Championnat d'Iran de football
To the turn of the millennium the Iranian Football Federation decided to create a new professional football league. In 2001 the "Iran Pro League" was founded as the new top-level football league in Iran. With the foundation of the Iran Pro League also professional football was finally established in Iran. After the Iran Pro League was established as the professional football league of Iran, Azadegan League was declared as the second-highest league in the Iranian football league system. The Iran Pro League comprised 14 clubs until the 2003–04 season.