Ararat-Armenia FC Ararat-Armenia is one of the youngest clubs to have established a significant position in Armenian football in such a short period. Its history began in 2017, when FC Avan Academy was founded in Yerevan, using a group of young players connected with the capital's football academy and FC Pyunik. In 2018, the club was taken over by businessman Samvel Karapetyan, and after gaining promotion to the top division it adopted the name Ararat-Armenia.
The club made an immediate impact in the Armenian Premier League. In the 2018/19 season, Ararat-Armenia won the national championship just one year after promotion. The team did not stop there: in 2019/20, it finished first again. Ararat-Armenia therefore won two Armenian league titles during its first two seasons in the top flight.
The 2019/20 Armenian Cup campaign was also significant. Ararat-Armenia reached the final for the first time, facing Noah. The match on 10 July 2020 ended in an extraordinary 5โ5 draw after extra time, with Noah eventually winning the penalty shootout 7โ6. Ararat-Armenia therefore does not have the Armenian Cup in its trophy cabinet, although the final remains one of the most memorable matches in the club's short history.
Ararat-Armenia's rapid domestic rise was soon followed by European competition. The club made its Champions League qualifying debut in 2019, and went on to enjoy a strong Europa League campaign in the same season. After losing to AIK in Champions League qualifying, Ararat-Armenia entered the Europa League, where it eliminated Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar by winning both matches and the tie 4โ1 on aggregate. The Armenian side then reached the play-off round, where it was eliminated by Dudelange. This remains one of the most significant European campaigns in the club's history.
In subsequent seasons, Ararat-Armenia became a regular participant in European qualifying rounds. A notable success came against Universitatea Cluj in the 2025/26 Conference League. After a goalless home draw, Ararat-Armenia won 2โ1 after extra time in Romania to advance to the third qualifying round. The club was then eliminated by Sparta Prague, losing 6โ2 on aggregate.
One of the important figures during the club's early successes was coach Vardan Minasyan, who led the team during the 2019/20 championship season. Ararat-Armenia has also relied on players with experience in various European leagues, giving the squad an international character. The club plays its home matches in Yerevan, including at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, one of Armenia's most important football venues.
The history of Ararat-Armenia is a story of exceptionally rapid development. From its foundation in 2017, through a change of name and promotion to the top division, the club needed only two seasons to win the Armenian championship twice. Although its domestic history is much shorter than that of Armenia's traditional powers, regular participation in European qualifying rounds has quickly made Ararat-Armenia one of the recognisable clubs of modern Armenian football.
