Esteghlal, who won Iran’s Hazfi Cup on Thursday, will represent the country in the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two. Meanwhile, Persepolis finished third in the 2024-25 Iran Professional League (IPL) but did not qualify for either the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Elite or AFC Champions League Two.
In total, seven Iranian clubs have secured AFC Licenses, including Tractor, Foolad, Aluminum, Gol Gohar, Sepahan, Esteghlal, and Persepolis.