Football was an unknown sport in Iran [0] until British [0] sailors and workers introduced the game in 1907. At that time they were working at port cities Bushire [0], Khorramshahr [0], Bandar Abbas [0] and major oil refineries such as Masjed Soleiman [0] in the province of Khuzestan [0]. The British played among themselves at first, as 22 men in shorts chasing after a plastic ball seemed to be more of a joke than a game to Iranians. The skepticism was short-lived and eventually the Iranian workers started playing as well.

1907 was the year that British [0] Ambassador in Tehran [0] by the name of Cecil Spring-Rice [0] founded Iran's first Football Tournament which had only 3 teams Embassy of Great Britain [1],Imperial Bank of Persia [1] and Indo-European Telegraph Company [2].

In the same year, Tehran Football Association Club, an organising body for arranging football matches was established. However all teams were made up of British residents of Tehran, although when teams didn't have enough players they sometimes chose Iranian bystanders to come on the field and play. The first Iranian player was Karim Zandi who played from 1908 to 1916. He was the reason other Iranians became motivated and interested in the sport. It became every young Iranian's dream to play alongside these British residents of Tehran. All matches were played at around Mashq Square.

In 1910 Dr. Samuel M. Jordan [2], the principal of American School (currently known as Alborz High School [2]) in Tehran, introduced football as part of the school's curriculum. Four years later 1914, start of World War I [2] put an end to these football matches and football programs.

Then in 1918 football matches recommenced and 1920 saw the establishment of Iran's first football club called Iran Club [2]. The squad consisted of Karim Zandi, Khan Sardar brothers, Amir-Aslani brothers, Mohammad Ali Shokooh, Azizollah Afkkhami, Reza Kalantar, Sheybani, Hasan Meftah, Herand, Galustyan, Khajeh-Noori, Reza Rabizadeh,Hambarson,Ashrafi. This group of players won the Tehran Association Cup in 1923. In the same year a new club was established called Tehran Club [2], this followed by creation of Armenian Sports Club [2] and Toofan Club, and in 1925 Tehran Club reached the final and defeated British Select Team of Tehran 2-1