Renovated Armenian venue ready for action
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
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The Armavir City Stadium has undergone impressive upgrade work thanks in part to financial support from UEFA.
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Armenia has a new top-level football facility following the renovation of the Armavir City Stadium, in the west of the country.
Originally opened in 1980 when Armenia was part of the USSR, the stadium had been closed since 2016. Upgrade work, a key part of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) strategy, which had begun in 2017 but had been paused due to technical issues, was finally completed in late 2021.
The renovated stadium has 3,300 seats, as well as a brand-new artificial training surface, and will host national youth team matches as well as providing a high-level facility for local professional and amateur clubs to train and play.
UEFA's financial input came via the UEFA Nations League Support Programme, which assists the development of stadia and infrastructure for some of UEFA's smaller member national associations.
Thierry Favre, UEFA chief of national associations
"This is an important moment for football in Armenia and we are pleased that through the Nations League Support programme, UEFA is able to contribute to the development of the game. This is the first in a series of upgrades across Armenia with others planned in Vanazdor and Abovyan, meaning both elite and grassroots players across the country will have the opportunity to benefit from brand-new, high-quality facilities."
Armen Melikbekyan, FFA president
"The redesign of the Armavir City Stadium will allow us to host national youth team matches in the city, as well as a number of youth competitions and we will also be offering the facility to a local professional club.
"This is the first of three important stadium projects for the FFA over the coming months, with venues in Vanadzor and Abovyan also planned, with a capacity of more than 3,000 spectators."
David Khudatyan, mayor of Armavir city
"I am happy that after a break of around 20 years, football is returning to Armavir, with such a quality infrastructure and I am sure our population will benefit a lot from it.
"Armavir, even without having a stadium, was already a football city, as our youth teams had registered great results in different age categories at a national level, and today our children needed this facility. Hopefully we will be able to celebrate many more achievements."
Fast-growing football nation
Armenia are one of the success stories of the UEFA Nations League. Having begun the inaugural 2018/19 edition of the competition in League D, they have earnt successive promotions and will compete in League B during the 2022/23 competition.
At December's draw, they were paired against Ukraine, Scotland and Republic of Ireland. Group-stage fixtures kick off in June.