Esteghlal Cultural and Athletic Club Persian: باشگاه فرهنگی ورزشی استقلال ایران is an Iranian sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Tehran. It was founded as Taj (Persian: تاج), meaning 'Crown' in Persian and renamed after the Islamic Revoloution in 1979.
Esteghlal have been Asian Champions AFC Champions League twice and have also won six National Championship titles. Esteghlal together with Al-Hilal Riadh of Saudi Arabia are the second most successful clubs in Asian Champion's League, after Pohang Steelers of South Korea, with two champions titles and two runner up.