Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: Iran Football Federation President Ali Kaffashian has said that Iran is extending the AFC Champions League participation criteria, which has helped the nation’s top-flight clubs take part in the continent’s premier club competition, to second division clubs.
An AFC Special Mission Team (SMT) began its ACL Inspection Visit and Club Licensing Spot Check 2012 in Iran on Wednesday headed by AFC Club Competitions Director Stuart Ramalingam.
During a kick-off meeting, Kaffashian said the Iran Pro League had progressed well and that Iran wanted to see the second division to enjoy the same kind of success through sharing the ACL participation criteria.
“The presence of the AFC delegation in Iran will assist in the further progress of the professional clubs and football in general,” Kaffashian said.
“The Iran Pro League had a lot of progress from last year’s SMT visit. All clubs received good experience from the previous visit.
“The ACL criteria are important and Iran is in the process of expanding these requirements to the second division as well. The club licensing requirements will help improve the clubs, in line with the ACL criteria.”
Meanwhile, Ramalingam said the AFC delegation came with a purpose to provide educational assistance and to inspect selected clubs.
“Clubs were selected based on the findings of last year’s inspection visit. In addition, newly promoted clubs would be inspected as well,” he said.
“AFC officials will share experience with clubs officials during the inspection. AFC aims to assist in the positive growth of Iranian football and to ensure further traction is developed from this assessment.”
The clubs that will be visited during the five-day exercise are Saba Qom FC, Gahar Zagros FC, Pykan FC, Foolad Ahvaz FC, Naft Abadan FC and Alominium FC.
Foolad Sepahan are the sole Iranian club remaining in the quarter-finals of the ACL’s current edition and will clash with Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia at home on September 19 before travelling to Jeddah for the away leg on October 2. Fellow Iranian representatives Esteghlal and Persepolis FC (formerly Piroozi Athletic) crashed out of the round of 16.
The SMT visit will not only help Iranian clubs become eligible to participate in the ACL but also in the process help them improve the overall quality of the clubs’ football and administration.