Football in Armenia

Football (Armenian: ֆուտբոլ futbol or votnagndak Armenian: ոտնագնդակ) is the most popular sport in Armenia.

As of August 2023^[ref], the

Early period (before 1920s)

In the early 20th century, the first Armenian football clubs were founded in Constantinople, Smyrna and many other cities within the Ottoman Empire.^[2]

The first game between Armenian and Turkish teams was recorded in 1906. Armenian club called Balta-Liman (after a neighborhood of Constantinople, now called Baltalimanı) met with Galatasaray. Later, Balta-Liman was dissolved and two new clubs were founded: Araks and Tork.

However, the break-out of World War I and the Armenian genocide led to a major decline of Armenian involvement in Ottoman sports.

Soviet era (1920s-1991)

Oldest records of football teams in

The first professional club in Armenia was established in 1935 as Spartak and was later renamed Ararat. FC Ararat Yerevan is notable for its wins in the Soviet Championship and the Cup in 1973. FC Ararat also reached the quarter-finals of the 1974–75 European Cup, losing to the eventual champions, Franz Beckenbauer's FC Bayern Munich. The first stadium in Armenia was named Spartak as well, built in the late 1920s in front of what is now the Yerevan Circus.

In 1958,

Football became the most popular sport in independent Armenia. Armenia became an independent state in 1991, the

However, the lack of financial resources forced many clubs in Yerevan and other provinces to retire from professional football. As of 2016, only 5 clubs from Yerevan, 1 from Gyumri, 1 from Kapan and 1 from Abovyan are practicing professional football and taking part in the Armenian football league system.

Many new football stadiums were built in Armenia during the 1st decade of the 21st century. However, many of the Soviet-era stadiums are still in bad conditions. Most of the professional clubs either possess their own stadium or football training academy.

Major training centres

Many football academies and training camps are operating in Armenia:

Academies of professional football clubs

• Pyunik Stadium
  .
• Banants Stadium
  .
• Dzoraghbyur Training Centre owned by FC Ararat Yerevan, located in Dzoraghbyur village, Kotayk Province: is home to 3 natural-grass and 1 artificial turf regular-sized pitches.
• Gandzasar Kapan FC, located Kapan, Syunik Province
  : is home to 1 natural-grass and 1 artificial turf regular-sized pitches.

• Technical Center-Academy of the Football Federation of Armenia, located in Avan District, Yerevan: is home to 8 natural-grass and 2 artificial turf regular-sized pitches as well as the main stadium.
• Gyumri Football Academy of the Football Federation of Armenia, located in Gyumri, Shirak Province: is home to 4 natural-grass and 2 artificial turf regular-sized pitches.
• Vanadzor Football Academy of the Football Federation of Armenia, located in Vanadzor, Lori Province, is home to 3 natural-grass and 1 artificial turf regular-sized pitches.
• Vagharshapat Football Academy of the Football Federation of Armenia, located in Vagharshapat, Armavir Province, completed in 2019, is home to 3 natural-grass and 1 artificial turf regular-sized pitches.
• Armavir Football Academy is under construction and expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

Other training centres

• Zepyur Football Training Camp, located in Pyunik village, Kotayk Province: is home to 2 natural-grass regular-sized pitches.
• Tsaghkadzor Olympic Sports Complex in the town of Tsaghkadzor, Kotayk Province, with 2 natural football training fields and other facilities.

National teams

The Armenia national football team is the national football team of Armenia and is controlled by the Football Federation of Armenia. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the team played its first international match against Moldova on October 12, 1992.

A women's team, an under-21 team, an under-19 team, and an under-17 team also compete.

League system

2023–24

See also

• List of football clubs in Armenia
• List of football stadiums in Armenia

References