Is There Hope for Armenian Football?
Figure 1 The football team dreams of flying the flag for Armenia at a World Cup – Source: Pixabay
All eyes will be on North America this summer as the FIFA World Cup is co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. It is arguably the biggest sports event on the planet and has expanded further this edition to include 48 national teams fighting it out to be recognized as the very best.
Unfortunately, Armenia will not be at this year’s finals. With almost as many Armenians living in the US, the national team would have felt like it was playing at home wherever it was based. Fans will still be able to back their favorites on the best online betting sites in California, but they won’t be able to get behind the Havakakan.
OnlineSportsBetting.net is a good place to find the best sportsbooks, but can we dream of Armenia competing in major international tournaments soon? Is Armenia improving to a point where it can challenge the very best? Or, at least, experiencing a period of improvement to give the entire Armenian diaspora hope?
National Team Disappointment
When it comes to signs of improvement, recent results are an obvious place to begin. Unfortunately, the last few years have been overwhelmingly disappointing. Much of that time was taken up with World Cup qualification, where Armenia faced a tough group that included Portugal, Hungary, and the Republic of Ireland.
All three of those teams have good major tournament experience, and although Armenia was able to beat Ireland at home in the second round of games, the other five fixtures all ended in defeat, leaving Armenia finishing bottom of the group. A recent friendly against Belarus also ended in a loss, so upcoming games in Yerevan against Kazakhstan and Moldova offer an opportunity to finish the current season off on a much-needed high.
Lack of Emerging Stars
When it comes to Armenian footballers, there is one name that stands out from everyone else. At the time of writing, only one other man has represented his country more times than Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The former Manchester United, Arsenal, and Roma midfielder is still playing club football at the top level for Inter in Italy, but retired from the international scene in 2022.
There is little sign of another player with the same level of ability coming through at the moment. The current captain, Kamo Hovhannisyan, is set to overtake Mkhitaryan’s cap tally in the coming months, but he would readily agree that he is not at the same level as the nation’s record goal-scorer.
There are some good, young players coming through the ranks and gaining experience at senior level, but there is still a lack of real star quality. And nations the size of Armenia need a standout player to have any chance of competing with the best.
Club Success
Although it has been a frustrating time for the national team, Armenia’s clubs have been doing better in European competitions. Yerevan remains the hotbed of Armenian football, with all the best teams based in the capital, and Ararat-Armenia will be flying the flag in the prestigious Champions League qualifying this summer, while Noah and Pyunik will be looking to progress in the third-tier Conference League.
The lack of success on the international stage has been disappointing in the last few years, but the fact that club sides are beginning to do well is encouraging. Noah became the first Armenian team to reach the Conference League phase last season, and a focus on building infrastructure and youth development by the governing body could pay its own rewards in the years to come.
Nations League Next Up
The upcoming June friendly games will be important, if only to regain some pride after some recent grueling qualification campaigns. But it is the 2026-27 Nations League that will be the next real test of where Armenia is in world football. Latvia, Montenegro, and Cyprus will all face Armenia before the end of the year.
Out of those three, only Montenegro is ranked higher by FIFA, so this is an excellent opportunity for Armenia to do well and win promotion to the second tier of teams in Europe. Group winners are automatically promoted, while the runner-up qualifies for a promotion playoff. A good performance in the Nations League might also prove beneficial when it comes to qualifying for major tournaments.
Figure 2 The Havakakan will hope to win as many points at home in the upcoming qualifying campaigns – Source: Pixabay
Qualification Campaigns
It is the European Championship and World Cup finals that are the ultimate goal for Armenia. Under the current format, Nations League standings can play a role in qualifying, while finishing at the top of the group would win automatic qualification. With the World Cup expanding to include 48 national teams this summer, there is more chance than ever to play at the top level.
Armenia has never qualified for either of these two prestigious tournaments, so head coach Yegishe Melikyan will be under no illusions about the difficulty of the tasks ahead. But with improvements at home, more young players coming through thanks to increased investment, and a good Nations League campaign, there can be hope for the future.
With so many people of Armenian descent spread across the world, there would be a ready-made fan base wherever future tournaments are held. It would be incredible for the Havakakan to finally qualify and put Armenia on the football map as well.
