{{short description|Sport administrator of Iran}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Mehdi Taj | image = Mehdi Taj 1398031914494219517616704.jpg | image_size = | caption = Taj in 2019 | office = President of [[Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran]] | term_start = 30 August 2022 | term_end = | predecessor = [[Mirshad Majedi]] (acting) | successor = | term_start1 = 7 May 2016 | term_end1 = 29 December 2019 | predecessor1 = [[Ali Kafashian]] | successor1 = Heydar Baharvand (acting) | office2 = [[President (corporate title)|President]] of [[Iran Football League Organization]] | term_start2 = 28 October 2013 | term_end2 = 7 May 2016<br>{{small|Acting: 14 January – 28 October 2013}} | predecessor2 = Gholamreza Behravan | successor2 = Ali Kazemi (acting) | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|01|20}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.hamshahrionline.ir/details/333049/Sport/soccer |title=زندگینامه: مهدی تاج (۱۳۳۸ - ) |access-date=2016-05-07 |archive-date=2024-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007121914/https://www.hamshahrionline.ir/news/333049/%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%AF%DA%AF%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%DB%B1%DB%B3%DB%B3%DB%B8 |url-status=live }}</ref> | birth_place = [[Isfahan]], [[Iran]] | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = | alma_mater = [[University of Isfahan]]{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} | spouse = | children = | salary = | native_name_lang = fa | native_name = {{nobold|مهدی تاج}} }} '''Mehdi Taj''' ({{langx|fa|مهدی تاج}}) is an [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] sports executive who is the president of [[Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran]] (FFIRI) since August 2022, serving his second and third terms. Since 2019, he has also served as one of five vice presidents of the [[Asian Football Confederation]] (AFC). He has a history of serving in the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] (IRGC). His first term as president of FFIRI was from 2016 until 2019. In May 2020, he was appointed a member of the AFC Emergency Committee.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Mehdi Taj becomes member of AFC Emergency Committee |url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/447989/Mehdi-Taj-becomes-member-of-AFC-Emergency-Committee |website=Tehran Times |accessdate=19 May 2020}}</ref>

He was previously First Vice President of FFIRI (2008–2012), President of the [[Iran Football League Organization]] (2013–2016), Secretary of the Board of [[Sepahan F.C.|Sepahan]] (1992–1994, 2002–2006) and president of the club (1994–1999), and Board Chairman of the Foolad Metil.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.imna.ir/fa/doc/news/119685/%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%86%D9%87%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AE-%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86 |title=محمد ترابیان نهمین مدیر عامل تاریخ سپاهان |access-date=2016-05-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730235718/http://www.imna.ir/fa/doc/news/119685/%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%86%D9%87%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AE-%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86 |archive-date=2016-07-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was also editor-in-chief of [[Abrar-e Varzeshi|''Jahan Varzesh'']] from 1991 until 2001. On 7 May 2016, he was elected as president of FFIRI with 51 votes, succeeding [[Ali Kafashian]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://90tv.ir/news/224404/%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF-%DA%A9%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AB%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B9%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%81%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84 |title=۴ کاندیدای ریاست فدراسیون فوتبال فرم گرفتند/ تردید کفاشیان و تاج برای ثبت نام قطعی |access-date=2016-05-07 |archive-date=2017-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510074109/http://90tv.ir/news/224404/%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF-%DA%A9%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AB%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B9%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%81%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.varzesh3.com/news/1323536/%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3-%D9%81%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%B4%D8%AF |title=مهدی تاج رئیس فدراسیون فوتبال شد |access-date=2016-05-07 |archive-date=2024-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007121908/https://www.varzesh3.com/news/1323536/%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%94%DB%8C%D8%B3-%D9%81%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%B4%D8%AF |url-status=live }}</ref> He resigned in December 2019 due to heart problems.<ref name=":0" />

On 30 August 2022, Taj was elected as new president of FFIRI for a two-year term. Taj won the three-candidate race with 51 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-30 |title=Mehdi Taj elected as head of Iran football federation | url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/476220 |website=[[Tehran Times]] |access-date=2022-09-09}}</ref>

In April 2026, Taj was turned away by Canadian authorities while en route to the 2026 [[FIFA Congress]] in Vancouver due to his ties to the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|IRGC]].<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7242702/2026/04/30/iran-fifa-congress-canada-world-cup-mehdi-taj/</ref><ref>https://www.iranintl.com/en/202604294039</ref>

== Women's football in Iran == Taj has visited the training camp of the [[Iran women's national football team|Iranian women's national football team]]. He also said that all Iranian clubs should try to start a women's section.<ref>{{Cite web |title=تاج: همه باشگاه‌ها باید تیم زنان داشته باشند |url=https://www.varzesh3.com/news/2025996/%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D9%87%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B4%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%AF |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=ورزش سه |language=fa |archive-date=2024-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007122010/https://www.varzesh3.com/news/2025996/%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D9%87%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B4%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%85-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%AF |url-status=live }}</ref> However, in the economic sector, the serious problems of [[Women's football in Iran|Iranian women's football]] remained as before.<ref>{{Cite web |title=چرا توسعه فوتبال زنان در ایران با مشکل روبروست؟ - دارايان - داشته های اقتصادی ایران |url=https://www.daraian.com/fa/news/22486 |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=www.daraian.com |language=fa-ir |archive-date=2024-06-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617000906/https://www.daraian.com/fa/news/22486 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Taj watched the [[2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final|2023 Women's World Cup final]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=مهدی تاج تماشاگر ویژه فینال جام جهانی زنان |url=https://www.varzesh3.com/news/1959038/%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%A7%DA%AF%D8%B1-%D9%88%DB%8C%DA%98%D9%87-%D9%81%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=ورزش سه |language=fa |archive-date=2024-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007121907/https://www.varzesh3.com/news/1959038/%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%A7%DA%AF%D8%B1-%D9%88%DB%8C%DA%98%D9%87-%D9%81%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.varzesh3.com/news/1323549/ About Taj]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taj, Mehdi}} [[Category:1960 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Isfahan]] [[Category:Association football executives]] [[Category:Iranian sports executives and administrators]] [[Category:Sepahan S.C.]] [[Category:Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers]] [[Category:Presidents of Iranian Football Federation]]