News ID: 234

Date: 24 May 2025 - 21:38

#club_license

Zarei: Professional Licensing Is Not Just a Formality, But a Lifeline for Iranian Clubs

Severe financial instability and lack of revenue transparency pose serious risks to the future of professional football in Iran, warns Licensing Committee Director.

As the final and tense days of the club licensing process for the current season approach, Mostafa Zarei, Director of the Club Licensing Committee at the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), has sounded a serious warning regarding the state of Iranian football clubs.

"One of the most critical challenges facing our clubs is their severe financial instability and the lack of transparency in revenue sources," said Zarei in an official statement on the federation's website.

He added that despite the financial crisis many clubs face, there are worrying reports of multi-hundred-billion toman contracts being signed with players whose actual market value and technical contribution fall far below the sums paid.
“This trend not only reflects a clear lack of financial planning and oversight at the club management level, but it also rings alarm bells for the future of professional football in our country,” Zarei said.

In a departure from previous years, even some of the industrial clubs—traditionally known for balanced financial operations—have reported budget deficits and growing financial losses this season.

Zarei stressed that if such conditions persist, the upcoming season’s licensing process will present even more serious obstacles.
“The absence of structured mechanisms for sustainable revenue generation, the inability to create economic value from football, weak marketing and sponsorship strategies, and the overwhelming reliance on government or semi-governmental funding have collectively trapped Iranian clubs in an economic deadlock,” he said.

He expressed concern that the vision of some club managers is limited to short-term success in the domestic league, with little to no emphasis on securing professional licensing or aiming for participation in continental or international competitions.
“Professional licensing is not a bureaucratic burden—it is an essential condition for any club aspiring to grow, survive, and compete at the highest levels of modern football,” Zarei asserted.

He concluded by stating that the licensing process for the upcoming season is already underway, and ignoring it could lead to irreversible consequences.
"The transfer window fireworks and big-money contracts may excite fans and fill stadiums today, but their echo will likely be heard next year in the form of licensing denials and bans from international competitions. Now is the time for awareness, policy reform, and serious restructuring of the clubs’ financial systems—before it’s too late."