Iran women's national football team

The first Iranian women's national team was established by Taj Tehran Football Club.[3][4][5] The Iranian women's national team has a long history, with a women's Perspolis FC team dating back to 1976.[6][7]

Refounded in 2005, the team reached second place at the 2005 West Asian Football Federation Women's Championship in Amman, Jordan held in September and October 2005.

In May 2006, the women's team hosted their first foreign visitors when a club from Berlin, Germany called BSV Al-Dersimspor played out a 2–2 draw in Ararat Stadium, Tehran.

The team won second place again at the 2007 and 2011 West Asian Football Federation Women's Championship.[8]

Iran were briefly banned by FIFA from international competition in 2011 for wearing hijabs. This caused Iran to forfeit its bid to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics.[9][10] The ban was lifted in 2012.[11]

In 2015 there were reports that eight players on the team were males awaiting sex change operations.[12][13]

Zahra Khajavi, considered as an important goalkeeper in the Iranian national football team history

Iran vs Belarus friendly in 2019

On 27 December 2019, Zahra Khajavi broke the clean sheet record of Iranian football by not receiving any goal for 953 minutes.[14][15][16] Also, she, along with Alireza Biranvand, are known as the record holders of the longest hand throws in Iranian football.[17] As one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Iranian football, Khajavi was able to once again draw the attention of the domestic media to the Iranian women's national football team. Her achievements played a key role in the progress of the women's national football team in these years.[17]

In the 2020s, women's football became more popular among young Iranians, both boys and girls.[18]

• 
  Khajavi playing for Iran in 2022
• 
  Iran national football team before the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup

Iran qualified for their first ever AFC Women's Asian Cup when they won against Jordan on penalties in the qualifiers for the 2022 edition to be hosted in India.[19] In Iran's historic debut, Iran impressed by holding India goalless, but following India's withdrawal due to COVID-19 pandemic, Iran's only point was lost, and thus Iran was left vulnerable to China and Chinese Taipei, losing 0–7 and 0–5 in process and was eliminated as the worst third-placed team.

The Iran women's national football team have been known or nicknamed as the "Iranian Lionesses" (in Persian: Shirzanan).[20] The Iran women's national football team is widely nicknamed the Persian stars since 2010. "Parsi women" or Persian ladies are another nicknames of the team in Asian football.[20]

In the decades after 1979, the media coverage of women's football in Iran had problems, but the matches of the women's national team are usually followed by Iranian men and women in the national and foreign media.[18]

Persian-language documentaries and sports programs are made about the team's winning potential and history.[18]

The table below shows the history of kit supplier for the Iranian national football team.

Kit supplier	Period	Notes
Uhlsport	2019–2022
Merooj	2022–present	[21]

Iran plays their home matches on the Ararat Stadium.

On 9 November 2018 Fatma Samoura, Secretary General of International Federation of Football Association FIFA said she would ask Iranian government to end ban on women’s entry to sport stadiums.[22]

In September 2019 it was reported that Iranian female football star Sahar Khodayari, dubbed the "blue girl", died after self-immolating in front of a court in Tehran when she found out she could face a two year sentence for attempting to enter a football stadium to watch her team play.[23]

Iran  v  Myanmar

5 April 2024 AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 1	Iran	1–0	Myanmar	Yangon, Myanmar
16:00 UTC+6:30	Chatrenoor 52'	Report		Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium Attendance: 880 Referee: Yang Shu-ting (Chinese Taipei)

Myanmar  v  Iran

8 April 2024 AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 1	Myanmar	1–1	Iran	Yangon, Myanmar
16:00 UTC+6:30	Win Theingi Tun 57'	Report	Zandi 14'	Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium

Russia  v  Iran

14 July Unofficial Friendly[24]	Russia	4–0	Iran	Kazan, Russia
16:30 UTC+3	Abdullina 28' Belomyttseva 38' (pen.) Bizenkova 43' Mashina 83'			Stadium: Central Stadium

Russia  v  Iran

18 July Friendly[25]

Russia

2–0

Iran

Russia

Australia  v  Iran

26 October 2024 AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2	Australia	2-0	Iran	Perth, Australia
				Stadium: Perth Rectangular Stadium

Iran  v  Chinese Taipei

29 October 2024 AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2	Iran	v	Chinese Taipei	Perth, Australia
				Stadium: Perth Stadium

Philippines  v  Iran

1 November 2024 AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2	Philippines	v	Iran	Perth, Australia
				Stadium: Perth Rectangular Stadium

• Fixtures and Results (Iran)– Soccerway.com

As of 14 June 2022

Position	Name	Ref.
Head coach	Maryam Azmoon
Assistant coach
Technical manager	Akbar Mohammadi
Supervisor	Fatemeh Alipour

• Shahrzad Mozafar (2005)
• Zhu Fang Shin (2008) [26]
• Maryam Irandoost (2010–2012)[27]
• Helena Costa (2012–2014)[28]
• Mahnaz Amirshaghaghi (2014–2016)
• Maryam Azmoon (2016–2020)
• Maryam Irandoost (2021–2022)[27]
• Maryam Azmoon (2022–)

The following 22 players were called up for the 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament#Second round.[29]

Caps correct as of 12 January 2022.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Zahra Khajavi	(1999-02-08) 8 February 1999	12	0	Bam Khatoon F.C.
	1GK	Mina Nafeei	(1999-02-28) 28 February 1999	?	?	Sepahan Isfahan
	1GK	Raha Yazdani	(1987-06-22) 22 June 1987	2	0	Shahrdari Sirjan
	2DF	Zeinab Abbaspour	(2003-06-24) 24 June 2003	3	0	Shahrdari Sirjan
	2DF	Fatemeh Amineh Borazjani	(1997-06-03) 3 June 1997	19	0	Shahrdari Sirjan
	2DF	Hadis Basat Shir	(1997-09-13) 13 September 1997	6	0	Shahrdari Sirjan
	2DF	Fatemeh Shaban	(2002-11-04) 4 November 2002	11	2	Zare Batri Sanandaj
	2DF	Behnaz Taherkhani	(1995-05-22) 22 May 1995	20	3	Bam Khatoon F.C
	2DF	Sepideh Nozhati	(1998-11-28) 28 November 1998	0	0	Malavan Anzali
19	3MF	Fatemeh Adeli	(1995-07-16) 16 July 1995	22	0	Sepahan
	3MF	Shabnam Behesht	(1998-12-30) 30 December 1998	12	1	Shahrdari Sirjan
	3MF	Hasti Foroozandeh	(1999-04-04) 4 April 1999	?	?	Shahrdari Sirjan
	3MF	Zahra Ghanbari (captain)	(1992-03-04) 4 March 1992	21	16	Bam Khatoon F.C
	3MF	Mona Hamoudi	(1993-11-11) 11 November 1993	5	2	Bam Khatoon F.C
	3MF	Golnoosh Khosravi	(2001-05-12) 12 May 2001	5	1	Vachan Kurdistan
	3MF	Fatemeh Makhdoumi	(2001-02-14) 14 February 2001	9	1	Shahrdari Sirjan
	3MF	Melika Mohammadi	(2000-03-28) 28 March 2000	9	0	Bam Khatoon F.C
	3MF	Zahra Sarbali	(1993-08-13) 13 August 1993	8	0	Bam Khatoon F.C
	3MF	Mohadeseh Zolfi	(2005-01-16) 16 January 2005	5	1	Peykan Alborz
	4FW	Samaneh Chahkandi	(1989-03-28) 28 March 1989	20	4	Bam Khatoon F.C
	4FW	Afsaneh Chatrenoor	(1998-04-14) 14 April 1998	18	4	Shahrdari Sirjan
	4FW	Negin Zandi	(2004-01-20) 20 January 2004	7	1	Bam Khatoon F.C

The following players have been called up to the squad in the past year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Samira Mohammadi	(1992-06-14) 14 June 1992	0	0	Malavan Anzali	v.  Myanmar, 8 April 2023
MF	Asma Nazari Pakdel	(2000-10-28) 28 October 2000	0	0	Badrood Tehran	v.  Myanmar, 8 April 2023
MF	Sahar Ramezani	(1993-02-24) 24 February 1993	0	0	Palayesh Gaz Ilam	v.  Myanmar, 8 April 2023
MF	Shaghayegh Rouzbahan	(1994-12-06) 6 December 1994	11	1	Sepahan	v.  Myanmar, 8 April 2023
MF	Sana Sadeghi	(2000-06-12) 12 June 2000	13	0	Sepahan	v.  Myanmar, 8 April 2023
FW	Hajar Dabbaghi	(1999-03-22) 22 March 1999	20	6	Gokulam Kerala	v.  Myanmar, 8 April 2023

• Unfortunately, due to strict FIFA rules, Iran women's team is unable to acquire experienced footballers who have many caps for other national teams. Two players of Iranian heritage are Sara Doorsoun who is a current player for Germany and unfortunately ineligible for selection for Iran, and Natasha Shirazi who is a current player for Uganda and might be able to switch nationality to Iran, be available for selection for Iran depending on the number of caps for Uganda.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	2DF	Sara Doorsoun	(1991-11-17) 17 November 1991	-	-	Eintracht Frankfurt
	4FW	Natasha Shirazi[42]	(1996-02-08) 8 February 1996	-	-	KF Tirana

• Zahra Ghanbari (20xx–present)

• WAFF Women's Championship

Runners-up: 2005, 2007, 2011

• CAFA Women's Championship

Runners-up: 2018, 2022

FIFA Women's World Cup record
Year	Result	Position	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD
1991 to 2007	did not enter
2011	did not qualify
2015
2019
2023
2027	to be determined
Total	0/9	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

AFC Women's Asian Cup record
Year	Result	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD
1975 to 2008	did not enter
2010	did not qualify
2014
2018
2022	Group stage	2	0	0	2	0	12	−12
Total	1/19	2	0	0	2	0	12	−12

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

WAFF Women's Championship record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GS	GA
2005	Runners-up	4	3	0	1	20	2
2007	Runners-up	3	2	0	1	17	2
2010	Group stage	2	0	0	2	0	5
2011	Runners-up	5	4	1	0	21	7
2014	did not enter
2019–onward	Not WAFF member
Total	4/7	14	9	1	4	58	16

Malavan F.C. participated at the 2010.

CAFA Women's Championship record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GS	GA
2018	Runners-up	4	3	0	1	16	3
2022	Runners-up	4	3	0	1	10	1
Total	2/2	8	6	0	2	26	4

Iran U-23 team participated at the 2018.