# Iranian Hazfi Cup

Hazfi Cup (Persian: جام حذفی, romanized: Jām-e Hazfi, lit. 'knockout cup') formerly known as Pahlavi Cup (Persian: جام پهلوی, romanized: Jām-e Pahlavi) is an Iranian knockout football competition held annually by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Iranian football league was not held during the 1980s, hence the winner of Hazfi Cup represented Iran in the Asian Club Championship. After the revival of the league system, the champion of Iranian league qualified for Asian Club Championship and the winner of Hazfi Cup for Asian Cup Winners' Cup. The Asian Cup Winners' Cup merged with the Asian Champions Cup in 2002–03 to form the AFC Champions League and Iran was initially given two (and later four) slots in this competitions. The FFIRI decided to award one of Iran's AFC Champions League spots to the winner of the Hazfi Cup, and since then, the winners of Hazfi Cup have always been allocated a spot in the AFC Champions League. Since 2024 and with the rebranding of the Asian club competitions, the FFIRI decided to send the winner of the Hazfi cup to the AFC Champions League Elite Qualifying play-off.
The competition was founded in 1976 as Pahlavi Cup but after the revolution continued as Hazfi Cup. Esteghlal and Persepolis are the most successful clubs with seven titles each.

## Format

The rules for the final were exactly the same as the one for the previous knockout rounds. The tie was contested over two legs with away goals deciding the winner if the two teams were level on goals after the second leg. If the teams could still not be separated at that stage, then extra time would have been played with a penalty shootout (taking place if the teams were still level after that). Since the 2011–12 season, the final is always held as a single match.

## Finals
### Key

| Year | Winners | Scores | Runners-up | Venue |
| 1976 | Malavan (1) | 4–1 | Tractor | Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran |
| 1977–78 | Taj (1) | 2–0 | Homa | Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran |
| 1979–1985 | Not held due to Iranian revolution and Iran–Iraq War | Not held due to Iranian revolution and Iran–Iraq War | Not held due to Iranian revolution and Iran–Iraq War | Not held due to Iranian revolution and Iran–Iraq War |
| 1986 | Malavan (2) | 2–0 | Kheybar | Shahid Shiroudi Stadium, Tehran |
| 1987 | Persepolis (1) | 1–0 | Malavan | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 1987 | Persepolis (1) | 0–0 | Malavan | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| Persepolis won 1–0 on aggregate ||||
| 1988–89 | Shahin Ahvaz (1) | 1–3 | Malavan | Takhti Stadium, Bandar-e Anzali |
| 1988–89 | Shahin Ahvaz (1) | 4–0 | Malavan | Takhti Stadium, Ahvaz |
| Shahin Ahvaz won 5–3 on aggregate ||||
| 1989–90 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1990–91 | Malavan (3) | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (6–5 pen.) | Esteghlal | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 1991–92 | Persepolis (2) | 2–1 | Malavan | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 1992–93 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1993–94 | Saipa (1) | 0–0 | Jonoob | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 1993–94 | Saipa (1) | 1–1 | Jonoob | Takhti Stadium, Ahvaz |
| Saipa won 1–1 on aggregate on away goal ||||
| 1994–95 | Bahman (1) | 0–1 | Tractor | Takhti Stadium, Tabriz |
| 1994–95 | Bahman (1) | 2–0 | Tractor | Ekbatan Stadium, Tehran |
| Bahman won 2–1 on aggregate ||||
| 1995–96 | Esteghlal (2) | 3–1 | Bargh | Hafezieh Stadium, Shiraz |
| 1995–96 | Esteghlal (2) | 2–0 | Bargh | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| Esteghlal won 5–1 on aggregate ||||
| 1996–97 | Bargh (1) | 3–3 (a.e.t.) (3–0 pen.) | Bahman | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 1997–98 | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held |
| 1998–99 | Persepolis (3) | 2–1 | Esteghlal | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 1999–00 | Esteghlal (3) | 3–1 | Bahman | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 2000–01 | Fajr Sepasi (1) | 1–0 | Zob Ahan | Foolad Shahr Stadium, Fuladshahr |
| 2000–01 | Fajr Sepasi (1) | 2–1 | Zob Ahan | Hafezieh Stadium, Shiraz |
| Fajr Sepasi won 3–1 on aggregate ||||
| 2001–02 | Esteghlal (4) | 2–1 | Fajr Sepasi | Hafezieh Stadium, Shiraz |
| 2001–02 | Esteghlal (4) | 2–2 | Fajr Sepasi | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| Esteghlal won 4–3 on aggregate ||||
| 2002–03 | Zob Ahan (1) | 2–2 | Fajr Sepasi | Foolad Shahr Stadium, Fuladshahr |
| 2002–03 | Zob Ahan (1) | 2–2 (6–5 pen.) | Fajr Sepasi | Hafezieh Stadium, Shiraz |
| Zob Ahan won 4–4 on aggregate on Penalty shootout ||||
| 2003–04 | Sepahan (1) | 3–2 | Esteghlal | Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium, Isfahan |
| 2003–04 | Sepahan (1) | 2–0 | Esteghlal | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| Sepahan won 5–2 on aggregate ||||
| 2004–05 | Saba Battery (1) | 1–1 | Aboomoslem | Shahid Derakhshan Stadium, Robat Karim |
| 2004–05 | Saba Battery (1) | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–2 pen.) | Aboomoslem | Samen Stadium, Mashhad |
| Saba Battery won 2–2 on aggregate on Penalty shootout ||||
| 2005–06 | Sepahan (2) | 1–1 | Persepolis | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 2005–06 | Sepahan (2) | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–2 pen.) | Persepolis | Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium, Isfahan |
| Sepahan won 2–2 on aggregate on Penalty shootout ||||
| 2006–07 | Sepahan (3) | 1–0 | Saba Battery | Shahid Derakhshan Stadium, Robat Karim |
| 2006–07 | Sepahan (3) | 3–0 | Saba Battery | Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium, Isfahan |
| Sepahan won 4–0 on aggregate ||||
| 2007–08 | Esteghlal (5) | 0–1 | Pegah | Sardar Jangal Stadium, Rasht |
| 2007–08 | Esteghlal (5) | 3–0 | Pegah | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| Esteghlal won 3–1 on aggregate ||||
| 2008–09 | Zob Ahan (2) | 0–1 | Rah Ahan | Ekbatan Stadium, Tehran |
| 2008–09 | Zob Ahan (2) | 5–1 | Rah Ahan | Foolad Shahr Stadium, Fuladshahr |
| Zob Ahan won 5–2 on aggregate ||||
| 2009–10 | Persepolis (4) | 1–0 | Gostaresh Foolad | Yadegar-e Emam Stadium, Tabriz |
| 2009–10 | Persepolis (4) | 3–1 | Gostaresh Foolad | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| Persepolis won 4–1 on aggregate ||||
| 2010–11 | Persepolis (5) | 4–2 | Malavan | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 2010–11 | Persepolis (5) | 0–1 | Malavan | Takhti Stadium, Bandar-e Anzali |
| Persepolis won 4–3 on aggregate ||||
| 2011–12 | Esteghlal (6) | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–1 pen.) | Shahin Bushehr | Hafezieh Stadium, Shiraz |
| 2012–13 | Sepahan (4) | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (4–2 pen.) | Persepolis | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 2013–14 | Tractor (1) | 1–0 | Mes Kerman | Shahid Bahonar Stadium, Kerman |
| 2014–15 | Zob Ahan (3) | 3–1 | Naft Tehran | Takhti Stadium, Tehran |
| 2015–16 | Zob Ahan (4) | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4 pen.) | Esteghlal | Arvandan Stadium, Khorramshahr |
| 2016–17 | Naft Tehran (1) | 1–0 | Tractor | Arvandan Stadium, Khorramshahr |
| 2017–18 | Esteghlal (7) | 1–0 | Khooneh be Khooneh | Arvandan Stadium, Khorramshahr |
| 2018–19 | Persepolis (6) | 1–0 | Damash | Shohada-ye Foolad Stadium, Ahvaz |
| 2019–20 | Tractor (2) | 3–2 | Esteghlal | Imam Reza Stadium, Mashhad |
| 2020–21 | Foolad (1) | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–2 pen.) | Esteghlal | Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium, Isfahan |
| 2021–22 | Nassaji (1) | 1–0 | Aluminium Arak | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 2022–23 | Persepolis (7) | 2–1 | Esteghlal | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
| 2023–24 | Sepahan (5) | 2–0 | Mes Rafsanjan | Azadi Stadium, Tehran |

### Performance by finalists

* source:
| # | Club | Winners | Runners-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
| 1 | Esteghal | 7 | 7 | 1977, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2018 | 1991, 1999, 2004, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2023 |
| 2 | Persepolis | 7 | 2 | 1988, 1992, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2019, 2023 | 2006, 2013 |
| 3 | Sepahan | 5 | – | 2004, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2024 | — |
| 4 | Zob Ahan | 4 | 1 | 2003, 2009, 2015, 2016 | 2001 |
| 5 | Malavan | 3 | 4 | 1976, 1987, 1991 | 1988, 1989, 1992, 2011 |
| 6 | Tractor | 2 | 3 | 2014, 2020 | 1976, 1995, 2017 |
| 7 | Bahman | 1 | 2 | 1995 | 1997, 2000 |
| 7 | Fajr Sepasi | 1 | 2 | 2001 | 2002, 2003 |
| 9 | Bargh | 1 | 1 | 1997 | 1996 |
| 9 | Saba | 1 | 1 | 2005 | 2007 |
| 9 | Naft Tehran | 1 | 1 | 2017 | 2015 |
| 12 | Shahin Ahvaz | 1 | – | 1989 | — |
| 12 | Saipa | 1 | – | 1994 | — |
| 12 | Foolad | 1 | – | 2021 | — |
| 12 | Nassaji | 1 | – | 2022 | — |
| 16 | Damash | – | 2 | — | 2008, 2019 |
| 17 | Homa | – | 1 | — | 1977 |
| 17 | Kheybar | – | 1 | — | 1987 |
| 17 | Jonoob | – | 1 | — | 1994 |
| 17 | Aboomoslem | – | 1 | — | 2005 |
| 17 | Rah Ahan | – | 1 | — | 2009 |
| 17 | Gostaresh Foolad | – | 1 | — | 2010 |
| 17 | Shahin Bushehr | – | 1 | — | 2012 |
| 17 | Mes Kerman | – | 1 | — | 2014 |
| 17 | Khooneh be Khooneh | – | 1 | — | 2018 |
| 17 | Aluminium Arak | – | 1 | — | 2022 |
| 17 | Mes Rafsanjan | – | 1 | — | 2024 |

## Statistics
### Winners by Province

* source:
| Province | Winners | Clubs |
| Tehran | 18 | Esteghal (7), Persepolis (7), Bahman (1), Saba (1), Naft Tehran (1), Saipa (1) |
| Isfahan | 9 | Sepahan (5), Zob Ahan (4) |
| Gilan | 3 | Malavan (3) |
| East Azerbaijan | 2 | Tractor (2) |
| Fars | 2 | Fajr Sepasi (1), Bargh (1) |
| Khuzestan | 2 | Shahin Ahvaz (1), Foolad (1) |
| Mazandaran | 1 | Nassaji (1) |

### Winners by City

* source:
| City | Winners | Clubs |
| Tehran | 17 | Esteghal (7), Persepolis (7), Saba (1), Naft Tehran (1), Saipa (1) |
| Isfahan | 9 | Sepahan (5), Zob Ahan (4) |
| Bandar-e Anzali | 3 | Malavan (3) |
| Tabriz | 2 | Tractor (2) |
| Shiraz | 2 | Fajr Sepasi (1), Bargh (1) |
| Ahvaz | 2 | Shahin Ahvaz (1), Foolad (1) |
| Karaj | 1 | Bahman (1) |
| Qaemshahr | 1 | Nassaji (1) |