In the world of football, emergency situations can arise, leading to unusual solutions like the three-sided tournament to determine the champion. But at what cost? Iran Football in Three-Sided Mystery; Playing with Integrity of Iran Football. The debate over holding a three-sided tournament for Iran's football to determine the champion of the incomplete season has sparked a lot of controversy in Iranian football. Esteghlal fans, who were confident that they would be the champions of the previous season, were disappointed when Tractor and Sepahan insisted on holding a three-sided tournament to determine the champion. The situation is very unusual. But it's interesting to know that this situation has examples in the world of football. The first example is Italy, where from the 2022-23 season, if two teams at the top of the Serie A table are equal in points and some other determining criteria, a playoff will be held to determine the champion. This means that the clubs know from the beginning of the season that such a possibility exists in the regulations. In Scotland, the regulations also provide for the possibility of holding a playoff championship in very special circumstances. In the 2025-26 season, even a scenario was proposed that in the event of a complete equality of conditions between the two teams, the championship would be determined by a single match in a neutral stadium. The important thing is that this mechanism has been part of the regulations of the competition from the beginning. In some countries, the playoff is also part of the normal structure of the league. In the New Zealand league, for example, the preliminary stage is followed by a playoff stage, and the champion is determined through that stage. Therefore, the principle of 'playoff for the championship' is not unusual. But the three-sided tournament to solve a half-finished league, even after the end of the matches, is a different story. The main problem with the proposal of the three-sided tournament is that we assume Esteghlal is the champion and the league has continued until the 20th week. Tractor and Sepahan, as Esteghlal's rivals, still had a chance to win the championship. Now, if the federation decides to put the three teams together again for a few matches, it is actually creating a new competition. These matches are no longer part of the same league. The players of the three teams have changed, the coaches have also changed. New injured and absent players exist. If there have been summer transfers, and even the composition of the teams has become completely different compared to the time the league was stopped. In such a situation, if Esteghlal wins, is it really the champion of the previous season or the champion of a three-sided tournament in the summer of the next year? This issue raises questions about the integrity of the competition. Like always, football in Iran is played with integrity. A blow to international reputation If such a tournament is created without prior regulations, it will definitely damage Iran's international reputation even more. The problem is not just which team wins. The more important issue is the principle of the competition. Football should clearly state before the start of the season how the champion is determined. The league table, the number of games, the criteria for equal points, and the method of determining the champion should be clear from the beginning. If after the end of a season, we decide to choose three teams and design a new formula for them, any decision can be challenged by another team. Suppose Esteghlal is a strong champion and has the right to win the championship based on the matches played. But Sepahan and Tractor, as two other teams that claim to be champions, never give up. Now, if the fourth or even fifth team says that I also had a chance to win the championship if the league had continued, what answer can be given to that? This is the same point that the federation's decision-making may face a serious problem. One important point about justice If the league cannot continue, a fair and applicable standard for determining the champion must be chosen. This standard can be the league table at the time of suspension. It can be a legal decision based on the regulations of the same season. Even it can be announced that the season has ended without a champion. But creating a new game or tournament should only be logical when the league is completely stopped and there is no way to continue the league. Otherwise, the integrity of the competition is at risk.