Administrative Career: CEO of Persepolis and Beyond
Following his retirement from active play, Mostafavi transitioned into football management and administration. His early administrative roles included time as CEO of Persepolis Football Club at the start of the 2007–08 Iranian Premier League season. This was a turbulent period for the club, filled with financial struggles and management issues. Mostafavi’s tenure was marked by attempts to stabilize operations and assert stronger governance over club affairs.
Although the Persepolis leadership was divided on strategy, Mostafavi’s presence was generally viewed as part of a generational shift—replacing older styles of management with technocratic, football-savvy leadership.
He was also a member of the board of directors of the Mazandaran Textile Club, further emphasizing his deep ties to Iran’s domestic football infrastructure.
Iran’s Return to the World Stage: The 1998 World Cup
Arguably the most celebrated period of Mostafavi’s career came when he served as the President of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) during the mid-1990s. He was at the helm of the federation when Iran qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, marking the country’s return to football’s biggest stage after a 20-year absence since the 1978 tournament in Argentina.
