Persepolis match scheduling dispute in Iran

The Iranian Premier League organization announced the cancellation of a match between Persepolis and Kheybar Khorramabad, originally set for September 13. The postponement was prompted by the involvement of players from both clubs in national U-20 team camps.

Persepolis management and head coach Mehdi Tartar opposed the decision, stating the club did not request a postponement and wished to avoid a congested future schedule. While the Football Federation noted that some clubs requested delays due to player availability, Persepolis maintained they were willing to play despite missing three players due to national team duties and one player due to injury.

Following the announcement, Persepolis issued a formal protest against the League Organization, criticizing a lack of “transparent, predictable, and uniform criteria” in scheduling and alleging inconsistent treatment compared to other clubs.

The League Organization responded by defending its decision under Articles 3 and 20 of the competition regulations, which grant the body authority to postpone matches for the interest of the competition or upon written instruction from the Football Federation. The organization asserted that exercising this authority is a standard application of existing rules rather than the creation of new ones.

Kheybar Khorramabad’s head coach, Fraz Kamalvand, supported the postponement. He stated the decision was a “logical response to ensure fairness,” noting the team could not compete effectively without key players, such as defender Masoud Mohbi, who were called up to national youth and hope squads.