Drama, dreams, and deadlocks: The best of Iran’s Pro League first half

TEHRAN – The first half of the 2025/26 Iranian football season ended with a fantastic match in Isfahan. In the beautiful Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium, Esteghlal defeated the league leaders, Sepahan, with a 2-1 victory. This win was very important for the “Blues” and their coach, Ricardo Sa Pinto.

Before this game, Sa Pinto was under a lot of pressure because of poor results and some controversial decisions, like leaving out star players Ramin Rezaeian and Abolfazl Jalali. However, this victory changed everything. Now, with 25 points, Esteghlal are in third place and very close to the top teams, Persepolis (28 points) and Sepahan (30 points).

One of the main reasons for the high quality of this game was the stadium’s grass. Sa Pinto has often complained about poor pitches in Tehran. At Naghsh-e Jahan, both teams showed their real talent because the ground was standard and professional.

This match also ended Sepahan’s amazing winning streak. They had won eight games in a row, but Esteghlal stopped them on their home. Even with this loss, Moharram Navidkia’s Sepahan are still the “Half-Season Champions.” Navidkia has built a very strong and disciplined team this year.

Looking at the table after 15 games, there are some big surprises. Chadormalou are in fourth place, and they are higher than the defending champions, Tractor. Under coach Dragan Skocic, Tractor have struggled and lost many points with eight draws. At the bottom of the table, teams like Mes Rafsanjan and Shams Azar are in a difficult fight to avoid relegation.

The stage is now set for a breathtaking second half. With the gap narrowing at the top and underdogs challenging the elite, the race for the 2025/26 title remains wide open.