# Malavan F.C.

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This article is about the men's football club based in Iran. For the women's team, see [Malavan W.F.C.](/source/Malavan_W.F.C.)

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Football club

Malavan ملوان Full name Malavan Bandar Anzali Football Club Nicknames Ghou-ye Sepid (The White Swan) Malavānān (The Sailors) Short name Malavan Founded 1969; 57 years ago (1969) Ground Ghayeghran Stadium Capacity 9,000[1] Chairman Ashkan Pourrashid Manager Maziar Zare League Persian Gulf Pro League 2024–25 Persian Gulf Pro League, 7th of 16 Website http://malavanfc.com Home colours Away colours Current season

**Malavan Bandar Anzali Football Club** ([Persian](/source/Persian_language): باشگاه فوتبال ملوان بندر انزلى, *Bāšgāh-e Futbāl-e Malavān-e Bandar-e Anzali*) is an Iranian [football](/source/Football_(soccer)) club based in [Bandar-e Anzali](/source/Bandar-e_Anzali), [Iran](/source/Iran). It won Iran's second league, the [Azadegan League](/source/Azadegan_League) and came back to [Persian Gulf Pro League](/source/Persian_Gulf_Pro_League) after being relegated in the [2015–16 season](/source/2015%E2%80%9316_Persian_Gulf_Pro_League). The team is known for having some of the most passionate fans in [Iranian](/source/Iran) [football](/source/Soccer), and is one of the country's most successful teams based outside [Tehran](/source/Tehran). It is one of the most successful Iranian teams in the [Hazfi Cup](/source/Hazfi_Cup), reaching the final 7 times and winning 3 titles.

The club forms the [football](/source/Association_football) part of the [multisport](/source/Multisport_club) Malavan Sport and Cultural Club. Malavan was previously owned by the Iranian Navy.

## History

### Establishment

[Bahman Salehnia](/source/Bahman_Salehnia) created the team in 1968 along with some young athletes from the port city of Anzali. After some time, the [Iranian Navy](/source/Iranian_Navy) decided to become the team's main sponsor and owner.

### Early years

The club never really had great success in the league but they were able to become the best non-[Tehran](/source/Tehran) based club and finishing third in the 1977 and 1989. Malavan has won the [Hazfi Cup](/source/Hazfi_Cup) on 3 occasions. In 1986 Malavan participated in [Asian Club Championship](/source/Asian_Club_Championship_1987) but after beating Saunders SC in first round they withdrew from tournament due to the [Iran–Iraq War](/source/Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_War).

### Iran Pro League

In 2003 Malavan was relegated to the [Azadegan League](/source/Azadegan_League), they only stayed one year in the lower league as they were immediately promoted back to the [Iran Pro League](/source/Iran_Pro_League). Since then, they have been one of the most stable teams of the league in recent years where they only had few coaches during their history and always finished in mid table and challenge the big teams. They finished 12th in the 2008–09 and 2009–10 season. In 2010–11 season they finished 8th and reached the final of [Hazfi Cup](/source/Hazfi_Cup) but lost to [Persepolis](/source/Persepolis_F.C.). In the 2013–14 [Iran Pro League](/source/Iran_Pro_League) season Malavan achieved a surprising 7th-place finish in the league, their highest ever.

### Relegation

In July 2015 Malavan hired famous Iranian coach [Amir Ghalenoi](/source/Amir_Ghalenoi) who had won several league titles with [Esteghlal](/source/Esteghlal_F.C.) and [Sepahan](/source/Sepahan_F.C.). Player such as [Arash Afshin](/source/Arash_Afshin), [Hossein Mahini](/source/Hossein_Mahini) and [Shahab Karami](/source/Shahab_Karami) joined the squad to serve their conscription period. In Ghalenoi's first game in charge, Malavan defeated the [Hazfi Cup](/source/Hazfi_Cup) holders, [Zob Ahan](/source/Zob_Ahan_F.C.) 1–0. After only three games Ghalenoi left the club and was replaced by former [Persepolis](/source/Persepolis_F.C.) manager [Hamid Estili](/source/Hamid_Estili).

On 13 May 2016 after a 2–0 loss to [Siah Jamegan](/source/Siah_Jamegan_Khorasan_F.C.), who were behind Malavan before the match started, the clubs was relegated to the [Azadegan League](/source/Azadegan_League) for the second time in their history.

Before the start of the 2016–17 season it was announced that controversial manager [Mohammad Mayeli Kohan](/source/Mohammad_Mayeli_Kohan) had been named Malavan's manager. Despite achieving good results and being in or near a promotion spot the entire season, Mayeli Kohan was involved in several confrontations with the supporters, which led to many supporters boycotting the team's games.

### Return to Pro League with Zare

2020-2021 season marked the return of two retired homegrown players, [Maziar Zare](/source/Maziar_Zare) and [Pejman Nouri](/source/Pejman_Nouri), the former as the new head coach and the latter as the general manager of the club. In his first season, [Zare](/source/Maziar_Zare) lead the team to the semi-final of [the domestic cup](/source/2021_Hazfi_Cup), despite failing to win promotion. In the 2021-2022 season, Zare led the team back to the Pro League by winning the [Azadegan League](/source/2021%E2%80%9322_Azadegan_League) with record points, marking the return of Malavan to the top flight after six years.

## El Gilano

Main article: [El Gilano](/source/El_Gilano)

The match between Malavan and [Damash](/source/S.C._Damash) or [Sepidrood](/source/Sepidrood_F.C.) is known as the *Gilan Derby* or *El Gilano*. This match is one of Iran's most important and heated derby's. Malavan hold the record for most wins in the derby with four since the start of the [Iran Pro League](/source/Iran_Pro_League) in 2001. Malavan also holds the largest margin of victory when they defeated Damash 3–0 in 2005 and again in 2013. The derby is also known for its fan violence.

Fans of Malavan in play of Malavan & [Esteghlal](/source/Esteghlal_F.C.) semi-final in [2010–11 Hazfi Cup](/source/2010%E2%80%9311_Hazfi_Cup)

## Season-by-season

The table below chronicles the achievements of Malavan in various competitions since the beginning of [Iranian Pro league](/source/Iran_Pro_League) in 2001.

Year Division Position Hazfi Cup 2001–02 Pro League 12th Quarter-finals 2002–03 Pro League 14th Round of 16 2003–04 Azadegan League 2nd Quarter-finals 2004–05 Pro League 7th Quarter-finals 2005–06 Pro League 11th Quarter-finals 2006–07 Pro League 14th Quarter-finals 2007–08 Pro League 16th Round of 16 2008–09 Pro League 12th Quarter-finals 2009–10 Pro League 12th Quarter-finals 2010–11 Pro League 8th Final 2011–12 Pro League 15th Fourth Round 2012–13 Pro League 13th Round of 16 2013–14 Pro League 7th Quarter-finals 2014–15 Pro League 13th Round of 16 2015–16 Pro League 14th Quarter-finals 2016–17 Azadegan League 4th Quarter-finals 2017–18 Azadegan League 6th Quarter-finals 2018–19 Azadegan League 11th Fourth Round 2019–20 Azadegan League 15th Third Round 2020–21 Azadegan League 11th Semi-finals 2021–22 Azadegan League 1st Third Round 2022–23 Pro League 12th Round of 16

*For details on seasons, see [List of Malavan F.C. seasons](/source/List_of_Malavan_F.C._seasons)*

## Honours

### National titles

- **[Azadegan League](/source/Azadegan_League)** - **Winners (1):** [2021–22](/source/2021%E2%80%9322_Azadegan_League) - *Runner-up (1):* [2003–04](/source/Azadegan_League_2003%2F04)

- **[Hazfi Cup](/source/Hazfi_Cup)** - **Winners (3):** [1975–76](/source/1975%E2%80%9376_Hazfi_Cup), [1986–87](/source/Hazfi_Cup), [1990–91](/source/Hazfi_Cup) - *Runner-up (5):* [1987–88](/source/Hazfi_Cup), [1988–89](/source/Hazfi_Cup), [1991–92](/source/Hazfi_Cup), [2010–11](/source/2010%E2%80%9311_Hazfi_Cup), [2024–25](/source/Hazfi_Cup)

### Minor titles

- **[Vahdat Cup](/source/1982_Vahdat_International_Cup)** - *Third place (1)*: [1982](/source/1982_Vahdat_International_Cup)

- **[RCD Cup](/source/ECO_Cup)** - *Runner-up (1)*: [1974](/source/RCD_Cup_1974)

## Club officials

### Presidents

Sources:[2][3]

Name Years Rashid Sazmand 1996–06 Saadollah Pourtahmasbi 2006–09 Ardeshir Pournemat 2009–11 Bahman Salehnia 2011–12 Sadegh Deroudgar 2012–14 Hossein Gholami 2014–15 Ahmad Donyamali 2015–17 Mehran Nasiri 2017–18 Pejman Nouri 2019–23 Arash Fahmide 2023–present

### Current coaching staff

Source:[4]

Position Name Head coach Maziar Zare Assistant coach Eurico Pinhal Goalkeeping coach Mohammad Ali Hassani Sefat Doctor Babak Sayyad Technical director Ghafour Jahani Team manager Hossein Gholami

### Head coaches

Below is a list of Malavan coaches from 1968 until the present day. Firouz Karimi carries the honor of being the first Iranian head coach to assume the title without rising from the Malavan football school.

Name Nationality Years Bahman Salehnia 20 May 1968 – 5 February 1997 Nosrat Irandoost 5 February 1997 – 15 December 2000 Mohammad Ahmadzadeh 15 Dec 2000 – 2 July 2002 Bahman Salehnia 15 May 2002 – 2 July 2004 Nosrat Irandoost 2 July 2004 – 5 July 2006 Mohammad Ahmadzadeh 5 July 2006 – 1 January 2010 Farhad Pourgholami 1 January 2010 – 29 September 2012 Mohammad Ahmadzadeh 29 September 2012 – 28 May 2013 Dragan Skočić 28 May 2013 – 1 June 2014 Nosrat Irandoost 1 June 2014 – 8 October 2014 Stevan Mojsilović 8 October 2014 – 5 December 2014 Firouz Karimi 6 December 2014 – 1 June 2015 Hamid Estili 10 August 2015 – 20 February 2016 Mohammad Ahmadzadeh 1 March 2016 – 15 July 2016 Mohammad Mayeli Kohan 22 July 2016 – 27 May 2017 Nader Dastneshan 28 May 2017 – 1 June 2018 Farhad Pourgholami 1 June 2018 – 28 October 2018 Mohammad Ahmadzadeh 31 October 2018 – 7 June 2020 Akbar Misaghian 7 June 2020 – 1 September 2020 Maziar Zare 1 September 2020 – 18 May 2023 Mehdi Tartar 26 June 2023 – present

## Players

### First-team squad

- *As of 23 January 2026*

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under [FIFA eligibility rules](/source/FIFA_eligibility_rules); some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 4 DF IRN Amir Reza Afsordeh 5 DF IRN Saeed Karimi 6 MF IRN Sina Khadempour 8 MF IRN Gholamreza Sabet Imani 10 MF IRN Ghaem Eslamikhah 12 GK IRN Afshar Sedaghat U25 13 MF IRN Mohammad Alinejad 15 DF IRN Mohammad Reza Khosravi U23 19 FW IRN Seyed Ali Yahyazadeh 20 DF IRN Mohammad Papi 21 MF IRN Abbas Habibi U21 (on loan from Sepahan) 23 MF IRN Parham Movaghari U25 24 DF IRN Danial Eiri U23 (on loan from Zob Ahan) No. Pos. Nation Player 26 DF IRN Mahyar Zahmatkesh (Captain) 27 DF IRN Jafar Salmani 29 MF IRN Amir Savaed U23 47 FW IRN Mojtaba Fakhrian U23 (on loan from Persepolis) 70 FW IRN Mohammad Javad Mohammadi (on loan from Zob Ahan) 72 FW IRN Issa Alekasir INJ 77 MF IRN Abouzar Safarzadeh 80 MF IRN Iliya Imani U23 81 GK IRN Parham Ghanad U23 90 MF IRN Hossein Sadeghi 98 GK IRN Farzad Tayebipour 99 MF IRN Alireza Ramezani

### Reserve Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under [FIFA eligibility rules](/source/FIFA_eligibility_rules); some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 28 MF IRN Amirreza Karimi U17 30 MF IRN Mahan Beheshti U17 35 MF IRN Mahan Sadeghi U21 No. Pos. Nation Player 55 DF IRN Hamidreza Shamsipour U21 78 FW IRN Farjad Fayaz U21 88 MF IRN Farhan Jafari U21

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["مدیرعامل ملوان:ورزشگاه تختی انزلی ظرفیت هواداران پرشور را ندارد"](https://www.irna.ir/news/82031060). 11 April 2016. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20231029224546/https://www.irna.ir/news/82031060) from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Salehnia return to Malavan"](http://www.persianleague.com/the-news/1-latest-news/356-Salehnia%20return%20to%20Malavan.html). PersianLeague.com. 13 July 2002. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121004213435/http://www.persianleague.com/the-news/1-latest-news/356-Salehnia%20return%20to%20Malavan.html) from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["صفحه پیدا نشد - ملوان نیوز"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200125031104/http://malavan.ir/aaa/news.php?item.594.1). Archived from [the original](http://www.malavan.ir/aaa/news.php?item.594.1) on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [حمید استیلی قراردادش را امضا کرد/ پایان رافت در کادرفنی ملوان](http://www.mehrnews.com/news/2880354/%D8%AD%D9%85%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B4-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B6%D8%A7-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%BE%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%81%D9%86%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86) (in Persian). [Mehr News Agency](/source/Mehr_News_Agency). 11 August 2015. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20171107055531/http://www.mehrnews.com/news/2880354/%D8%AD%D9%85%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B4-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B6%D8%A7-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%BE%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%81%D9%86%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86) from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2015.

## References

- [Malavan FC stats](https://web.archive.org/web/20111112091151/http://www.persianleague.com/index.php/teams/teams?id=57&view=team&sid=24) at *persianleague.com* (archived)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Malavan F.C.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Malavan_F.C.).

## External links

- [Persian League- Latest Iran League News – Iran Football News](http://www.persianleague.com/the-news/1-latest-news/356-Salehnia%20return%20to%20Malavan.html)

- [Official website](http://www.malavanfc.com) (in English and Persian)

v t e Persian Gulf Pro League 2022–23 teams Aluminium Arak Esteghlal Foolad Gol Gohar Havadar Malavan Mes Kerman Mes Rafsanjan Naft Masjed Soleyman Nassaji Paykan Persepolis Sanat Naft Sepahan Tractor Zob Ahan Former teams Aboumoslem Aluminium Hormozgan Bargh Shiraz Damash Esteghlal Ahvaz Esteghlal Rasht Fajr Gahar Zagros Gostaresh Machine Sazi Mes Sarcheshmeh Naft Tehran Pars Jam PAS Hamedan Pas Tehran Payam Mashhad Pegah Gilan Rah Ahan Saba Sepidrood Saipa Siah Jamegan Shahin Bushehr Shahrdari Tabriz Shahr Khodro Shamoushak Shirin Faraz Steel Azin Tarbiat Yazd Competition Champions Iranian league system Statistics and awards Winning managers Managers Top scorers all-time by season Football Awards Associated competitions Hazfi Cup Iranian Super Cup Azadegan League League 2 League 3 List of transfers summer 2012 winter 2012–13 summer 2013 winter 2013–14 summer 2014 winter 2014–15 summer 2015 winter 2015–16 summer 2016 winter 2016–17 summer 2017 winter 2017–18 summer 2018 winter 2018–19 summer 2019 winter 2019–20 summer 2020 Winter 2020–21 Summer 2021 Winter 2021–22 Summer 2022 Winter 2022–23 Summer 2023

v t e Hazfi Cup Seasons 1976 1977–78 1979 1978–1985 1986 1987 1988–89 1989–1990 1990–91 1991–92 1992–1993 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–1998 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2021 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26 Final 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Winning managers

v t e Football in Iran League competitions Persian Gulf Pro League Azadegan League League 2 League 3 League 4 Provincial Leagues Ardabil Provincial League Bushehr Province League East Azarbaijan Province League Gilan Province League Golestan Province League Khuzestan Premier League Tehran Province League Kowsar league (women's) Futsal Beach soccer Cup competitions Hazfi Cup Super Cup Defunct competitions Takht Jamshid Cup National teams Men's B-team Women's M U-23 M U-20 W U-20 M U-17 W U-17 M Futsal W Futsal M U-20 Futsal M Beach Lists and categories League system Champions List of clubs List of venues Managers List of managers League winners Cup winners football award winners List of highest payments Top goalscorers all-time by season Clubs in the AFC Champions League Honours won Records List of clubs List of venues International players Men Women

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Malavan F.C.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malavan_F.C.) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malavan_F.C.?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.