History of Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan Sports and Cultural Club
In 1953, late Mr. Mahmoud Hariri established Shahin Club in Isfahan. In 1967, the club changed its name to Sepahan, an ancient name of Isfahan City, to become the flag bearer of Sport in Isfahan Province. In the beginning of 1993, Sepahan Cement Factory took sponsorship of the club with the new name, Siman (cement) Sepahan Sports and Cultural Club.
In 2000, following a long discussion between provincial officials and Foolad Mobarakeh Steel Company, the company began supporting the club with its current name, Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan Sports and Cultural Club.
The club currently operates in various sports fields. Football, handball, karate, chess, swimming, basketball, judo, shooting (for the disabled), volleyball, taekwondo, ping-pong, weigh lifting, gymnastics, wrestling, track and field, and mountain climbing for men, as well as handball, basketball, karate, badminton, chess, ping-pong, swimming, futsal and fitness for women.
It should be noted that Iran Sports Organization announced the club as the Exemplary Club in 2000. Furthermore, Best of Iran Festival, organized by sports and press community of Iran, selected Sepahan Club as the best club of 2002.
In 2003, Sepahan Football Team won the championship of Iran Premiere League, the first time that a provincial team could achieve the title. In 2005, Sepahan was selected as the Exemplary Club in handball activities. Following runners-up title in ACL 2007 and qualifying for FIFA Club World Cup 2007, the club was selected as the best Iranian Football Club of 2007 in Best of Football Festival organized by Iran Broadcasting Company. It\'s worth noting that since 2003, Sepahan Club has participated seven times in of Asian Championship League.
In 2009, Sepahan was selected as the Top Brand in 100 Top Brands of Isfahan. Finally, in 2010, International Federation of Football History and Statistics, IFFHS, announced that in the first decade of the century, Sepahan had been the best Iranian club, ranking 8th and 237th in Asia and world, respectively.