FC Noah use Conference League participation to boost football in Armenia

With the introduction of the UEFA Conference League in 2021 came the opportunity for more clubs across the continent to qualify for European football. And that approach is paying off: more teams are reaching the league phase, more nations are represented and the ripple effects are clear in places like Armenia.

The moment of opportunity arrived in 2024 for FC Noah, a relatively young club based in Vagharshapat. After finishing runners-up in the Armenian Premier League, their first taste of European competition took them from the Conference League first qualifying round all the way to the league phase and Stamford Bridge, where they faced former Champions League winners Chelsea in a landmark game in Armenian football history.

An inspired Noah went on to win the Armenian Premier League in 2025, and history was made again in July, when Noah played their first-ever fixture in the UEFA Champions League. Three thousand fans showed up to watch Noah – one of the competition's lowest-seeded teams – defeat Budućnost Podgorica in the first qualifying round to set off on a journey that eventually secured a spot in the Conference League for the second straight season.

Noah are playing in the Conference League for a second straight season in 2025/26UEFA via Getty Images

Investing in Armenian football

Noah earned a total €4.8m from their 2024/2025 Conference League campaign thanks to participation payments and results-based bonuses and the funds are being reinvested into improving football opportunities in their area.

Grounds experts have been flown in from Qatar to optimise the turf on their training ground and a new clubhouse is under construction which will provide everything that players need to be at their best, from saunas and locker rooms to recreational areas and offices.

Next door, a 23-acre site has been designated for a planned all-seater stadium that will have a capacity from 15,000 to 20,000 as Noah look to use the platform provided by the rewards of UEFA club competition to build a better future.

"Our club's aspirations are the development of Armenian football," said Gor Manvelyan, an Armenian international midfielder whose football career began in France before the ambition of Noah drew him back to his home country.

"Its ambitions are much broader. It was very important for us to showcase what we are doing to European spectators in the Conference League. This also gave Armenian fans hope, which is very important. It gave Armenian supporters confidence that everything really can be better in Armenian football."

Inspiring the next generation

As well as prize money, the Conference League offers teams from less established football nations the opportunity to play on the biggest stage. In their 2024/25 campaign, Noah's progress to the league phase promoted Armenian football at large as success in European competitions contributes to the nation's UEFA coefficient ranking, giving a boost to all Armenian clubs.

Club president Vardges Vardanyan, who has owned Noah since 2023, strongly believes in the mandate to make a positive impact on the local game: "Our biggest vision is to develop youth football. Preparing the right talent is the most important thing. Noah must achieve success so that football becomes a reason for celebration in our country.

"If children and teenagers are inspired by Noah's success, they will approach the game with great energy. I have always loved football. It's a sport that unites everyone, and I truly want Noah to succeed and for many people to come together around it."