FIFA affiliation 1948 CAFA affiliation 2015 | AFC affiliation 1954 President Mehdi Taj | |
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Founded 1920; 97 years ago (1920) | ||
The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (F.F.I.R.I.) (Persian: فدراسیون فوتبال ایران) is the governing body for football in Iran. It was founded in 1920, and has been a member of FIFA since 1948. It is also a member of the Asian Football Confederation. The FFIRI is responsible for organizing the Iranian national football team.
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Suspension
On 23 November 2006, the federation was suspended by FIFA, due to government interference in football matters. FIFA rules decree that a national football federation should remain autonomous from the national government. However, on 17 December 2006, the ban was lifted and a new Transitory Board was composed of Mohsen Safaei Farahani as chairman, Kiomars Hashemi as deputy chairman and Mohammad Hassan Ansarifar, Dr Hassan Ghaffari, Dr Mohammad Khabiri and Ali Reghbati as members.
Controversies
The federation and Islamic government do not allow Iranian women into their stadiums.
During the 2009 Iranian election protests, seven members of the Iran national football team were initially reported to have been banned for life by the federation for wearing green armbands in support of the Iranian Green Movement.
Iran women's national football team was briefly banned by FIFA from international competition in 2011 for being forced by the federation to wear hijabs.
In 2015, Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran banned players from the men's national team due to conscription problems.