Persepolis F.C. (women)

Persepolis F.C. (women) is an Iranian professional women's football club based in Tehran, Iran. It is the women's football section of Persepolis F.C. and competes in the First Division, playing home games at the Shahid Kazemi Stadium.

History

1970s

Women's football in Iran started in 1970. Women were participating in male football competitions in alleys and streets, and also took part in some men's football games. During that time, when numerous trainers participated in the top grade of FIFA's training courses in Japan, they were able to see the Japan women's national football team's games against female teams from Korea, Singapore and India. From 1970, serious measures were taken in order to reach appropriate standards. Thereafter, women took part first in football training and then in football teams such as Taj, Deyhim, Persepolis and Oghab . By organizing different competitions between those teams, the best players were selected and placed in the first Iranian women's national team. This team was composed of former volleyball players, basketball players and athletes aged from 12 to 18. They started to train more seriously as sport magazines published the news of their progress, then gradually a large number of female fans arose to support the team. With the help of educational institutions across the country, talented youngsters were scouted.

The first head coach for the winning women's team in Iran was Alan Rogers (from Persepolis), who was also the coach of the men's team at the same time.

Rebuilding the team in 2022 was on the agenda.

2020s

On October 12, 2024, it was announced that, after facing many oppositions and challenges, Persepolis acquired the rights of the "Ako Kermanshah Women's Football Team" in the Women's League of Iran. Thus, Persepolis re-established its women's football section, marking a significant step in its sports history by returning to the women's football scene.

Shortly after its launch in October 2024, Persepolis Football Club issued a call for capable female footballers. In just two days, over 300 girls participated in the team's training tests. The revival of Persepolis Women's Football Team sparked significant excitement and enthusiasm among Iranian girls interested in football, as more than 500 girls applied to join the team within five days.

2024–25 Persepolis F.C.Women season finished by winning the Division One.

Team image

Logo

Persepolis Football Club was named after Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The club logo incorporates elements from the location. The first design of Persepolis' crest used the Faravahar, an ancient Persian and Zoroastrian symbol depicting a man with three-feathered falcon wings. After using the crest on its shirt in its early years, the team stopped including the crest on its shirt until the 1980s. In the middle of the 1980s, the team created a new crest based on an image depicted on a column at Apadana. The image consists of two bull heads attached to one body, with a cup on top and the Olympic symbols underneath. The bull is a symbol of productivity in ancient Persian beliefs and Persian Literature, and the cup on the top of the column represents the championship. The team then changed the crest again in the middle of the 1990s to a more stylised image: the crest became bent and the Olympic rings were dropped, the cup became more explicit, and the bull heads leaned toward the cup. This version was used until 2004, when the team restored the Olympic rings and replaced the bulls with the Homa, a mythological bird and symbol used in the architecture of Persepolis. During the 2011–2012 season, and before 74th Tehran derby, the club released a new version of its logo This current version of the club's logo incorporates the previous version into a red shield-shaped frame and includes the name of Persepolis in Persian and English.

Colors and kits

The women’s team, like the men’s team of the club, uses a first red kit and a secondary white kit. The team’s nicknames include “Red Army” and “Red Lionesses.” Another unofficial nickname attributed to them on social media is “Red Devils”.

Media

The women’s team has accounts on social media. In October 2024, its Instagram account was launched.

Grounds

In 2024, the Persepolis Women’s Football Club designated Marghoobkar Stadium as its initial home ground. This arrangement lasted until November 2024, when the team relocated its home matches to Derafshifar Stadium. Subsequently, a decision was made to establish Kazemi Stadium as the club’s new permanent home venue, reflecting efforts to enhance facilities for the team.

Supporters and rivalries

The Persepolis Women’s Football Team, known as the “Lionesses of Tehran” and the “Red Army,” is among the most popular women’s football clubs in Iran. This popularity has largely been influenced by the fame of the club’s men’s team, as the women’s team had no activity for nearly half a century (due to government policies following the 1979 Revolution). Persepolis fans typically react to team news and support the players.

Esteghlal Football Team and Sepahan Isfahan Football Team are their rivals.

Players

Technical staff

Recent seasons

The table below chronicles the achievements of Persepolis F.C. (women) in various competitions since 2024.

Sponsorship

* Main sponsor: Shahr Bank
* Official shirt manufacturer: Merooj
* Sponsor 2:
* Water supplier: Veensu

See also

Reserve teams

* Persepolis Academy
* Persepolis B
* Persepolis Qaemshahr
* Persepolis Shomal

References

External links

Official club website


Persepolis F.C.
at IFLO

Persepolis F.C.
at FIFA
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Women's football clubs in Iran
Persepolis F.C.
Association football clubs established in 1963
Sport in Tehran
1963 establishments in Iran
Sport in Iran

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