Iranian Kowsar Women League

This article is about the top division in women's Iranian football. For top division in men's Iranian football, see Persian Gulf Pro League.
Kowsar Women League
Organising bodyIran Football League Organization
Founded2007 (2007)
CountryIran
ConfederationAsian Football Confederation
Number of clubs10 (since 2020–21 )
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cupHazfi Cup
International cupAFC Women's Champions League
Current championsBam Khatoon (11th title)
Most championshipsBam Khatoon (11 titles)
Broadcaster(s)IRIB channels
Websitewww.iranleague.ir
Current: 2025–26

The Iranian Kowsar Women Football League (Persian: لیگ کوثر بانوان فوتبال ایران, Lig-e Kâuser-e Banuan-e Futbal-e Iran) is a women's football league, run by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI). At the top of the Iranian football league system, it is the country's primary competition for the sport.[1] It was established in 2007.[2]

History

The idea of founding the National Women's Football League in Iran dates back to the late Pahlavi era. During that period, important steps were taken to create a strong women's club football system in Iran. In those years, Tehrani clubs were the pioneers of women's club football in Iran.[3]

Kowsar Women Football League was founded in 2007[4] with international standards.

In July 2019, the FFIRI signed a contract with Pars Oil Company for the sponsorship of Iran's football referees, including the (male) Pro League, women referees in the Women's League, and futsal league, and received shirts with the company. However, female Pro League referees lodged a complaint against unpaid wages, which led to their dismissal, in violation of the Federation's statute. After the chairman of the FFIRI's Referees Committee intervened, all of the women were backpaid, but were then terminated and disqualified.[5]

Until 2024, Bam Khatoon F.C. dominated the league for years and was also known as an Asian power. They were usually in serious competition with Malavan W.F.C and they usually won against them. Malavan has a special fan culture in the league and attracts many fans to their stadium. Shahrdari Sirjan's team has usually been a serious competitor for the championship too.[6][7]

In 2024, the Iranian Football Federation proposed a change in the number of teams in the league in order to facilitate the establishment of a women's team by the clubs of the Persian Gulf Pro League.[8] Proposals to change the league rules were discussed.

Seasons

Kowsar Women Football League Champions[9]
Season Champions Runners-up
2007–08 Bal Gostar Malavan
2009–10 Malavan Oghab Mazandaran
2010–11 Shen Sa Arak Malavan
2011–12 Bam Khatoon Sorkh Poushan Gorgan
2012–13 Bam Khatoon Malavan
2013–14 Bam Khatoon Malavan
2014–15 Bam Khatoon Malavan
2015–16 Shahrdari Sirjan Malavan
2016–17 Ayande Sazan Mihan Bam Khatoon
2017–18 Bam Khatoon Shahrdari Sirjan
2018–19 Bam Khatoon Shahrdari Sirjan
2019–20 Bam Khatoon Vechan Kurdistan
2020–21 Shahrdari Sirjan Bam Khatoon
2021–22 Bam Khatoon Shahrdari Sirjan
2022–23 Bam Khatoon Sepahan
2023–24 Bam Khatoon Malavan
2024–25 Bam Khatoon Sepahan

Current clubs

2025–26 Iranian Kowsar Women League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Khatoon Bam 18 16 1 1 57 8 +49 49 Qualification for the 2026–27 AFC Women's Champions League stage
2 Gol Gohar 18 15 2 1 50 9 +41 47
3 Ista Alborz 18 10 4 4 32 16 +16 34
4 Malavan 18 9 3 6 28 18 +10 30
5 Palayesh Gaz Ilam 18 7 5 6 16 18 −2 26
6 Sepahan 18 7 4 7 19 20 −1 25
7 Persepolis 18 7 4 7 19 17 +2 25
8 Ava Tehran 18 3 2 13 9 32 −23 11
9 Fara Isatis Karan 18 2 1 15 15 52 −37 7 Relegation to 2026–27 Iran Women's Football 1st Division
10 Yasam Kurdistan 18 0 2 16 3 58 −55 2
Updated to match(es) played on 10 February 2026. Source: Iran Football League Organization - League Full Table
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Total goal difference; 5) Total goals scored; 6) Fair-play points.
(Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played). [10]

Champions

Club Winners Runners-up Winning seasons
Bam Khatoon
11
2
 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
Shahrdari Sirjan
2
3
 2015–16, 2020–21
Malavan
1
7
 2009–10
Shen Sa Arak
1
-
 2010–11
Bal Gostar
1
-
 2007–08
Ayande Sazan Mihan
1
-
 2016–17
Sepahan
-
2
Sorkh Poushan Gorgan
-
1
Oghab Mazandaran
-
1
Vuchan Kurdistan
-
1

Broadcasting

IRIB exclusively broadcasts the matches.

From 2024, the matches were streamed online on several different platforms, and the resulting income went indirectly to the clubs.[11]

Notes about clubs

There are at least three clubs from the Kurdistan region:

  • Ista Alborz (formerly Ista Kurdistan, sometimes spelt Eesta Kordistan, now based in Alborz province)
  • Vechan Kurdistan (also spelt Wechan Kurdistan)
  • Yasam Kurdistan

Sponsors

The non-broadcasting situation of the matches on Iranian television and the problems related to women's sports in Iran after the 1979 revolution caused serious economic problems for the league.[12][13]

In July 2019, the FFIRI signed a contract with Pars Oil Company for the sponsorship of Iran's football referees, including the (male) Pro League, women referees in the Women's League, and futsal league, and the women received shirts with the company. However, female referees lodged a complaint against unpaid wages, which led to their dismissal, in violation of the Federation's statute. After the chairman of the FFIRI's Referees Committee intervened, all of the women were backpaid, but were then terminated and disqualified.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ "جدول ليگ برتر بانوان - ليگ کوثر". Archived from the original on 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  2. ^ Banerjee, Ritabrata (12 January 2022). "2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup: From Japan's WE League to Australia's A-League Women - How Asia is developing the women's game?". Goal.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  3. ^ پیشینه و آمار فوتبال ایران (in Persian). Tehran. 2017. p. 11.
  4. ^ "بال گستر ساری صدرنشینی خود را در لیگ برتر فوتبال بانوان کشور مستحکم تر کرد". خبرگزاری مهر | اخبار ایران و جهان | Mehr News Agency (in Persian). 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  5. ^ "Pay Scandal Leaves Iran's Female Football Referees Out of Pocket, in Hand-Me-Down Uniforms". IranWire. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  6. ^ "جدال جذاب بم و انزلی/ کدام تیم قهرمان لیگ فوتبال زنان می‌شود؟". خبرگزاری مهر | اخبار ایران و جهان | Mehr News Agency (in Persian). 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  7. ^ "یک جنگ تمام عیار: امروز فقط فوتبال زنان!". ورزش سه (in Persian). Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  8. ^ "دربی استقلال و پرسپولیس در فوتبال زنان!". خبرآنلاین (in Persian). 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  9. ^ "Iran - List of Women Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  10. ^ "آیین نامه مسابقات لیگ برتر و دسته اول (بانوان) اصلاح شد". iranleague.ir.
  11. ^ ایران, عصر. "برای نخستین بار در ایران؛ حق پخش به فوتبال زنان رسید". fa (in Persian). Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  12. ^ "تصاویری از میزبانی عجیب در لیگ برتر فوتبال زنان | پایگاه خبری تحلیلی انصاف نیوز". انصاف نیوز (in Persian). 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  13. ^ "اسپانسری در ورزش بانوان هیچ سودی ندارد". ایمنا (in Persian). 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  14. ^ "Pay Scandal Leaves Iran's Female Football Referees Out of Pocket, in Hand-Me-Down Uniforms". IranWire. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
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