Kambiz Atabay: The Visionary Leader Who Elevated Iranian Football

Yet Atabay’s tenure at the AFC was brief. The tides of history were shifting rapidly in Iran. As political unrest grew in 1978, his attention turned toward his family’s safety and the uncertain future of his country. In December 1978, just weeks before the Shah’s departure, Atabay resigned from the AFC, sending a formal letter of gratitude and farewell. Soon after, he left Iran for New York, beginning a long life in exile.