Iranian football's 2nd division () is the third-highest

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 ...

division overall in the

Iranian football league system The Iranian football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for soccer, football clubs in Iran. Structure The current structure has been in place since 2001. The Iran's Premier Football League, Pro League is the highest level of cl ...

. Before 2001, the 2nd division league was the second-highest division in the national football league system. However, it was changed to third-highest division when Iran's football structure officially became professional. The league consists of two, 14-team groups who play each other twice in a home and away format. The first- and second-placed teams in each group are automatically promoted to the

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 ...

. The bottom two teams in both groups are automatically relegated to the 3rd division. If teams in the promotion or relegation spots are tied in terms of points, a home and away series will be played. The team with the best aggregate score will either avoid relegation or win promotion. Sometimes these rules are not followed exactly. For example in the 2005–06 season, Deihim Ahvaz should have been relegated, but Nozhan Mazandaran despite finishing ahead of Deihim, were relegated instead because of the club's poor financial situation. Additionally the number of teams in each group was increased from twelve to fourteen this season.

Format

* 12 clubs: 2002–2003 * 24 clubs: 2003–2004 * 20 clubs: 2004–2005 * 24 clubs: 2005–2006 * 28 clubs: 2006–2008 * 36 clubs: 2008–2010 * 32 clubs: 2010–2011 * 28 clubs: 2011–2014 * 40 clubs: 2014–2016 * 37 clubs: 2016–2017 * 33 clubs: 2017–2018 * 26 clubs: 2018–2019 * 28 clubs: 2019–

League champions

As Iran's second-highest football division, 1972–1979

* 1972–73: Taj Ahvaz * 1973–74: Sepahan * 1974–75:

Tractor A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a Trailer (vehicle), trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or constructio ...

* 1975–76: Machine Sazi * 1976–77: Rah Ahan * 1977–78:

Aboomoslem Football Club Abu Muslim (, ''Bashgah-e Futbal-e Abumislâm-e Xorasan''), commonly known as Abu Muslim, is an Iranian football club based in Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan, that competes in the League 3. The club was founded in 1970 and is named aft ...

* 1978–79: did not finish

As Iran's second-highest football division, 1990–2001

* 1990–91: Malavan (A),

(B), Taam Esfehan (C), Esteghlal Ahvaz (D) * 1991–92: Bargh Shiraz * 1992–93: Chooka Anzali * 1993–94: Naft Ghaemshahr * 1994–95: Bahman Karaj * 1995–96: Payam Mashhad (A) and Sanat Naft Abadan (B) * 1996–97: Fajr Sepasi * 1997–98: Malavan * 1998–99: Bahman Karaj * 1999–00: Bargh Shiraz * 2000–01:

As Iran's third-highest football division, 2001—Present

* 2001–02: - * 2002–03: Shahid Ghandi * 2003–04: Sanati Kaveh (National Group) and Pasargad Tehran (Region Groups/North) and Deyhim Ahvaz (Region Groups/South) * 2004–05: Shahrdari Langarudn (A) and Pegah Khozestan (B) * 2005–06: Pegah Tehran (A) and Etka Gorgan (B) * 2006–07: Sepahan Novin (A) and Bargh Tehran (B) * 2007–08: Aluminium Hormozgan * 2008–09: Sanati Kaveh (A) and Mes Sarcheshmeh (B) * 2009–10: Sepidrood Rasht * 2010–11: Esteghlal Jonub * 2011–12: Esteghlal Ahvaz * 2012–13: Naft Gachsaran (A) and Siah Jamegan (B) * 2013–14: Shahrdari Ardabil (A) and Etka Gorgan (B) * 2014–15: Aluminium Arak * 2015–16: Oxin Alborz (A) and Sepidrood Rasht (B) * 2016–17:

Shahrdari Tabriz Shahrdari Tabriz Cultural and Athletic Club (, ''Bashgah-e Futbal-e Vârzeshi-ye Shiherdari Tebriz'') was an Iranian sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Tabriz, Iran. Shahrdari Tabriz also has futsal, basket ...

(A) and Shahrdari Mahshahr (B) * 2017–18: Karoon Arvand Khorramshahr (A) and Shahin Bushehr (B) * 2018–19: Khooshe Talaee * 2019–20: Chooka Talesh * 2020–21: Mes Shahr-e Babak * 2021–22: Chooka Talesh * 2022–23: Naft va Gaz Gachsaran * 2023-24: Nirooye Zamini Tehran

References

External links

League 2 Iran Results, Fixtures, Standings, Players ...

Unofficial Fans Site
. {{Iranian Sport leagues 3 Third-level football leagues in Asia Sports leagues established in 1972 1972 establishments in Iran Professional sports leagues in Iran