In a glittering night of celebration in Riyadh, Iranian coach Marziyeh Jafari made history by being named Asia’s Best Women’s Football Coach of 2025 — a moment that marked a new chapter for Iranian football.
A Groundbreaking Night in Riyadh
At the AFC’s annual awards ceremony honoring Asia’s top football and futsal talents, all eyes turned to an unprecedented achievement. Jafari, head coach of both Iran’s women’s national team and Bam Khatoon FC, became the first Iranian coach—male or female—to win this continental title. Even more impressively, she did it in her very first nomination.
Triumphs That Defined Her Year
Club Excellence
Under her guidance, Bam Khatoon secured its eleventh national league title. Beyond domestic dominance, Jafari led the team into uncharted territory, steering them into the top eight of the AFC Women’s Club Championship — a milestone no Iranian women’s club had ever reached.
National Glory
When Jafari took charge of the national team, few predicted the scale of her impact. On July 28, 2025, Iran defeated Jordan 2–1, clinching qualification for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for only the second time in the nation’s history.
Facing the Best, Rising Above
Jafari’s path to the award was anything but easy. She triumphed over elite competition, including Lo Kui-hua (Blue Whale Taichung & Chinese Taipei) and Nongrutai Srathongvian (College of Scholars, Thailand), both renowned names in Asian women’s football.
A Legacy Etched in Gold
Her achievements now include:
- 11 league titles and 2 runners-up finishes in Iran’s Premier Women’s League
- Top 8 finish in Asia with Bam Khatoon
- Qualification for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup with Team Melli Banovan
- AFC Women’s Coach of the Year 2025
From local dominance to continental recognition, Marziyeh Jafari has become the face of a new era in Iranian women’s football — and a source of pride for the entire nation.