Iranian clubs return to AFC Champions League Elite as domestic season resumes after wartime suspension
This week Iranian clubs Esteghlal and Tractor SC resumed international competition by starting their campaigns in the AFC Champions League Elite, as the Persian Gulf League also restarted after a near six-month suspension.
The domestic season had been postponed at the end of February and kicked off again in mid-August after being abandoned as the war continued, leaving a prolonged interruption that, Esteghlal head coach Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh said, deprived players, teams and fans of competition. Esteghlal were top of the table when play stopped, having completed 22 of 30 games and sitting two points clear of Tractor, and the Tehran club argue they should be awarded the title from the unfinished campaign. "Esteghlal should be declared the champions of the previous season," Bakhtiarizadeh said. A decision is to be made soon, with the majority of other clubs reported to be against such a presentation, particularly the industrially owned sides Sepahan FC and Foolad.
Esteghlal opened their continental campaign with a 3-0 win against Qatari side Al-Sadd on Monday, a match played as their nominal home fixture in Basra rather than in Iran, attended by around 8,000 supporters at Basra International Stadium. "Being deprived of home advantage has been one of the biggest problems that Iranian football has faced in recent years," Bakhtiarizadeh said. "In every situation, this opportunity has been taken away from Iranian clubs. Nevertheless, it makes us happy to host Al-Sadd in Basra, close to Iran … with the presence of some of our supporters who live in southern Iran."
Tractor began their campaign with a 1-0 defeat by Shabab Al-Ahli in Dubai in front of roughly 1,300 spectators, a low turnout the article links to strained Iran–UAE relations; the AFC’s adoption of a larger, Uefa-style group stage leaves time for teams to recover from early setbacks. The Iranian clubs also benefited from not drawing Saudi Arabian opposition in their opening fixtures.
The report highlights financial disparities affecting Iranian teams, citing years of international sanctions that have left salaries stagnant, facilities neglected and overseas arrangements harder to organise; by contrast, Al-Hilal alone reportedly spent more than $200m (£148m) in the summer on Ollie Watkins, Gabriel Martinelli and Crysencio Summerville. Saudi Arabia and Japan each have five representatives in the 32-team tournament, while Iran has two, and Saudi Arabia has hosted the Champions League from the quarter-finals onwards for the past two editions under an arrangement extended to 2029.
Esteghlal’s continental history was noted in the piece, listing Asian titles in 1970 and 1991, and Bakhtiarizadeh acknowledged the gulf in spending while maintaining competitive belief. "It is currently impossible for any team in Asia to match the Saudi spending power," he said. "Nevertheless, I still believe that football is a game in which, over 90 minutes, you may be able to overcome this financial gap through effort, determination and teamwork. Competing against Asian teams is certainly difficult, especially since we have entered the competition without having participated in the summer transfer market but Esteghlal’s history compels us to try."
A ruling on whether Esteghlal will be declared champions of the abandoned domestic season is expected soon, while both clubs continue their AFC Champions League Elite campaigns under a group-stage format that, according to the report, allows time to recover from early results.
