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|Esteghlal Ahvaz
|}
All-time Pro League table
<!--PLEASE DO NOT UPDATE UNTIL END OF SEASON as this causes problems in updating at the end of each season when each part of the table should be updated in full. Whilst the table is by points total, the number of Premierships won is also shown. Please do not remove without seeing comment this article's talk page. Thank you.-->
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!
!Club
!Seasons
!Matches Played
!Wins
!Draws
!Losses
!
!
!Goal Difference
!Points
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!Relegated
!
|-
|1||style="background:#ace1af" align=left|Persepolis
| rowspan="4" |24|| rowspan="4" |732||370||222||140||1046||637||+409||1332||9||3||3||3 ||2 || ||1 ||18||rowspan="2"|21|| rowspan="9" bgcolor="ebc9fe" |2001–02 || rowspan="4" |2001–02 ||||bgcolor=gold|1st
|-
|2||style="background:#ace1af" align="left"|Esteghlal ||364||235||133||1065||635||+430||1327||4||6||8||1 ||1 ||rowspan="2"|1|| ||19||||bgcolor=gold|1st
|-
|3||style="background:#ace1af" align="left"|Sepahan||344||234||154||1072||662||+410||1266||5||5||3||2 ||3 ||rowspan="2"|1||15||20||||bgcolor=gold|1st
|-
|4||style="background:#ace1af" align=left|Zob Ahan||269||251||212||849||738||+111||1058|| ||4||1||3||1||7||8 ||17|| ||bgcolor=DCDCDC|2nd
|-
|5||style="background:#ace1af" align=left|Foolad
|23||698||263||239||196||775||696||+79||1028||2||||3||2||2 ||2 ||4||7 ||15||2008–09 ||1||bgcolor=gold|1st
|-
|6||style="background:#ace1af" align=left|Tractor
|17||522||228||163||131||689||504||+185||847||rowspan="2"|1||3||rowspan="2"|1||5||2||rowspan="2"|1||1||10||14||2009-10||1||bgcolor=gold|1st
|-
|7||style="background:#87CEEB" align="left"|Saipa
|20||612||186||217||209||660||701||−41||775||||1|| ||2||3||6||2020–21||1||bgcolor=gold|1st
|-
|8||style="background:#ace1af" align="left"|Paykan
|19||578||162||188||228||572||694||−122||647|||||||| ||1 ||rowspan="3"|2|| 5|| ||8 ||2025–26 || 4||5th
|-
|9||style="background:#ace1af" align=left|Malavan
|17||526||146||177||203||488||601||−113||615|||||||| || ||3 || ||5 ||2022–23 || 2||6th
|-
|10||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Saba Qom/Saba Battery
|13||414||128||159||127||468||459||+9||543||||||1||2 || ||1 ||3 ||6 ||2004–05 ||2016–17|| 1||bgcolor=#CE8946|3rd
|-
|11|| style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Rah Ahan
|11||354||119||114||121||432||422||10||471|||||||| || || || || || || 2005–06||2015–16 ||1||8th
|-
|12||style="background:#ace1af" align=left|Fajr Sepasi
|13||398||103||146||149||357||434||−77||455||||||||1 || || || ||1 ||rowspan="2"|1||bgcolor="ebc9fe" |2001–02||2025–26 ||2||4th
|-
|13||style="background:#87CEEB" align="left"|Sanat Naft
|12||372||102||114||156||371||478||−107||420|||||||| || || || rowspan="2" |1 || ||2002–03 ||2023–24 ||3||7th
|-
|14||style="background:#87CEEB" align="left"|Mes Kerman
|9||294||89||109||96||332||329||+3||376||||||1|| || ||1 ||1 ||3 ||2006–07 ||2022–23 || rowspan="3" |1||bgcolor=#CE8946|3rd
|-
|15||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align="left"|Naft Tehran
|8||252||91||88||73||286||258||+28||361||||||2|| ||3 || || ||2 ||5 ||2010–11 ||2017–18 ||bgcolor=#CE8946|3rd
|-
|16||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align="left"|Aboomoslem
| rowspan="2" |9||270||83||90||97||296||304||−8||339||||||||1||2 ||1 || || rowspan="3" | 1||4||bgcolor=ebc9fe|2001–02 ||2009–10 ||4th
|-
|17||style="background:#A9A9A9" align=left|Esteghlal Ahvaz||274||80||78||116||327||402||−75||318||||1|||| ||1 || || ||rowspan="2"|2|| 2002–03||2015–16 ||2||bgcolor=DCDCDC|2nd
|-
|18||style="background:#A9A9A9" align="left"|Shahr Khodro
|8||240||74||80||86||218||245||−27||302|||||||| rowspan="2" |1 || || rowspan="2" |1 ||||2014–15 ||2021–22 ||1||4th
|-
|19||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|PAS Tehran
|6||168||72||59||37||263||181||+82||275||1||2|||| || ||4 ||5 ||bgcolor="ebc9fe"|2001–02||2006–07 ||||bgcolor=gold|1st
|-
|20||style="background:#ace1af" align="left"|Esteghlal Khuzestan
|rowspan="2"|8||240||57||91||92||224||292||−68||262||1|||||| || || ||rowspan="2"|1||1||2||2013–14||2023–24 ||1||bgcolor=gold|1st
|-
|21||style="background:#fbe08d" align="left"|Bargh Shiraz
|236||60||78||98||252||335||−83||258|||||||| || || || ||1||bgcolor="ebc9fe"|2001–02||2008–09||1||7th
|-
|22||style="background:#ace1af" align="left"|Gol Gohar
|6||180||65||62||53||189||174||+15||257||||||||1 ||2 || 1|| ||1 ||4||2019–20 ||2019–20 ||||4th
|-
|23||style="background:#87CEEB" align="left"|Damash/Pegah/Esteghlal Rasht
|8||248||56||81||111||227||344||−117||249|||||||| || || || || || ||bgcolor="ebc9fe"|2001–02||2013–14||4||7th
|-
|24||style="background:#87CEEB" align="left"|Nassaji
|7||210||45||83||82||178||238||−60||218|||||||| || || || || || ||2018–19 || 2024–25 ||1||9th
|-
|25||style="background:#ace1af" align="left" |Mes Rafsanjan
|rowspan="3"|5||150||47||52||51||148||149||−1||193|||||||| ||1 ||1 || |||| 2|| 2020–21 ||2020–21 ||||5th
|-
|26||style="background:#ace1af" style="background:#ace1af" align="left" |Aluminium Arak
|150||40||68||42||122||135||−13||188|||||||| || || || 2|| || 2 ||2020–21 ||2020–21 ||||7th
|-
|27||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align="left"|Gostaresh Foolad
|150||39||60||51||147||161||−14||177|||||||| || || || || || ||2013–14 ||2017–18 ||||8th
|-
|28||style="background:#fbe08d" align="left"|PAS Hamedan
|4||136||38||48||50||143||165||−22||162|||||||| || 1|| || || ||1 || 2007–08 ||2010–11 ||1||5th
|-
|29||style="background:#fbe08d" align="left"|Naft Masjed Soleyman
|6||180||27||75||78||116||216||−100||156|||||||| || || || || || ||2014–15 |||2022–23 ||2||8th
|-
|30||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align="left"|Shahin Bushehr
|rowspan="2"|4||132||27||48||57||124||175||−51||129|||||||| || || || || || ||2009–10 ||2019–20 ||2||13th
|-
|31||style="background:#87CEEB" align="left"|Havadar
|120||25||43||52||90||155||−65||118|||||||| || || || || || ||2021–22 ||2024–25 ||1||11th
|-
|32||style="background:#87CEEB" align="left"|Pars Jonoubi Jam
|3||90||22||38||30||82||87||−5||104|||||||| ||1 || ||||||1||2017–18 ||2019–20 ||1||5th
|-
|33||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Machine Sazi
|4||120||17||39||64||84||163||−79||90|||||||| || || || || || ||2016–17 || 2020–21||2||11th
|-
|34||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Steel Azin
|2||68||19||23||26||85||112||−27||80|||||||| ||1 || || || ||1 ||2009–10||2010–11 || rowspan="5" |1||5th
|-
|35||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Shamoushak
|rowspan="2"|3||86||16||26||44||66||118||−52||74|||||||| || || || || || || 2003–04|| 2005–06||14th
|-
|36||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align="left"|Siah Jamegan
|90||15||27||48||64||117||−53||72|||||||| |||| || || || ||2015–16 ||2017–18 ||13th
|-
|37||style="background:#A9A9A9" align="left"|Shahrdari Tabriz
|rowspan="3"|2||68||14||29||25||79||98||−19||71|||||||| || || || || || ||2010–11 ||2011–12 ||12th
|-
|38||style="background:#fbe08d" align=left|Sepidrood
|60||11||17||32||48||92||−44||50|||||||| || || || || || ||2017–18||2018–19 ||13th
|-
|39||style="background:#ace1af;" align=left|Shams Azar
|60||18||17||25||58||76||−18||71|||||||| || || || || || ||2023–24||2023–24 || ||8th
|-
|40||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Aluminium Hormozgan
| rowspan="8" |1||34||7||14||13||26||40||−14||35|||||||||| || || || ||||2012–13||2012–13||1||15th
|-
|41||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Payam||34||9||8||17||33||52||−19||35|||||||| || || || || || ||2008–09 || 2008–09||1||16th
|-
|42||style="background:#ace1af" align="left"|Chadormalou||30||8||10||12||22||28||−6||34|||||||| || || || || || ||2024–25 || 2024–25|| ||10th
|-
|43||style="background:#ace1af" align="left"|Kheybar||30||8||9||13||24||31||−7||33|||||||| || || || || || ||2024–25 || 2024–25|| ||11th
|-
|44||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Mes Sarcheshmeh||34||5||9||20||23||54||−31||24|||||||| || || || || || ||2011–12||2011–12 ||rowspan="4"|1|| rowspan="2" |18th
|-
|45|| style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Shirin Faraz||34||3||12||19||25||59||−34||21|||||||| || || || || || ||2007–08|| 2007–08
|-
|46||style="background:#fbe08d;" align=left|Shahid Ghandi||30||4||7||19||21||43||−22||19|||||||| || || || || || ||2005–06 ||2005–06 ||16th
|-
|47||style="background:#A9A9A9;" align=left|Gahar Zagros ||34||3||10||21||24||59||−35||19|||||| || || || || || ||||2012–13 ||2012–13||18th
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:95%;"
|-
| style="width:10px; background:#ace1af"| ||2025–26 Persian Gulf Pro League
|-
| style="width:10px; background:#87CEEB;"| ||2025–26 Azadegan League
|-
| style="width:10px; background:#fbe08d"| ||Lower leagues
|-
| style="width:10px; background:#A9A9A9;"| ||Defunct teams
|-
| style="width:10px; background:#ebc9fe"| ||Founding members
|-
|}
<small>Source: iplstats.com</small><br />
<small>Notes:<br />Only league matches; play-offs are not included in the all-time table.</small>
Attendances
Average league attendances
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Season
! Average
! Highest attended club
! Club average
! Lowest attended club
! Club average
|-
| 2005–06
| 9,179
| rowspan="2" | Esteghlal
| 33,467
| Shamoushak Noshahr
| 3,542
|-
| 2006–07
| 10,119
| 35,000
| rowspan="2" | Rah Ahan
| 4,073
|-
| 2007–08
| 11,235
| rowspan="2" | Persepolis
| bgcolor=PaleGreen|60,000
| 2,647
|-
| 2008–09
| 8,954
| 40,688
| PAS Hamedan
| 3,706
|-
| 2009–10
| bgcolor=PaleGreen|12,298
| rowspan="3" | Tractor
| 57,647
| rowspan="2" | Paykan
| 2,313
|-
| 2010–11
| 9,383
| 42,000
| 1,941
|-
| 2011–12
| 9,488
| 39,533
| Mes Sarcheshmeh
| 1,706
|-
| 2012–13
| 7,964
| Esteghlal
| 34,250
| rowspan="2" | Rah Ahan
| 1,942
|-
| 2013–14
| 7,631
| Persepolis
| 29,467
| 1,664
|-
| 2014–15
| bgcolor=Pink|6,921
| Tractor
| 27,488
| Saba Qom
| 1,365
|-
| 2015–16
| 8,048
| rowspan="3" | Persepolis
| 47,036
| Naft Tehran
| 1,594
|-
| 2016–17
| 8,086
| 48,567
| rowspan="2" | Gostaresh Foulad
| 1,018
|-
| 2017–18
| 9,060
| 39,786
| 817
|-
| 2018–19
| 12,212
| Tractor
| 46,963
| Esteghlal Khuzestan
| 1,507
|-
| 2019–20
| 8,629
| Persepolis
| 27,556
| Machine Sazi
| 840
|-
| 2020–21
| align="center"; colspan="5" | No spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
|-
| 2021–22
| 10,572
| Esteghlal
| 37,400
| Paykan
| bgcolor=Pink|100
|-
| 2022–23
| 9,515
| Tractor
| 33,375
| rowspan="3" | Havadar
| 157
|-
| 2023–24
| 10,824
| Esteghlal
| 34,150
| 200
|-
| 2024–25
| 8,733
| Tractor
| 44,071
| 1,400
|}
<small>Notes:<br />Matches with spectator bans are not included in average attendances.<br />The official game reports can be found under the match schedule on iranleague.ir. The viewer numbers are noted in these. This results in average attendance.</small>
Highest attended season matches
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Season
! Home team
! Score
! Away team
! Attendance
! Date
! Week
! Stadium
|-
|align=center |2005–06 ||Esteghlal ||align=center |4–1||Bargh Shiraz ||align=center |100,000 || ||align=center| 30 || rowspan="6" | Azadi
|-
|align=center |2006–07 || rowspan="4" |Persepolis || rowspan="2" align="center" |2–1||Esteghlal ||align=center |95,000 || ||align=center| 8
|-
|align=center |2007–08 ||Sepahan ||align=center |110,000 || ||align=center| 34
|-
|align=center; rowspan="3"|2008–09 || align="center" |2–0||Damash || rowspan="3" align="center" |90,000 || ||align=center| 8
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |1–1||Esteghlal || ||align=center| 9
|-
|Esteghlal ||Persepolis || ||align=center| 26
|-
|align=center |2009–10 ||Tractor ||align=center |0–0||Moghavemat ||align=center |95,000 || ||align=center| 24 || Sahand
|-
|align=center |2010–11 ||Esteghlal ||align=center |1–0||Persepolis || rowspan="5" align="center" |100,000 || ||align=center| 11 || rowspan="5" | Azadi
|-
|align=center |2011–12 ||Persepolis ||align=center |0–2||Esteghlal || ||align=center| 7
|-
|align=center; rowspan="2"|2012–13 || rowspan="3" |Esteghlal ||align=center |0–0||Persepolis || ||align=center| 23
|-
| align="center" |1–2||Damash || ||align=center| 34
|-
|align=center |2013–14 || align="center" |0–0||Persepolis || ||align=center| 8
|-
|align=center |2014–15 ||Tractor ||align=center |3–3||Naft Tehran ||align=center |80,000 || ||align=center| 30 || Sahand
|-
|align=center |2015–16 || rowspan="2" |Persepolis ||align=center |4–2||Esteghlal ||align=center |100,000 || ||align=center| 26 || rowspan="4" | Azadi
|-
|align=center |2016–17 || align="center" |4–0||Shahr Khodro ||align=center |80,000 || ||align=center| 28
|-
|align=center |2017–18 ||Esteghlal ||align=center |1–0||Persepolis ||align=center |100,000 || ||align=center| 25
|-
|align=center |2018–19 ||Persepolis ||align=center |0–0||Sepahan ||align=center |90,000 || ||align=center| 27
|-
|align=center |2019–20 ||Tractor ||align=center |2–4||Esteghlal ||align=center |80,000 || ||align=center| 9 || Sahand
|-
|align=center |2020–21 ||align="center"; colspan="7" | No spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran || ||align=center| 30 || Azadi
|-
|align=center; rowspan="2" |2022–23 ||Tractor ||align=center |1–0||Sepahan ||align=center |70,000 || ||align=center| 25 || Sahand
|-
|Sepahan ||align=center |1–1||Malavan ||align=center |70,000 || ||align=center| 27 || Naghsh-e Jahan
|-
|align=center; rowspan="2" |2023–24 ||Tractor ||align=center |0–1||Persepolis ||align=center |80,000 || ||align=center| 2 || rowspan="4" | Sahand
|-
|Tractor ||align=center |0–0||Sepahan ||align=center |80,000 || ||align=center| 16
|-
|align=center; rowspan="2" |2024–25 ||Tractor ||align=center |1–1||Persepolis ||align=center |90,000 || ||align=center| 2
|-
|Tractor ||align=center |2–1||Esteghlal ||align=center |90,000|| ||align=center| 25
|}
Records
All-Time Persian Gulf League Top Scorers
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
!No.
!Player
!Goals
!Apps
!GPGR
!Years
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| Reza Enayati|| style="text-align:center;"|147
|358
|0.41||2001–2017
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="|2
| Mehdi Rajabzadeh|| style="text-align:center;"|116
|405
|0.28||2001–2018
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="|3
| Arash Borhani|| style="text-align:center;"|115
|339
|0.33||2002–2017
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |4
| Chimba|| align="center" |103
|330
|0.31||2012–2025
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |5
| Fereydoon Fazli|| style="text-align:center;" |85
|178
|0.47||2001–2010
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |6
| Édinho|| align="center" |82
|182
|0.45||2008–2017
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |7
| Sajjad Shahbazzadeh|| align="center" |81
|334
|0.24||2010–present
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |8
| Jalal Rafkhaei|| align="center" |79
|308
|0.25||2005–2016
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |9
| Mohammad Reza Khalatbari|| style="text-align:center;" |79
|431
|0.18||2003–2023
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |10
| Ali Alipour|| align="center" |78
|232
|||2013–Present
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |11
| Karim Ansarifard|| align="center" |77
|182
|0.42||2007–2014
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |12
| Mohammad Ghazi|| align="center" |76
|341
|0.25||2007–2022
|}
Players in bold are still active in the league.
<nowiki>*</nowiki>GPGR: Goals Per Game Ratio
All-time top appearances in Iran league
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!No
!Player
!Appearance
!Years
|-
|1
|link=Iran|alt=Iran|23x23px Jalal Hosseini
|492
|2002–2022
|-
|2
| Mehdi Rahmati
|482 It was announced in 2024 that the image quality will be upgraded to HD in the coming years.
Sponsorship
The Persian Gulf Pro League has been sponsored since 2005. There have been four sponsors since the league's formation.
- 2001–2005: no sponsor
- 2005–2007: Zamzam
- 2007–2009: Padideh
- 2009–2014: Irancell
- 2014–2016: Sun Star
- 2016–present: Fanap
Ownership
Awards
Trophy
The league championship trophy is made up of two parts, the main part is shiny Chrome and the smaller part shiny golden in color. The sides of the trophy are taken from the armour of two Persian Achaemenid soldiers. This trophy also has references to the Persian Gulf. Every season, a new copy of this trophy, which takes about one and a half months to make, is made by artisans to be presented to the champions. Medals are also distributed. The medals and the championship trophy are made of brass metal, the medals and the championship trophy are both gold plated.
See also
- Football in Iran
- Iranian football league system
- League 2
- League 3
- Iranian Super Cup
- Hazfi Cup
- Azadegan League
Notes
References
External links
- Persian Gulf Pro League – official website (archived)
- Persian Gulf Pro League at Soccerway.com
- List of Iran all-time top scorers at RSSSF