2013–14 Persian Gulf Cup
The 2013–14 Persian Gulf Cup was the 31st season of Iran's Football League and 13th as Iran Pro League since its establishment in 2001. Esteghlal were the defending champions. The season featured 14 teams from the 2012–13 Persian Gulf Cup and two new teams promoted from the 2012–13 Azadegan League: Esteghlal Khuzestan and Gostaresh both as champions. The league started on 24 July 2013 and ended on 11 April 2014. Foolad won the Pro League title for the second time in their history.
Changes
Number of the teams
2013–14 Iran Pro League were the first season since 2006 that 16 teams participated in the competition. In the previous season, 18 teams participated in the league.Rules and Regulations
The Iranian Football Clubs who participate in 2013–14 Iran Pro League were allowed to have up to maximum 38 players in their player lists, which will be categorized in the following groups:- Up to maximum 21 adult players
- Up to maximum 9 under-23 players.
- Up to maximum 5 under-21 players.
- Up to maximum 3 under-19 players.
Teams
Stadia and locations
| Team | City | Venue | Capacity |
| Damash Gilan | Rasht | Dr. Azodi | 11,000 |
| Esteghlal | Tehran | Azadi | 84,412 |
| Esteghlal Khuzestan | Ahvaz | Ghadir Takhti Ahvaz | 38,900 15,000 |
| Fajr Sepasi | Shiraz | Hafezieh | 14,000 |
| Foolad Khuzestan | Ahvaz | Ghadir | 38,900 |
| Gostaresh | Tabriz | Sahand Gostaresh Foolad | 66,833 12,000 |
| Malavan | Anzali | Takhti Anzali | 8,000 |
| Mes Kerman | Kerman | Shahid Bahonar | 15,430 |
| Naft Tehran | Tehran | Takhti Tehran Dastgerdi | 30,122 8,250 |
| Persepolis | Tehran | Azadi | 84,412 |
| Rah Ahan | Tehran | Takhti Tehran Rah Ahan | 30,122 12,000 |
| Saba Qom | Qom | Yadegar Emam | 10,610 |
| Saipa | Karaj | Enghelab Karaj | 15,000 |
| Sepahan | Esfahan | Foolad Shahr | 15,000 |
| Tractor Sazi | Tabriz | Sahand | 66,833 |
| Zob Ahan | Esfahan | Foolad Shahr | 15,000 |
Number of teams by region
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Damash |  Ali Nazarmohammadi | Reza Mahdavi |  Uhlsport | |
| Esteghlal | Amir Ghalenoei | Mehdi Rahmati | Merooj | , Mahan Air |
| Est. Khuzestan | Abdollah Veisi | Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh | Daei | |
| Fajr | Mahmoud Yavari | Mehrdad Karimian | Merooj | |
| Foolad | Hossein Faraki | Bakhtiar Rahmani | Uhlsport | |
| Gostaresh | Mehdi Tartar | Meysam Naghizadeh | Uhlsport | Ata Airlines |
| Malavan |  Dragan Skočić | Maziar Zare | Uhlsport | |
| Mes Kerman | Luka Bonačić | Farzad Hosseinkhani | Uhlsport | |
| Naft Tehran | Yahya Golmohammadi | Alireza Ezzati | Merooj | NIOC |
| Persepolis | Ali Daei | Mohammad Nouri | Uhlsport | |
| Rah Ahan | Mansour Ebrahimzadeh | Bahador Abdi | Daei | Fars Air Qeshm |
| Saba Qom | Samad Marfavi | Morteza Kashi | Merooj | |
| Saipa | Engin Firat | Ebrahim Sadeghi | Uhlsport | SAIPA |
| Sepahan | Zlatko Kranjčar | Hadi Aghily | Uhlsport | Foolad Mobarakeh |
| Tractor Sazi |  Toni | Morteza Assadi | Merooj | Hamrah-e Aval |
| Zob Ahan | Firouz Karimi | Mehdi Rajabzadeh | Merooj | Esfahan Steel |
Managerial changes
Before the start of the season
During the season
League table
Results
Positions by round
Clubs season-progress
Relegation play-offs
as 14th-placed team faced play-off winner of 2013–14 Azadegan League, Paykan in a two-legged play-off.----
Paykan won 1–0 on aggregate and promoted to the next season of Iran Pro League, Fajr Sepasi also relegated to the Azadegan League.
Season statistics
Top Goalscorers
Last updated: 11 April 2014Source:
Top Assistants
| Rank | Player | Club | Assists |
| 1 | Payam Sadeghian | Persepolis | 8 |
| 2 | Amir Hossein Feshangchi | Malavan | 7 |
| 3 | Ehsan Hajsafi | Sepahan | 6 |
| 3 | Iman Mobali | Esteghlal Khuzestan | 6 |
| 4 | Khosro Heydari | Esteghlal | 5 |
| 4 | Milad Meydavoudi | Esteghlal Khuzestan | 5 |
| 4 | Hossein Papi | Sepahan | 5 |
| 4 | Andranik Teymourian | Esteghlal | 5 |
| 5 | Karim Ansarifard | Tractor Sazi | 4 |
| 5 | Ghasem Haddadifar | Zob Ahan | 4 |
| 5 | Rasoul Navidkia | Naft Tehran | 4 |
| 5 | Bakhtiar Rahmani | Foolad | 4 |
| 5 | Kaveh Rezaei | Saipa | 4 |
Last updated: 11 April 2014
Sources:
Clean Sheets
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean Sheets | Goals Conceded | Match played |
| 1 |  Nilson Corrêa Júnior | Persepolis | 18 | 15 | 30 |
| 2 | Rahman Ahmadi | Sepahan | 15 | 16 | 27 |
| 3 | Mehdi Rahmati | Esteghlal | 14 | 25 | 30 |
| 4 | Sosha Makani | Foolad | 13 | 14 | 20 |
| 5 | Alireza Beiranvand | Naft Tehran | 12 | 12 | 21 |
| 6 | Hamed Fallahzadeh | Rah Ahan | 11 | 23 | 22 |
| 7 | Mohammad Bagher Sadeghi | Saipa | 9 | 30 | 26 |
| 8 | Mohsen Foroozan | Gostaresh Foolad | 8 | 30 | 25 |
Last Update: 11 April 2014
Scoring
- First goal of the season: Adel Kolahkaj for Esteghlal Khuzestan against Zob Ahan
- Fastest goal of the season: 17 seconds, Kaveh Rezaei for Saipa against Mes Kerman
- Latest goal of the season: 95 minutes and 12 seconds, Ali Karimi for Tractor Sazi against Mes Kerman
- Largest winning margin: 6 goals
- *Mes Kerman 0–6 Persepolis
- Highest scoring game: 6 goals
- *Fajr 2–4 Esteghlal
- *Zob Ahan 2–4 Tractor Sazi
- *Esteghlal Khuzestan 2–4 Naft Tehran
- *Damash 5–1 Zob Ahan
- *Mes Kerman 0–6 Persepolis
- *Saipa 3–3 Tractor Sazi
- *Malavan 4–2 Esteghlal
- Most goals scored in a match by a single team: 6 goals
- *Mes Kerman 0–6 Persepolis
- Most goals scored in a match by a losing team: 2 goals
- *Fajr 2–4 Esteghlal
- *Zob Ahan 2–4 Tractor Sazi
- *Esteghlal Khuzestan 2–4 Naft Tehran
- *Foolad 3–2 Esteghlal Khuzestan
- *Zob Ahan 3–2 Naft Tehran
- *Esteghlal Khuzestan 3–2 Rah Ahan
- *Saba Qom 3–2 Damash
- *Malavan 4–2 Esteghlal
Awards
Team of the Tournament
Goalkeeper: Nilson Corrêa JúniorDefence: Vahid Amiri, Jalal Hosseini, Hanif Omranzadeh, Ali Hamoudi
Midfield: Bakhtiar Rahmani, Andranik Teymourian, Amir Hossein Feshangchi, Payam Sadeghian, Esmaeil Sharifat
Attack: Karim Ansarifard
Player of the Tournament
was awarded as the best player of the season among Payam Sadeghian became second. Mohammad Abbaszadeh was also awarded as the best young player of the season.Other awards
was awarded as the best coach of the season.Attendances
Average home attendances
Highest attendances
Notes:Updated to games played on 11 April 2014. Source: