Esteghlal F.C.–Sepahan S.C. rivalry
Football rivalry in Iran
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The rivalry between Esteghlal and Sepahan is a football rivalry played between Iranian football clubs Esteghlal Tehran and Sepahan Isfahan.
(1 January 2026)
2025–26 Persian Gulf Pro League
Friendly matches: 4
Total matches: 87
| |
| Location | Tehran Isfahan, Iran |
|---|---|
| Teams | Esteghlal Football Club Sepahan Sport Club |
| Latest meeting | Sepahan 1–2 Esteghlal (1 January 2026) 2025–26 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | Official matches: 83 Friendly matches: 4 Total matches: 87 |
| Most wins | Official matches: Esteghlal (32) Friendly matches: Sepahan (2) Total matches: Sepahan (33) |
| Top scorer | Levon Stepanyan Mehdi Seyed-Salehi Rasoul Khatibi (6) |
| Largest victory | Sepahan 0–4 Esteghlal 1971–72 Local League (28 January, 1972) |
History
Since 1971–72 Iran football season, Esteghlal Tehran and Sepahan Isfahan had several meetings in Iranian League, Hazfi Cup, and friendly matches.
The first was in Local League 1971–72 in Isfahan, that Esteghlal won the match with the result of 4–0. First win for Sepahan was in Takht Jamshid Cup 1974–75 with the result of 1–0.[1]
Before the Iranian Revolution in 1979, two football clubs met 10 times (2 times in Local League and 8 times in Takht Jamshid Cup). From these 10 meetings, each club won 4 matches and the result of 2 matches was draw.
From 1991–92 to 2000–01 Iranian Football Seasons, two clubs met 18 times (16 times in Azadegan League, and 2 times in Naghsh-Jahan Tournament in Esfahan). From these 18 meetings, Esteghlal won 8 matches and Sepahan won 5. The result of the other 5 matches was draw.
Since the establishment of Iran Pro League in 2001, two clubs met 30 times (22 times in Iran Pro League, 6 times in Hazfi Cup, once in AFC Champions League, and once in Tehran Etehadiyeh Cup). From these 30 meetings, Esteghlal won 8 matches and Sepahan won 15. The result of the other 7 matches was draw.
The best win for Esteghlal took place in the clubs first meeting in Local League 1971–72 with the score of 4–0. And the best win for Sepahan was in 2002–03 Hazfi Cup with the score of 3–0.
The highest goal-scoring match was in 2010–11 Iran Pro League with the result of 4–3 for Esteghlal.
Notable matches and seasons
2001–02 Hazfi Cup
Two football clubs faced each other in Semi-final of 2001–02 Hazfi Cup in a two-leg meeting.
The importance of this meeting for Esteghlal was that, they missed the championship of 2001–02 Iran Pro League in the last day to Persepolis and Winning the Hazfi Cup was a really high motivation for them. On the other side Sepahan, who lost both the meetings in 2001–02 Iran Pro League to Esteghlal, was really eager to compensate those two losses.
The first leg was held in Isfahan, and Sepahan could win the match with the result of 4–2. However, in the second leg in Tehran, it was Esteghlal who could win the match with the result of 3–1 in a really exciting match. Therefore, after these two dramatic and close matches, two clubs gain the score of 5–5 in total, and Esteghlal could advance into the final just because of higher number of scored-away goals.
In the final, Esteghlal also could beat Fajr Sepasi and became the champion.
A dramatic season for Sepahan (5 matches, 5 wins)
In 2002–03 Iranian Football Season, two clubs met each other 5 times, and dramatically, Sepahan could won all 5 meetings with coaching of Farhad Kazemi. From these five meetings, 2 of them were in 2002–03 Iran Pro League, 2 of them were in 2002–03 Hazfi Cup, and the last one in a four-team friendly tournament (Etehadiyeh Cup[2]) hosted by Esteghlal.
In 2002–03 Iran Pro League, Sepahan could beat Esteghlal in both league matches in Tehran and Isfahan with the similar result of 3–2.
In the 1/8 final of 2002–03 Hazfi Cup, two clubs again faced each other in a two-leg meeting. The first leg was held in Isfahan, and Sepahan could win the match with the result of 3–0. In the second leg in Tehran, it was again Sepahan who could beat Esteghlal with the result of 1–0.
After the end of 2002–03 Iran's Football Season and before the starting of the new Iranian Football Season, a four-team friendly tournament with the name of Etehadiyeh Cup held in Tehran hosted by Esteghlal. In this tournament Esteghlal as the host, Sepahan and Pas Tehran as the champion and runner-up of 2002–03 Iran Pro League, and Al Wasl from Dubai as the guest team participated. In the Semi-final of the tournament, Seaphan and Esteghlal again faced each other and Sepahan could beat Esteghlal with the result of 3–2 and advanced to the final of the tournament. In the final, Sepahan also could beat Pas Tehran and became the champion.
Therefore, and after these five matches between the club in a single season, Sepahan could win all the matches and made a really dramatic record.
2003–04 Hazfi Cup
In 2003–04 Iran's Football Season, two football clubs reached the Final of 2003–04 Hazfi Cup.
Esteghlal by coaching of Amir Ghalenoei had a great performance in 2003–04 Iran Pro League and becoming the runner-up. On the other side, Sepahan by coaching of Farhad Kazemi did not have a successful season in 2003–04 Iran Pro League. Therefore, and before the starting of Final, Esteghlal seemed to be the favor for winning the Hazfi Cup title. The first leg was played in Isfahan, where Sepahan defeated Esteghlal 3–2 in a closely contested and exciting match, with Sepahan scoring the winning goal in the 90th minute. With this result, Esteghlal needed only a victory in the second leg by a score of 1–0 or 2–1 to secure the championship.
However, the story of second-leg match was different. In the second leg in Tehran and in front of more than 85000 Esteghlal fans, it was Sepahan could perform really great and won the match with the result of 2–0. It was a really unexpected loss for Esteghlal fans and Amir Ghalenoei, due to their great performance during the league season. On the other side, it was a really dramatic win for Sepahan fans and Frahad Kazemi.
Therefore, after these two dramatic matches, Seaphan could become the champion by the total result of 5–2.
2012 AFC Champions League
At the end of 2011–12 Iran's Football Season, two football clubs met each other in the 1/8 Final of 2012 AFC Champions League.
This was the first meeting of two football clubs in an international and continental tournaments. Moreover, the fact that Sepahan was the winner of 2011–12 Iran Pro League and Esteghlal was the winner of 2011–12 Hazfi Cup, makes this match really important for both football clubs and their fans.
By winning this match, Esteghlal had the possibility to go for the first time to the Quarter-Finals of AFC Champions League since its establishment in 2002. On the other side, Sepahan's fans expected from their team to win this match and go forward for the first Asian title after three-year-in-a-row Iran's football championships.
On May 22, 2012, the match was held in Isfahan and finally Sepahan could win the match with the result of 2–0. Therefore, Sepahan advanced to Quarter-Finals of AFC Champions League for the third time in the history of the club. The Quarter-Final round will be held in September 2012.
Iranian League
| No. | Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Home goal scorers | Away goal scorers | Venue | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1972–Jan-28 | Sepahan | 0–4 | Esteghlal | – | Mazloumi (32, 40), Mojdehi (67), Haghverdian (89) | Isfahan | 1971–72 Local League[1][3] |
| 2 | 1972–Mar-17 | Esteghlal | 2–0 | Sepahan | A. Jabbari (43), Mazloumi (61) | – | Tehran | |
| 3 | 1974–Apr-11 | Esteghlal | 2–0 | Sepahan | Mazloumi (34), A. Jabbari (67) | – | Tehran | 1974–75 Takht Jamshid Cup[4] |
| 4 | 1974–Nov-1 | Sepahan | 1–0 | Esteghlal | Heydari (22) | – | Isfahan | |
| 5 | 1975–May-30 | Sepahan | 1–0 | Esteghlal | Nadimian (77) | – | Isfahan | 1975–76 Takht Jamshid Cup[5] |
| 6 | 1975–Nov-14 | Esteghlal | 0–0 | Sepahan | – | – | Tehran | |
| 7 | 1976–Jan-9 | Esteghlal | 1–0 | Sepahan | Ebrahimi (39) | – | Tehran | 1976–77 Takht Jamshid Cup[6] |
| 8 | 1976–Jul-2 | Sepahan | 1–0 | Esteghlal | Saffarpour (57) | – | Isfahan | |
| 9 | 1977–Jul-10 | Esteghlal | 3–3 | Sepahan | Nazari (17), Naraghi (45), Rowshan (53) | Shah Zeydi (65), Khorvash (83), Rahimi (88) | Tehran | 1977–78 Takht Jamshid Cup[7] |
| 10 | 1978–Jan-13 | Sepahan | 1–0 | Esteghlal | Jahani (35) | – | Isfahan | |
| 11 | 1992–Feb-28 | Esteghlal | 3–1 | Sepahan | Bayani (25, 38), Fonounizadeh (34) | Shahmohammadi (65) | Tehran | 1991–92 Azadegan League[8] |
| 12 | 1992–May-22 | Sepahan | 2–1 | Esteghlal | Basirat (53), Ghanbari (87 p.) | Fonounizadeh (70 p.) | Isfahan | |
| 14 | 1994–Jul-28 | Esteghlal | 3–2 | Sepahan | Nadafi (45), Zarincheh (48), Akbarian (63) | Mousavi (29), Ghanbari (52 p.) | Tehran | 1994–95 Azadegan League[8] |
| 15 | 1994–Nov-11 | Sepahan | 3–1 | Esteghlal | Mousavi (41, 59, 90+1) | Taghavi (84) | Isfahan | |
| 16 | 1995–Jun-15 | Esteghlal | 1–0 | Sepahan | Mansourian (79) | – | Tehran | 1995–96 Azadegan League[8] |
| 17 | 1995–Nov-9 | Sepahan | 2–1 | Esteghlal | Loveynian (52), Memarian (82) | Varmazyar (90 p.) | Isfahan | |
| 19 | 1996–Jun-27 | Sepahan | 0–0 | Esteghlal | – | – | Isfahan | 1996–97 Azadegan League[9] |
| 20 | 1996–Dec-19 | Esteghlal | 1–2 | Sepahan | Pashazadeh (45) | Stepanyan (38), Mousavi (85) | Tehran | |
| 21 | 1997–Dec-25 | Esteghlal | 2–1 | Sepahan | Majidi (25), Mansourian (60) | Khademi (52) | Tehran | 1997–98 Azadegan League[8] |
| 22 | 1998–May-8 | Sepahan | 0–1 | Esteghlal | – | Garousi (50) | Isfahan | |
| 23 | 1999–Apr-13 | Sepahan | 1–1 | Esteghlal | Basirat (18 p.) | A. Akbarpour (22) | Isfahan | 1998–99 Azadegan League[9] |
| 24 | 1999–May-24 | Esteghlal | 1–1 | Sepahan | Majidi (35) | Momenzadeh (38) | Tehran | |
| 25 | 1999–Oct-14 | Sepahan | 1–4 | Esteghlal | Veisi (76) | Latifi (30), Dadashzadeh (40), Vahedi Nikbakht (79), Navazi (80 p.) | Isfahan | 1999–2000 Azadegan League[9] |
| 26 | 2000–Jan-30 | Esteghlal | 2–1 | Sepahan | Niksirat (47), A. Akbarpour (75) | Stepanyan (59) | Tehran | |
| 27 | 2000–Nov-10 | Esteghlal | 1–1 | Sepahan | Hasheminasab (64 p.) | Dehghani (18) | Tehran | 2000–01 Azadegan League[8] |
| 28 | 2001–Feb-4 | Sepahan | 0–2 | Esteghlal | – | Hamedani (29, 41) | Isfahan | |
| 29 | 2002–Jan-27 | Sepahan | 0–1 | Esteghlal | – | Fatemi (34) | Isfahan | 2001–02 Iran Pro League[10] |
| 30 | 2002–May-14 | Esteghlal | 3–0 | Sepahan | Navazi (10 p.), Mohagheghian (46 o.g.), Dinmohammadi (86) | – | Tehran | |
| 33 | 2002–Nov-3 | Esteghlal | 2–3 | Sepahan | Vahedi Nikbakht (52), Akbari (71) | Hajipour (10, 32), Navidkia (90 p.) | Tehran | 2002–03 Iran Pro League[11] |
| 35 | 2003–Apr-24 | Sepahan | 3–2 | Esteghlal | Navidkia (43 p., 48), Karimi Sibaki (88) | Akbari (75) Hassanzadeh (80 o.g.) | Isfahan[12] | |
| 38 | 2003–Nov-30 | Sepahan | 0–0 | Esteghlal | – | – | Isfahan | 2003–04 Iran Pro League[13] |
| 39 | 2004–Apr-12 | Esteghlal | 2–1 | Sepahan | Enayati (3), Samereh (82) | Ramezani (2) | Tehran | |
| 42 | 2004–Dec-31 | Sepahan | 2–2 | Esteghlal | Bezik (67), Khatibi (80) | Samereh (28), Enayati (50) | Isfahan | 2004–05 Iran Pro League[14] |
| 43 | 2005–Jun-20 | Esteghlal | 2–2 | Sepahan | Enayati (13), S. Akbarpour (69) | Khatibi (62, 84) | Tehran | |
| 44 | 2005–Oct-16 | Sepahan | 1–0 | Esteghlal | Jafarpour (31) | – | Isfahan | 2005–06 Iran Pro League[15] |
| 45 | 2006–Feb-12 | Esteghlal | 2–1 | Sepahan | Sadeghi (55), M. Jabbari (58) | Khatibi (42) | Tehran | |
| 46 | 2006–Dec-1 | Esteghlal | 2–1 | Sepahan | Baou (39, 90) | Maheri 12' | Tehran | 2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup[16] |
| 47 | 2007–Apr-20 | Sepahan | 1–0 | Esteghlal | Aghili (90 p.) | – | Isfahan | |
| 48 | 2007–Oct-7 | Sepahan | 2–1 | Esteghlal | Abu Al-Hail (7, 90) | P. Ghorbani (74) | Isfahan | 2007–08 Persian Gulf Cup[17] |
| 49 | 2008–Mar-29 | Esteghlal | 0–1 | Sepahan | – | Hajsafi (65) | Tehran | |
| 50 | 2008–Aug-17 | Esteghlal | 1–1 | Sepahan | P. Ghorbani (74) | Jafarpour (24) | Tehran | 2008–09 Persian Gulf Cup[18] |
| 51 | 2008–Dec-30 | Sepahan | 2–1 | Esteghlal | Navidkia (10), Alizadeh (25 o.g.) | Borhani (74) | Isfahan | |
| 52 | 2009–Aug-7 | Esteghlal | 1–0 | Sepahan | Ravankhah (61) | – | Tehran | 2009–10 Persian Gulf Cup[19] |
| 53 | 2009–Dec-5 | Sepahan | 2–0 | Esteghlal | Mohammed (45), Aghili (63 p.) | – | Isfahan | |
| 54 | 2010–Aug-27 | Esteghlal | 4–3 | Sepahan | Meydavoudi (18, 43), Majidi (25), Enayati (82 o.g.) | Beikzadeh (61), Janjuš (72, 75) | Tehran | 2010–11 Persian Gulf Cup[20] |
| 55 | 2011–Feb-24 | Sepahan | 1–1 | Esteghlal | Jamshidian (38) | Seyed-Salehi (90) | Isfahan | |
| 56 | 2011–Aug-3 | Sepahan | 1–1 | Esteghlal | Januario (64) | Borhani (85) | Isfahan | 2011–12 Persian Gulf Cup[21] |
| 57 | 2012–Jan-6 | Esteghlal | 1–1 | Sepahan | Shirzad (32) | Seyed-Salehi (53) | Tehran | |
| 59 | 2012–Nov-18 | Sepahan | 0–1 | Esteghlal | – | Heydari (15) | Isfahan | 2012–13 Persian Gulf Cup |
| 61 | 2013–Apr-15 | Esteghlal | 1–1 | Sepahan | Irannejad (93 o.g.) | Navidkia (66) | Tehran | |
| 62 | 2013–Aug-1 | Esteghlal | 1–2 | Sepahan | Sadeghi (78) | Afshin (2), Aghili (55 p.) | Tehran | 2013–14 Persian Gulf Cup |
| 63 | 2013–Dec-5 | Sepahan | 0–0 | Esteghlal | – | – | Isfahan | |
| 64 | 2014–Aug-14 | Sepahan | 3–1 | Esteghlal | Hajsafi (27 p.), Sharifi (33), Chimba (63) | Fakhreddini (17) | Isfahan | 2014–15 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 65 | 2015–Feb-30 | Esteghlal | 2–1 | Sepahan | Enayati (8), Ebrahimi (90+2) | Papi (42) | Tehran | |
| 66 | 2015–Oct-26 | Sepahan | 0–3 | Esteghlal | – | Esmaeili (6), Ansari (54), Barzay (77) | Isfahan | 2015–16 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 67 | 2016–Apr-10 | Esteghlal | 0–0 | Sepahan | – | – | Tehran | |
| 68 | 2016–Dec-25 | Sepahan | 1–1 | Esteghlal | Alimohammadi (70) | Barzay (90+2) | Isfahan | 2016–17 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 69 | 2017–May-4 | Esteghlal | 2–1 | Sepahan | Ansari (59), Bagheri (84) | Mohammadi (41) | Tehran | |
| 70 | 2017–Dec-6 | Esteghlal | 3–0 | Sepahan | A. Ghorbani (4), Djeparov (36, 47) | – | Tehran | 2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 71 | 2018–Apr-27 | Sepahan | 0–1 | Esteghlal | – | Thiam (11) | Isfahan | |
| 72 | 2018–Oct-26 | Esteghlal | 0–1 | Sepahan | – | Kiros (80) | Tehran | 2018–19 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 73 | 2019–Apr-12 | Sepahan | 0–1 | Esteghlal | – | Patosi (90+7) | Isfahan | |
| 74 | 2019–Nov-30 | Sepahan | 2–2 | Esteghlal | Gvelesiani (14), Noorafkan (90+5) | Ghayedi (57), Diabaté (79) | Isfahan | 2019–20 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 75 | 2020–Aug-2 | Esteghlal | 2–1 | Sepahan | Diabaté (52 p.), Mosleh (65 o.g.) | Mo. Mohebi (82) | Tehran | |
| 77 | 2021–Feb-14 | Sepahan | 2–0 | Esteghlal | Shahbazzadeh (14), Rafiei (35) | – | Isfahan | 2020–21 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 78 | 2021–Jul-30 | Esteghlal | 1–2 | Sepahan | Mehdipour (90+1) | Mirzaei (54), Shahbazzadeh (85) | Tehran | |
| 79 | 2021–Dec-14 | Esteghlal | 1–0 | Sepahan | J. Salmani 35' | – | Tehran | 2021–22 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 80 | 2022–May-4 | Sepahan | 1–1 | Esteghlal | Gvelesiani (14 p.) | Daneshgar (6) | Isfahan | |
| 81 | 2022–Aug-12 | Esteghlal | 0–2 | Sepahan | – | Y. Salmani (53), Rezaeian (57) | Tehran | 2022–23 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 82 | 2023–Feb-19 | Sepahan | 2–1 | Esteghlal | Nourafkan (50), Rezaeian (90+5 p.) | Motahari (58) | Isfahan | |
| 83 | 2024–Aug-24 | Sepahan | 1–0 | Esteghlal | Asadi (45+9) | – | Isfahan | 2023–24 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 84 | 2024–Feb-27 | Esteghlal | 1–0 | Sepahan | Cheshmi (36) | – | Tehran | |
| 85 | 2025–Jan-2 | Esteghlal | 1–1 | Sepahan | Juma (22) | Limouchi (73) | Tehran | 2024–25 Persian Gulf Pro League |
| 86 | 2025–May-15 | Sepahan | 3–1 | Esteghlal | Rezaei (36), Me. Mohebi (76), Ben Yedder (88) | Eslami (11) | Isfahan | |
| 88 | 2026–Jan-1 | Sepahan | 1–2 | Esteghlal | Ashurmatov (14 o.g.) | Asani (10 p.), Gholizadeh (90+2) | Isfahan | 2025–26 Persian Gulf Pro League |
Iranian Cup
Hazfi Cup
| No. | Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Home goal scorers | Away goal scorers | Venue | Season | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 2002–Jun-7 | Sepahan | 4–2 | Esteghlal | Stepanyan (17, 48 p., 50), Karimi Sibaki (55) | Akbari (57), Mousavi (64) | Isfahan | 2001–02 | Semi Final[10] |
| 32 | 2002–Jun-11 | Esteghlal | 3–1 | Sepahan | Akbari (13 p.), Fatemi (78), Momenzadeh (82) | Bezik (90) | Tehran | ||
| 34 | 2003–Feb-15 | Sepahan | 3–0 | Esteghlal | Farshbaf (52, 72), Seyed-Salehi (84) | – | Isfahan | 2002–03 | Round of 16[22] |
| 36 | 2003–May-15 | Esteghlal | 0–1 | Sepahan | – | Seyed-Salehi (35) | Tehran[23] | ||
| 40 | 2004–Jul-2 | Sepahan | 3–2 | Esteghlal | Stepanyan (9), Khorramgah (57 o.g.), Hashemizadeh (87) | Akbari (27), Enayati (80) | Isfahan | 2003–04 | Final[13] |
| 41 | 2004–Jul-7 | Esteghlal | 0–2 | Sepahan | – | Seyed-Salehi (25, 68) | Tehran[13] | ||
| 60 | 2013–Mar-30 | Esteghlal | 1–1 (4–5p.) | Sepahan | Hatami (64) | Khalatbari (42) | Tehran | 2012–13 | Semi Final |
| 76 | 2020–Oct-10 | Esteghlal | 2–0 | Sepahan | Ghafouri (45+7 p.), A. Karimi (61) | – | Tehran | 2019–20 | Quarter Final |
AFC Champions League
| No. | Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Home goal scorers | Away goal scorers | Venue | Competition | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | 2012–May-22 | Sepahan | 2–0 | Esteghlal | Correa (8), Bengar (35) | – | Isfahan | 2012 AFC Champions League | Round of 16[24] |
Friendlies and Exhibitions
| No. | Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Home goal scorers | Away goal scorers | Venue | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 1993–Apr-23 | Sepahan | 2–2 | Esteghlal | Tartar (62, 70) | Alami (37), Sarkhab (78) | Isfahan | Naghsh-Jahan Cup[25] |
| 18 | 1996–May-2 | Sepahan | 1–0 | Esteghlal | Loveynian (33) | – | Isfahan | Naghsh-Jahan Cup[26] |
| 37 | 2003–Aug-20 | Esteghlal | 2–3 | Sepahan | Fabrizio (22), Navazi (35) | Khatibi (1, 75), Bezik (81) | Tehran | Etehadiyeh Cup[2][27] |
| 87 | 2025–Jul-26 | Esteghlal | 1–1 | Sepahan | Azadi (22) | Haji Eydi (10) | Erzurum | Friendly |
Summary of results
| Tournament | Matches | Esteghlal wins | Draws | Sepahan wins | Esteghlal goals | Sepahan goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | 75 | 30 | 20 | 25 | 96 | 82 |
| Hazfi Cup | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| AFC Champions League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Total Official Matches | 84 | 32 | 21 | 31 | 106 | 99 |
| Friendlies and Exhibitions | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Grand Total | 88 | 32 | 23 | 33 | 111 | 106 |
Head-to-head ranking in Iranian Leagues (1970–2025)
| P. | 71 | 72 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 90 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 7 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 10 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | 14 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Total: Esteghlal with 26 higher finishes, Sepahan with 12 higher finishes (till end of the 2024–25 Persian Gulf Pro League)
Stadiums
- As of 1 January 2026
| Rivalry stadiums | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium | Location | Matches | Esteghlal wins | Draws | Sepahan wins |
| Azadi Stadium | Tehran | 34 | 18 | 8 | 8 |
| Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium | Isfahan | 16 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Fuladshahr Stadium | Fuladshahr | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 22 Bahman Stadium | Isfahan | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Shahid Shiroudi Stadium | Tehran | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Bagh Homayoun Stadium | Isfahan | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Takhti Stadium | Tehran | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Takhti Stadium | Isfahan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Shohada-ye Shahr-e Qods Stadium | Qods County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Training Camp | Erzurum | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 88 | 32 | 23 | 33 | |
Records
Friendly matches are not included in the following records unless otherwise noted.
Results
Biggest wins (+3 goals difference)
Most goals in a match
| Goals | Result | Date | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Esteghlal 4–3 Sepahan | 27 August 2010 | League |
| 6 | Esteghlal 3–3 Sepahan | 10 July 1977 | |
| Sepahan 4–2 Esteghlal | 7 June 2002 | Hazfi Cup | |
| 5 | Esteghlal 3–2 Sepahan | 28 July 1994 | League |
| Sepahan 1–4 Esteghlal | 14 October 1999 | ||
| Esteghlal 2–3 Sepahan | 3 November 2002 | ||
| Sepahan 3–2 Esteghlal | 24 April 2003 | ||
| Sepahan 3–2 Esteghlal | 2 July 2004 | Hazfi Cup |
Longest Runs
Most consecutive wins
| Games | Club | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Sepahan | 3 November 2002 – 15 May 2003 |
| 3 | Esteghlal | 28 January 1972 – 11 April 1974 |
| 3 | Esteghlal | 4 February 2001 – 14 May 2002 |
| 3 | Sepahan | 20 April 2007 – 29 March 2008 |
| 3 | Esteghlal | 4 May 2017 – 27 April 2018 |
| 3 | Sepahan | 12 August 2022 – 24 August 2024 |
Most consecutive draws
| Games | Period |
|---|---|
| 3 | 24 February 2011 – 6 January 2012 |
Most consecutive without a draw
| Games | Period |
|---|---|
| 9 | 4 February 2001 – 15 May 2003 |
| 7 | 13 January 1976 – 9 November 1995 |
Longest undefeated runs
| Games | Club | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 10 (7 wins) |
Esteghlal | 25 December 1997 – 14 May 2002 |
| 7 (5 wins) |
Esteghlal | 30 February 2015 – 27 April 2018 |
| 5 (4 wins) |
Sepahan | 3 November 2002 – 30 November 2003 |
| 5 (4 wins) |
Sepahan | 20 April 2007 – 30 December 2008 |
| 5 (2 wins) |
Sepahan | 30 March 2013 – 14 August 2014 |
Most consecutive games scoring
| Games | Club | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Esteghlal | 19 December 1996 – 3 November 2002 |
| 13 | Sepahan | 12 April 2004 – 30 December 2008 |
Most consecutive without conceding a goal
| Games | Club | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Esteghlal | 28 January 1972 – 11 April 1974 |
| 3 | Sepahan | 1 November 1974 – 14 November 1975 |
| 3 | Esteghlal | 4 February 2001 – 14 May 2002 |
Players
Goal scorers
- Players in bold are still active for Esteghlal or Sepahan.
League = "Iranian League" ; Cup = "Hazfi Cup" ; Asia = "AFC Champions League" ; Other = "Friendlies and Exhibitions"
Top scorers by competition
| Competition | Player | Club(s) | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| League |  Amin Mousavi |
Sepahan | 5 |
| Moharram Navidkia |
Sepahan | 5 | |
| Hazfi Cup |  Levon Stepanyan |
Sepahan | 4 |
| Mehdi Seyed-Salehi |
Sepahan | 4 | |
| AFC Champions League |  Bruno Correa |
Sepahan | 1 |
| Mohsen Bengar |
Sepahan | 1 |
Most consecutive goalscoring
| Player | Club(s) | Consecutive matches | Total goals in the run | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gholamhossein Mazloumi |
Esteghlal | 3 | 4 | 1971–72 Local League (first leg) | 1974–75 Takht Jamshid Cup (first leg) |
Goalkeeping
Most clean sheets
- Players in bold are still active for Esteghlal or Sepahan.
| Player | Club(s) | Period | CS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armenak Petrosyan |
Sepahan | 1996–2003, 2005–07 | 5 | 5 |
| Mehdi Rahmati |
Sepahan Esteghlal |
2009–11 2011–14, 2015–19 |
1 4 |
5 |
| Hossein Hosseini |
Esteghlal | 2016–25 | 5 | 5 |
| Payam Niazmand |
Sepahan | 2018–21, 2022–25 | 4 | 4 |
| Nasser Hejazi |
Esteghlal | 1969–76 | 3 | 3 |
| Mohammad Barzmehri |
Sepahan | 1969–76 | 3 | 3 |
| Hadi Tabatabaei |
Esteghlal | 1999–2003 | 3 | 3 |
| Rahman Ahmadi |
Sepahan | 2011–12, 2013–16 | 3 | 3 |
Most consecutive clean sheets
| Player | Club(s) | Consecutive matches | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasser Hejazi |
Esteghlal | 3 | 1971–72 Local League (first leg) | 1974–75 Takht Jamshid Cup (first leg) |
| Mohammad Barzmehri |
Sepahan | 3 | 1974–75 Takht Jamshid Cup (second leg) | 1975–76 Takht Jamshid Cup (second leg) |
| Hadi Tabatabaei |
Esteghlal | 3 | 2000–01 Azadegan League (second leg) | 2001–02 Iran Pro League (second leg) |
Hat-tricks
A hat-trick is achieved when the same player scores three or more goals in one match. Listed in chronological order.
| Sequence |
Player | No. of goals |
Time of goals | Representing | Final score |
Opponent | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Amin Mousavi | 3 | 41', 59', 90+1' | Sepahan | 3–1 | Esteghlal | 1994–95 Azadegan League |
| 2. | Levon Stepanyan | 3 | 17', 48', 55' | Sepahan | 4–2 | Esteghlal | 2001–02 Hazfi Cup |
Braces
A Brace is achieved when the same player scores two goals in one match. Listed in chronological order.
| Sequence |
Player | No. of goals |
Time of goals | Representing | Final score |
Opponent | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Shahrokh Bayani | 2 | 25', 38' | Esteghlal | 3–1 | Sepahan | 1991–92 Azadegan League |
| 2. | Mehdi Tartar | 2 | 62', 70' | Sepahan | 2–2 | Esteghlal | 1993 Naghsh-Jahan Cup |
| 3. | Afshin Hajipour | 2 | 10', 32' | Sepahan | 3–2 | Esteghlal | 2002–03 Iran Pro League |
| 4. | Nasser Farshbaf | 2 | 52', 72' | Sepahan | 3–0 | Esteghlal | 2002–03 Hazfi Cup |
| 5. | Moharram Navidkia | 2 | 43', 48' | Sepahan | 3–2 | Esteghlal | 2002–03 Iran Pro League |
| 6. | Rasoul Khatibi | 2 | 1', 75' | Sepahan | 2–2 | Esteghlal | 2003 Etehadiyeh Cup |
| 7. | Mehdi Seyed-Salehi | 2 | 25', 68' | Sepahan | 2–0 | Esteghlal | 2003–04 Hazfi Cup |
| 8. | Rasoul Khatibi | 2 | 62', 84' | Sepahan | 2–2 | Esteghlal | 2004–05 Iran Pro League |
| 9. | Meysam Baou | 2 | 39', 90' | Esteghlal | 2–1 | Sepahan | 2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup |
| 10. |  Abdul-Wahab Abu Al-Hail | 2 | 7', 90' | Sepahan | 2–1 | Esteghlal | 2007–08 Persian Gulf Cup |
| 11. | Milad Meydavoudi | 2 | 18', 43' | Esteghlal | 4–3 | Sepahan | 2010–11 Persian Gulf Cup |
| 12. |  Milorad Janjuš | 2 | 72', 75' | Sepahan | 3–4 | Esteghlal | 2010–11 Persian Gulf Cup |
| 13. |  Server Djeparov | 2 | 36', 47' | Esteghlal | 3–0 | Sepahan | 2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League |
Most successful coaches
Friendly matches are not included in the following records unless otherwise noted.
| Rank | Head coach | Club | Matches | Win | Draw | Lost | Winning rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farhad Kazemi |
Sepahan | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 73% |
| 2 | Mansour Pourheidari |
Esteghlal | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 45% |
| 3 | Mahmoud Yavari |
Sepahan | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 42% |
| 4 | Zdravko Rajkov |
Esteghlal | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 57% |
| 5 |  Winfried Schäfer |
Esteghlal | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75% |
| Farhad Majidi |
Esteghlal | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75% | |
 José Morais |
Sepahan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75% | |
| 8 | Nasser Hejazi |
Esteghlal Sepahan |
7 | 2 1 |
1 0 |
2 1 |
43% |
| 9 |  Zlatko Kranjčar |
Sepahan | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 33% |
| 10 |  Yevgeni Skomorokhov |
Esteghlal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
* Amir Ghalenoei has won 7 matches but his losses have been more. He has lost 14 matches. That's why he's not among the successful coaches of rivalries.
General performances
Trophies
|
| Esteghlal | Competition | Sepahan |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic | ||
| 9 | Iranian Leagues | 5 |
| 8 | Iranian Hazfi Cup | 5 |
| 1 | Iranian Super Cup | 1 |
| 1 | Iran Championship Cup | 1 |
| 19 | Domestic aggregate | 12 |
| Asian | ||
| 2 | Asian Club Championship | — |
| 2 | Asian aggregate | — |
| 21 | Total aggregate | 12 |
General information
| Titles | Esteghlal | Sepahan |
|---|---|---|
| Club name after establishment | Docharkhe Savaran Sport Club | Shahin Isfahan Sport Club |
| Founding date | 26 September 1945 | 5 October 1953 |
| Stadium | Azadi Stadium | Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium |
| Capacity | 78,116 | 75,000 |
| Number of seasons in Iranian Leagues | 41 (1 relegated) |
39 (2 relegated) |
| Most goals scored in a season in Iranian League | 70 (2008–09) | 67 (2009–10) |
| Most points in a season in Iranian League | 68 (2021–22) | 67 (2009–10, 2011–12) |
| Number of Double wins (Iranian League and Iranian Hazfi Cup) |
— | — |
| Most Consecutive League trophies | — | 3 times in a row (Hat-trick)[note 1] |
| Most Consecutive Hazfi Cup trophies | — | 2 times in a row (Brace)[note 2] |
Awards
Asian Footballer of the Year
IFFHS award
The IFFHS Asian Player of the Year is an annual prize presented by International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). It had originally been the predecessor of the AFC Player of the Year, but was revived in 2020.
| Award | Esteghlal | Sepahan |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0 | 0 |
| 2nd | 0 | 0 |
| 3rd | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 0 |
AFC award
The AFC Player of the Year is an annual prize presented by Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It is awarded to the Asian player who has the best performance at AFC club(s) in a calendar year.
| Award | Esteghlal | Sepahan |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0 | 0 |
| 2nd | 0 | 0 |
| 3rd | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 0 |
Best Footballer in Asia
Best Footballer in Asia is an annual association football award organized and presented by Titan Sports. It is awarded to the player who had the best performance for Asian football during the calendar year.
| Award | Esteghlal | Sepahan |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0 | 0 |
| 2nd | 0 | 0 |
| 3rd | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
League performances awards
| Award | Esteghlal | Sepahan |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Boot | 7 | 6 |