The stadium was designed by Abdol Aziz Mirza Farman-Farmaian Architects and Associates (AFFA) with other parts of the sports complex based on plans by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, an American architectural, urban planning, and engineering firm.

It was inaugurated on 17 October 1971 by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran; it is currently self-owned by Esteghlal and Persepolis.

[citation needed] The stadium was built as part of a much larger complex which included numerous Olympic-sized venues for various sports, laying the groundwork for ambitious plans for Tehran to make a bid to host the Summer Olympics.

But some officials have hinted that rules in Iran banning women from stadiums like Azadi have kept international sports organizations from staging events there.

[7] Nominated for The architect of the stadium was Abdolaziz Farmanfarmaian, with some parts of the complex done in partnership with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

The structural engineer and project manager for the building of the stadium was James Raymond Whittle from England.

[citation needed] The record attendance at Azadi Stadium is over 128,000 during a 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Australia.