Foolad Khuzestan Football Club (, ''Bāshgāh-e Futbāl-e Fulād-e Khuzestān'') is an Iranian professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

club based in

Ahvaz Ahvaz (; ) is a city in the Central District of Ahvaz County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is home to Persians, Arabs and other groups such as Qashqai and Kurds. Languages spok ...

Khuzestan Khuzestan province () is one of the 31 Provinces of Iran. Located in the southwest of the country, the province borders Iraq and the Persian Gulf, covering an area of . Its capital is the city of Ahvaz. Since 2014, it has been part of Iran's ...

, that plays in

Persian Gulf Pro League The Persian Gulf Pro League (, ''Lig-e Bartar-e Xalij-e Fârs''), formerly known as the Iran Premier League (, ''Lig-e bartar-e Irân''), is a professional association football league in Iran and the highest level of the Iranian football league s ...

. The club was founded in 1971 and is owned by Foolad Khuzestan Company. The club has won Iran Pro League twice, including a championship in the lower division,

Azadegan League The Azadegan League (, ''Lig-e Âzâdegân''), also known as League 1 (, ''Lig-e Yek''), is the second highest division of professional football in Iran. It was the top-level football league in Iran from its foundation in 1991 until 2001, when t ...

. In the 2004–05 season, Foolad became the champion of the fourth newly founded Iran Pro League (IPL), gaining a total of 64 points over 30 league matches. After several seasons, Foolad lost many of its key players through transfers and internal problems and also displayed a poor performance in the 2006 AFC Champions League. The club was subsequently relegated to the

, second highest division in Iran at the end of 2006–07. However, Foolad was able to return to the IPL starting from the next season, 2008–09 Iran Pro League. Foolad won its second championship in 2013–14 season. The club also won their first

Hazfi Cup Hazfi Cup (, ) formerly known as Pahlavi Cup () is an Iranian knockout football competition held annually by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran. The Iranian Football League, Iranian football league was not held during the 1980s, h ...

title in the 2020–21 season. Foolad's home kit is red and yellow shirts, with the same color for shorts, accompanied by red socks. The colors used in clothing are derived from the symbol of the club.

Club history

Establishment and first years (1971–1995)

Foolad Khuzestan Football Club was founded on 2 March 1971 in

Ahwaz Ahvaz (; ) is a city in the Central District of Ahvaz County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is home to Persians, Arabs and other groups such as Qashqai and Kurds. Languages spok ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

by at that time, President of the Foolad Khuzestan Company Ali Akbar Davar. Foolad was a team that no one knew anything about until the dissolution of '' Jonoub Ahwaz'' in 1996. Foolad won the

City Championship in 1991 and entered the 2nd division of the

football league two years later. Foolad won the first group in its debut season and was promoted to the Ahwaz's first league which they won in their debut season as well. This meant they would be promoted to the Khuzestan Provincial Leagues.

Road to the Highest Division (1995–2001)

In 1995, which was Foolad's second year in the ''

's Second Division'', they became provincial champions. That same year '' Jonoub Ahvaz'', was contracted and Foolad took their place in

Iran Football's 2nd Division Iranian football's 2nd division () is the third-highest football (soccer), football division overall in the Iranian football league system. Before 2001, the 2nd division league was the second-highest division in the national football league system ...

. In 1996, with Homayoun Shahrokhinejad as manager, the team was promoted to the 1st division.

Frančić era (2004–2006)

The team was eventually bought by the ''Ahwaz Steel Mill''. The team was finally able to win the IPL in the 2004–05 season but due to some ensuing internal problems and coaching difficulties could not perform well in the

2006 Asian Champions League 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics A six-sided polygon is a hexagon, one of the three regular polygons capable of tiling the plane. A hexagon a ...

ACL and relegation (2006–2007)

After a mediocre 2005–06, Foolad started the 2006–07 season with former Iranian national team coach Mohammad Mayeli Kohan, but he resigned halfway through the season as Foolad had achieved poor results. Youth club coach Nenad Nikolić temporarily replaced him and soon after Portuguese manager Augusto Inácio was named head coach. Foolad went through a terrible 2006–07 season finishing 15th and being relegated to the lower

Return to First Division and Jalali years (2007–2012)

Foolad start the 2007–08 season at

and won the playoff spot despite their strong leadership until the last weeks. In the playoff, they drew with Payam Mashhad in a two-leg matches and missed the promotion via away goal. A few weeks later they bought the right to play in

Persian Gulf Cup The Persian Gulf Pro League (, ''Lig-e Bartar-e Xalij-e Fârs''), formerly known as the Iran Premier League (, ''Lig-e bartar-e Irân''), is a professional association football league in Iran and the highest level of the Iranian football league s ...

from Sepahan Novin and promoted to IPL. Then Majid Jalali was announced as the club's head coach with signing a three years contract where they had an average season with ending the season in the 7th place. On September 1, 2009, Seifollah Dehkordi was elected as the club's president after previous president Masoud Rezaeian resigned from his position. After the election of Dehkordi, Majid Jalali left the club despite good results. Luka Bonačić was named as Jalali's successor but he could not please the club as he was not able to win a single match in first eight weeks and the club decided to bring Majid Jalali back where they finished the league 10th. At the Jalali's final year as Foolad manager, the club ended the season at the 14th place, the worst since their promotion back to the league.

League success under Faraki (2012–2014)

After Jalali's contract was not renewed, Naft Tehran manager Hossein Faraki was named as the club's new head coach. He led Foolad to the 4th rank in his first season as the club's manager, gaining an

AFC Champions League The AFC Champions League Elite (abbreviated as the ACL Elite) is an annual continental club association football, football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's List of top-division football clubs i ...

spot for the second time in the Foolad's history. In the 2013–14 Iran Pro League season, Faraki led the club to their second

Iran Pro League The Persian Gulf Pro League (, ''Lig-e Bartar-e Xalij-e Fârs''), formerly known as the Iran Premier League (, ''Lig-e bartar-e Irân''), is a professional association football league in Iran and the highest level of the Iranian football league s ...

title, his team finished with 57 points. They finished 2 points clear of second place

Persepolis Persepolis (; ; ) was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (). It is situated in the plains of Marvdasht, encircled by the southern Zagros mountains, Fars province of Iran. It is one of the key Iranian cultural heritage sites and ...

. Five days later, Foolad advanced to the Round of 16 of the

for the first time after they defeated El-Jaish of

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

. Foolad lost to Al Sadd on away goals. On 23 May 2014, Faraki resigned as the manager of the club, due to knee problems, despite two good seasons with Foolad. Dragan Skočić was named as his successor.

Reserve team

Foolad Novin is the reserve side of Foolad. In 2014 they were promoted to the

for the second time in their history. Foolad Yazd is not Foolad's reserve team, but is a feeder club, they also compete in the

Youth academy

In April 1999, Foolad formed a youth academy.

Kit

The name and symbol of the club adapted from its founder and owner company, Foolad. Its symbol means that is related to steel production process. The club's logo repeatedly changed but the overall layout is preserved. After Foolad's league title in 2006, club added a golden star above the team logo etched into the club's shirt, but this was not accepted by the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation. So there is not any star on the club's official logo. Foolad began playing in red, yellow and black, but then changed the yellow to white since 1999. The kit has been made by

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine giv ...

until 2002. Then Merooj and Daei Sport were the club's kit manufacturers.

Uhlsport Uhlsport GmbH is a German Sports equipment, sporting goods manufacturer. Originally established in 1948 as "Haase & Uhl OHG" and later renamed "Karl Uhl GmbH", the company became "uhlsport GmbH" in 1994. It is an international company which has i ...

is the current kit manufacturers, made the kits from past four years. The club currently doesn't have any official sponsor as the club's company name is inserted on the shirts. * – Tefal was the sponsor of the team in only some matches not full season.

Rivals

The team competes in Ahvaz derby against Esteghlal Khuzestan which is a new born club. The first time the teams met each other was in season 2013–14 which Esteghlal Khuzestan lost that game.

Players

First-team squad

Out on loan

Notable players

Players on international cups

2002 Asian Games The 2002 Asian Games, officially known as the XIV Asian Games and also known as Busan 2002 (), were an international multi-sport event held in Busan, South Korea from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Due to schedule impediments the football tour ...

Yahya Golmohammadi Yahya Golmohammadi (; born 19 March 1971) is an Iranian association football, football coach and a former player who coaches Persian Gulf Pro League club Foolad F.C., Foolad. He is one of only eleven Iranians to score in a FIFA World Cup, World ...

* Jalal Kameli-Mofrad * Iman Mobali * Ali Badavi * Ebrahim Mirzapour

2004 AFC Asian Cup The 2004 AFC Asian Cup was the 13th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international association football, football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It was held from 17 July to 7 August 2004 in China. ...

* Hossein Kaebi * Jalal Kameli-Mofrad * Iman Mobali * Ali Badavi * Ebrahim Mirzapour * Mohammad Alavi

2006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international Association football, football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to FIFA World Cup hosts ...

* Hossein Kaebi * Ebrahim Mirzapour 2006 Asian Games * Pejman Montazeri * Adel Kolahkaj

2010 Asian Games The 2010 Asian Games (), officially known as the XVI Asian Games () and also known as Guangzhou 2010 (), were a regional multi-sport event held from November 12 to 27, 2010 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (although several events commenced ear ...

* Arash Afshin

2011 AFC Asian Cup The 2011 AFC Asian Cup was the 15th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The finals were held in Qatar from 7 to 29 January 2011. It was the secon ...

* Arash Afshin * Reza Norouzi

2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...

Bakhtiar Rahmani Bakhtiar Rahmani (; born 23 September 1991) is an Iranian Kurdish Association football, footballer. Early life Rahmani was born in Sarpol-e Zahab. Club career Foolad Rahmani has played his entire career for Foolad F.C., Foolad. After the rele ...

2014 Asian Games The 2014 Asian Games (), officially known as the 17th Asian Games () and also known as Incheon 2014 (), were a pan-Asian multi-sport event held from 19 September to 4 October 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. On 17 April 2007, Incheon was awarded ...

* Yousef Vakia

2015 AFC Asian Cup The 2015 AFC Asian Cup was the 16th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international association football, football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It was held in Australia from 9 to 31 January 201 ...

* Soroush Rafiei

Personnel

Current technical staff

* Last updated: 11 August 2022 * Source
Coaching staff
/small>

Management

* Last updated: 15 March 2023 * Source
Board of Directors
/small>

Recent seasons

The table below chronicles the achievements of Foolad in various competitions since 1990.

Stadium information

The club plays their home games at the newly built 30,655-seat

Foolad Arena Foolad Arena (, ''Fulâd Ârena'') is a stadium in Ahvaz, which was opened on 13 November 2018. It hosts the home matches of Foolad F.C., Foolad since March 2019. The stadium was planned to be completed by November 2013, which was changed to midd ...

in northern

since 2019. Before this, the club played originally at the Takhti Stadium until 2012 and Ghadir Stadium from 2012 until 2019.

Honours

Domestic

: ** Winners (2): 2004–05, 2013–14 *

: ** Winners (1): 2020–21 *

Iranian Super Cup The Iranian Super Cup (Persian language, Persian: سوپر جام ایران, ''Super Jam-e 'Iran'') is an Iranian association football trophy awarded to the winner of a match between the Persian Gulf Pro League's season champion and the winner of ...

: ** Winners (1):

2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...

Records and statistics

All Top scorers

''As of 31 May 2025''

All Top Appearances

References

External links

Foolad F.C. Official Website
*
Foolad F.C. Fans Weblog
*
Khuzestan Football Association
{{Iranian football league champions Football clubs in Iran Association football clubs established in 1971 Football clubs in Ahvaz 1971 establishments in Iran Sport in Ahvaz