The 2011–12 Hazfi Cup was the 25th season of the Iranian football knockout competition. Persepolis were the defending champion but were eliminated by Esteghlal in the quarter-finals. This was the fourth consecutive win for Esteghlal against Persepolis in official matches. The competition began on September 12, 2011 and ended on March 15, 2012.[1][2][3]Esteghlal beat Shahin Bushehr 4–1 on penalties and was qualified for the group stage of the 2013 AFC Champions League.
Participating teams
in total 100 teams participated in the 2011–12 season. The teams were divided into three main groups:
18 teams of the Iran Pro League: entering at the round of 32.
28 teams of the Azadegan League: entering at the second round.
54 teams from Provincial Leagues and 2nd Division League: entering at the first round.
First stage
The First Stage featured 82 teams, with a total of 14 teams qualifying for the Second Stage.[4][5]