Iran National Paintball League
The Iran National Paintball League (INPL) is a domestic paintball competition in Iran. Archived Iran Paintball Association records document men's divisions, women's competition, league regulations and national-team selection. Later publications record the Iran Paintball Tour during 1401 and national league seasons during the 2020s.[1][2][3][4]
The competition has used different names and divisional arrangements. Individual round victories and overall season championships are distinguished in the documented results.[5][6][7]
History
Early documented competition
An association report described the opening event of the Iranian calendar year 1390 as the first round of the league's third year. Held in Gilan Province, it included eight teams in the premier division and twelve in the lower division. Datam defeated Datis Tehran in the premier final on 18 Shahrivar 1390 (9 September 2011).[1]
The description of a third year establishes an earlier competition history but does not identify a precise founding date.[1]
Men's and women's competition in 1390
The second men's round and first women's round took place together in Babolsar, Mazandaran Province, from 14 to 16 December 2011.[2]
| Position | Men's first division | Men's second division | Women's competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Datis | Diako | Datis |
| 2nd | Hype | Soheil | Javidan |
| 3rd | Persian Legend Two | Tornado | Roham Babolsar |
Source: Iran Paintball Association.[2]
The women's entry conditions required registration, identification cards and compliance with INPL Division 2 rules. This specified the rules used for the women's competition rather than placing its teams within the men's second-division standings.[8]
In February 2012, the Datis website identified its first team as the overall INPL champion for 1390 and named Hype as its opponent in the final.[5]
Planet Eclipse independently reported Datis securing the overall championship. It also recorded Diako winning Division 2 and promotion to Division 1, while Datis Girls won the women's cup and the women's 1390 title. Its report described 26 teams across three divisions at the combined event.[6]
Financial difficulties in 2012
On 25 August 2012, the association announced that it could not stage the league under its existing financial arrangements. It cited previous losses, operating costs and exchange-rate increases, and proposed changes to entry fees and paintball prices.[9]
Restart proposals and the 1393 programme
A September 2013 announcement proposed restarting INPL with an iBall format, weekly competition and a maximum of two games on each match day. It also proposed inviting leading players to a national-team training camp.[10]
For 1393, the association announced eight approved premier teams. It stated that it would not initially operate Division 2 that year and would consider further arrangements during the second half of the year.[11]
An association report preserved in November 2014 described seven rounds over seven months, involving eight teams from Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, Kerman, Isfahan and Khorasan Razavi provinces. Datis finished first, Ariaman second and Griffin third.[12]
Iran Paintball Tour, 1401
The 2022 Iran Paintball Tour season covers the documented tour beginning in June 2022. Contemporary reports identify an opening round in Rasht and a second round in Bandar Abbas in February 2023, both within Iranian calendar year 1401.[3][13]
The INPL Instagram account advertised the Rasht event as the opening round of the Iran Paintball Tour.[4] Tabnak described it as a return following a two-year interruption associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
| Event | Dates or documented programme | Venue | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 23–24 June 2022 | Belona Paintball Club, Rasht | Datis Tehran | Datis Shemiranat | Singo Two Bandar Abbas |
| Round 2 | February 2023; reported in progress on 2 February, continuing the following day | Singo Paintball Club, Bandar Abbas | Datis Tehran | Datis Shemiranat | Persian Gulf One |
Sources: Tabnak, Young Journalists Club and IRIB.[3][13][14]
The opening round attracted eleven teams from Tehran, Bandar Abbas, Mashhad, Rasht and Isfahan. Belona received the fair-play cup, and Reza Shahran served as head referee. The advertised programme was 22–24 June, while the results report identified 23–24 June as the competition days.[3][4]
Ten teams from Tehran, Hormozgan, Khorasan Razavi, Gilan and Isfahan participated in the second round. Singo Persian Gulf A finished fourth; Singo Persian Gulf B also participated.[13][14]
Datis won both documented rounds. The cited reports do not provide cumulative points or establish an overall tour championship.[3][14]
2023 season
The 2023 INPL season corresponded to Iranian calendar year 1402. Four rounds took place in Bandar Abbas, the Aras Free Zone and Rasht.[15][16][17][18]
| Event | Dates or programme | Venue | Men's winner | Women's winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 INPL Round 1 | May 2023; women's matches scheduled for 3 May and men's matches for 4–5 May | Singo Paintball Club, Bandar Abbas | Datis Tehran | Singo Elite |
| 2023 INPL Round 2 | 4–7 July 2023 | Aras Free Zone | Datis Tehran | Belona Rasht |
| 2023 INPL Round 3 | 17–20 October 2023, as reported by ILNA | Belona Paintball Club, Rasht | Tehran 02 | Singo Bandar Abbas |
| 2023 INPL Round 4 | Women's competition concluded on 27 December; men's competition held on 28–29 December 2023 | Singo Paintball Club, Bandar Abbas | Datis Tehran | Singo Elite |
Sources: league records and contemporary reporting.[15][16][17][18][19][20]
For Round 3, ILNA reported a combined programme of 25–28 Mehr 1402 (17–20 October). IRIB described two days of competition without identifying their individual dates.[17][20]
Datis won three men's rounds and finished second to Tehran 02 in Rasht. The final men's championship podium was Datis Tehran with 393 points, Persian Gulf One with 339 and Spad Mashhad with 267.[15][16][18][20]
Singo Elite won the women's championship with 377 points, followed by Belona Rasht with 315 and Singo Persian Gulf with 215.[19]
Singo's contemporary results graphic distinguished the fourth-round men's podium from the overall season podium.[7] Further results are covered in 2023 INPL season.
2024 season
The 2024 INPL season corresponded to Iranian calendar year 1403. Three rounds were completed, each with sixteen men's teams and five women's teams.[21][22][23]
| Event | Dates | Venue | Men's premier winner | Men's second-division winner | Women's winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 INPL Round 1 | May 2024; scheduled for 7–10 May | Singo Paintball Club, Bandar Abbas | Datis Tehran | Singo BND | Singo Bandar Abbas |
| 2024 INPL Round 2 | 18–21 June 2024 | Belona Paintball Club, Rasht | Datis Tehran | Singo BND | Datis Tehran |
| 2024 INPL Round 3 | 24–27 September 2024 | Spad Paintball Club, Mashhad | Datis Tehran | Datis veterans | Datis Tehran |
Sources: contemporary results and the opening-round programme.[21][22][23][24]
Datis won all three men's premier rounds. Sajjad Patoui won the men's individual ranking competition at each round.[21][22][23]
The final premier standings placed Datis first with 300 points, Spad second with 248 and Amertat third with 210. Singo Bandar won the second division with 285 points, followed by Datis Old School with 270 and Singo Persian Gulf with 195.[25]
Singo BND and Datis Old School earned promotion. Datis Shemiranat and Persian Gulf Two, seventh and eighth respectively in the premier standings, were relegated.[25]
The second- and third-round reports described the Datis second-division entry as the veterans team; the final standings used Datis Old School.[22][23][25]
A fourth round had been proposed for Bafq on 19–22 November, conditional on suitable tournament paintballs being available. The league subsequently confirmed that the season ended after three rounds because suitable paintballs were unavailable. Awards would be sent to the leading teams' managers.[23][25]
For complete published men's standings and round podiums, see 2024 INPL season.
2025 season
The 2025 INPL season corresponded to Iranian calendar year 1404. Documented rounds took place in Mashhad in May and October 2025.[26][27][28]
The opening round was scheduled for 13–16 May at Spad Paintball Club, Saran Sports Complex. An IRIB report published on 15 May confirmed that the women's and individual events had concluded while men's divisional competition continued until 16 May.[26][27]
Datis Tehran won the opening men's premier competition, with Phoenix Tehran second. The women's podium was Datis Tehran, Spad Mashhad and Arya Mashhad. Shahrad Sharifi won the men's individual event.[27][29]
The second round took place on 21–24 October. The federation reported twenty teams across three team divisions: fifteen men's teams and five women's teams.[28][30]
Datis Tehran won the men's premier and women's competitions. Maxfit Bandar Abbas won the men's second division, while Milad Rashidi won the men's individual event.[28]
These are verified round results rather than an aggregate season championship table.
Organisation and competition structure
Historical notices and results were published by the Iran Paintball Association, which administered entry requirements and published schedules, rules and financial notices.[1][8][9][11]
The divisional structure has changed. Records from 1390 describe two men's divisions and a separate women's competition, while the initial 1393 programme provided for eight premier teams without an association-run Division 2 at that stage.[2][11]
The 2023 final-round programme specified men's five-player and women's three-player electronic competition.[31]
The 1403 programme specified five-player electronic team competition for both men and women. The men's premier format used a fifteen-minute limit and six-point mercy rule; the second division and women's competition used ten-minute limits and four-point mercy rules.[24]
The 2025 programme announced a closed eight-team men's premier division and an open-entry second division, with the bottom two premier teams relegated and the leading two second-division teams promoted at the end of the season.[26]
National-team selection
The September 2013 restart announcement proposed inviting leading players to a national-team camp.[10]
The association's 2014 report described assessing players across eight premier teams, inviting twenty to a camp and selecting ten for the national squad.[12]
Following the final 2023 men's round, leading competitors were invited to a camp in Bandar Abbas, held from 30 December 2023 to 1 January 2024.[18][32]
The federation's October 2025 report also described the technical committee identifying competitors for invitations to national-team camps.[28]
Women's competition
The first women's league round recorded in the recovered 1390 association results took place in Babolsar in December 2011. Datis won, followed by Javidan and Roham Babolsar.[2]
Datis Girls subsequently received the women's 1390 championship, as reported by Planet Eclipse in February 2012.[6]
The opening women's round of 1391 took place in Tehran on 17 May 2012. Seven teams represented five provinces. Datis Alborz finished first, Javidan Tehran second and Titan Qazvin third.[33]
Singo Elite won the 2023 overall women's championship, followed by Belona Rasht and Singo Persian Gulf.[19]
Five women's teams participated at each completed 2024 round. Singo Bandar Abbas won the opening round, while Datis Tehran won the second and third.[21][22][23] In a retrospective published on 23 September 2025, Datis described its women's team as the overall champions for 2024.[34]
Five women's teams participated at the second national round in October 2025, which Datis Tehran won.[28]
For the broader history of women's leagues, provincial events and international participation, see Women's paintball in Iran.
Documented season championships
| Season | Competition | Champion | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1390 (2011–2012) | Men's first division | Datis | — | — |
| 1390 (2011–2012) | Women's championship | Datis Girls | — | — |
| 1393 (2014–2015) | Premier league | Datis | Ariaman | Griffin |
| 1402 (2023) | Men's championship | Datis Tehran | Persian Gulf One | Spad Mashhad |
| 1402 (2023) | Women's championship | Singo Elite | Belona Rasht | Singo Persian Gulf |
| 1403 (2024) | Men's premier division | Datis Tehran | Spad | Amertat |
| 1403 (2024) | Men's second division | Singo Bandar | Datis Old School | Singo Persian Gulf |
Sources: contemporary championship reports and final standings.[5][6][12][18][19][25] Dashes indicate that the cited reports do not establish those placings.
The 1401 tour is omitted from this championship table because its verified records establish round results without an aggregate championship. Datis's women's 2024 title claim is attributed separately above.[3][14][34]
Season and event articles
1401 tour, 2022–2023
2023
2024
2025
Media coverage
The league has published announcements and results through Instagram and Telegram. Its public channel preserves television reports and links to recorded matches.[15][35]
YouTube coverage of the 2025 opening round includes Division 1 preliminary matches dated 15 May and Division 2 preliminary matches dated 14 May.[36][37]
See also
- Iranian paintball
- Paintball in Iran
- Iran Paintball Association
- Women's paintball in Iran
- Datis (Iran Paintball Team)
- Datis Girls (Iran Paintball Team)
- Paintball League Middle East
- Paintball Asia League Series
References
- Iran Paintball Association, opening round of the third national league year, 1390, archived 10 October 2011. Persian.
- Iran Paintball Association, national league results for Azar 1390, archived 19 January 2012. Persian.
- Tabnak Sport, “Paintball revival after a two-year interruption”, opening tour round, 28 June 2022. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, opening Iran Paintball Tour round: layout, Belona Rasht venue and advertised programme, 1 June 2022. Persian.
- Datis Paintball, February 2012 INPL championship report, archived 8 April 2012.
- Planet Eclipse, “Datis make it a clean sweep!”, 27 February 2012.
- Singo Paintball, fourth-round men's results and separate overall 1402 podium, December 2023. Persian.
- Iran Paintball Association, women's participation conditions, archived 5 February 2012. Persian.
- Iran Paintball Association, financial and cancellation notice, 25 August 2012, archived 30 August 2012. Persian.
- Team Antimatter, reproduction of the association's restart announcement, September 2013. Persian.
- Iran Paintball Association, 1393 programme, archived 7 April 2014. Persian.
- Iran Paintball Association, premier league and national-team report, archived 15 November 2014. Persian.
- Young Journalists Club, “Paintball Tour competition held in Bandar Abbas”, 2 February 2023. Persian.
- IRIB News Agency, second national tour round results, 6 February 2023. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, opening-round schedules, results and television reports, April–May 2023. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, second-round dates and results, 9 July 2023. Persian.
- ILNA, third national round in Rasht, 22 October 2023. Persian.
- Khabar Varzeshi Hormozgan, men's 1402 season conclusion and points, 29 December 2023. Persian.
- Young Journalists Club, women's championship results and points, 27 December 2023. Persian.
- IRIB News Agency, Rasht round results, 21 October 2023. Persian.
- Sobhe Sahel, first-round 1403 results, 25 May 2024. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, second-round 1403 results and dates, June 2024. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, third-round 1403 results and proposed final round, September 2024. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, 1403 programme and opening-round announcement. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, final 1403 men's standings, promotion, relegation and season conclusion, 25 February 2025. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, 1404 opening programme and competition structure. Persian.
- IRIB News Agency, opening women's and individual results, 15 May 2025. Persian.
- Iran Sport for All Federation, second 1404 round: venue, participation and results. Persian.
- Tehran Sport for All board, first-round 1404 national league results. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, second-round results and dates, 31 October 2025. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, final-round 1402 programme, 29 November 2023. Persian.
- Borna News Agency, Gilan women's championship placing and national-team camp dates, reproduced by Sahebkhabar, 9 January 2024. Persian.
- Iran Paintball Association, first women's round of 1391, archived 24 May 2012. Persian.
- Datis, women's retrospective captioned “Overall champions 2024”, 23 September 2025. Persian and English.
- Iranian National Paintball League, public announcements and match coverage. Persian.
- Iranian National Paintball League, 2025 opening-round Division 1 preliminary recording, 15 May.
- Iranian National Paintball League, 2025 opening-round Division 2 preliminary recording, 14 May.