Armenia Earns First Victory at Amerigol LATAM Cup 2026

Armenia HC, the men’s team representing the Armenian diaspora, has earned its first victory at the Amerigol LATAM Cup 2026 in Florida. After suffering two defeats at the start of the tournament, the Armenian side produced a dominant performance against Mexico, with an official score of 8–2 recorded in the game sheet.

The tournament had begun on a difficult note for Armenia HC. The Armenians lost their opening game 1–6 to Cuba before falling just short in a closely contested 4–5 defeat against Colombia. In their third game, however, they finally secured a victory and gave Mexico very little opportunity to challenge them.

Armenia HC controlled the game against Mexico from start to finish and outshot its opponent by more than three and a half times, 55–15. All of the goals were scored during the first two periods, meaning the final 20 minutes could no longer affect the outcome of the contest.

Under the Amerigol LATAM Cup group-stage regulations, the maximum goal differential recorded in the official game sheet is six goals. As a result, the final official score of the Armenia–Mexico game was registered as 8–2.

The tournament has also been difficult for Mexico. In its opening game of the men’s Division I competition, the Mexican team suffered a 3–9 defeat against Colombia.

Cuba currently appears to be one of the main contenders for the title. Coached by former NHL defenseman and Stanley Cup champion Steven Kampfer, the Cuban national team opened its campaign with a convincing 6–1 victory over Armenia. Colombia has also demonstrated serious ambitions, having already defeated both Mexico and Armenia.

Following the first day of competition, the results in men’s Division I included Colombia’s 9–3 victory over Mexico, Argentina’s 7–3 win against Central America and Cuba’s 6–1 success against Armenia.

The playoffs are still ahead, meaning the balance of power can change as the tournament progresses. Among the upcoming games to watch are Colombia against Argentina and Central America against Cuba.

Armenian Juniors Have Already Won Gold

The Armenian delegation has already celebrated a championship at the LATAM Cup 2026. Earlier in the tournament, the Ararat team representing Armenia captured the title in one of the youth divisions.

The roster was composed mainly of players from the Armenian diaspora living in the United States. It was also Armenia’s first appearance with a team in this age category.

The debut could hardly have gone better. During the group stage, the Armenian youngsters defeated the Philippines 5–0, Venezuela 9–3 and Mexico 6–0.

Ararat then defeated the Caribbean team 7–3 in the semifinal before meeting Venezuela again in the championship game. Armenia produced another high-scoring performance in the final, winning 12–6.

The Armenian youth team therefore completed the entire tournament without a defeat and secured the Amerigol LATAM Cup 2026 gold medal.

More Than 1,500 Hockey Players in Florida

The Amerigol LATAM Cup 2026 is being held in Florida from August 1 through August 9. The competition takes place outside the International Ice Hockey Federation system and traditionally brings together national teams, diaspora-based teams and hockey programs representing countries where the sport continues to develop.

This year’s tournament features 68 teams representing more than 25 countries. More than 1,500 players are expected to participate, with approximately 150 games scheduled throughout the event.

Games are being played at the Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs and the Palm Beach Skate Zone in Wellington. The tournament includes three men’s divisions, a 35+ veterans competition, two women’s divisions and youth categories at the U12, U14, U16 and U18 levels.

The 2026 edition also features para ice hockey exhibitions, a skills competition and an All-Star Game.

The LATAM Cup traces its history back to 2014 and has been held in the United States since 2018. The event receives support from the National Hockey League and the NHL Players’ Association.

A number of prominent figures from North American hockey are involved with teams at this year’s tournament. Two-time Stanley Cup champion Scott Gomez is working as a consultant with Colombia, former NHL goaltender Al Montoya is coaching Cuba’s U12 team, while Steven Kampfer is in charge of Cuba’s senior men’s national team.

For Armenia HC, the 2026 tournament also carries additional motivation. In the previous edition, the team reached the final but suffered a 1–6 defeat against Puerto Rico.

The Armenian side is now looking to return to the decisive stages of the competition. After a difficult start to this year’s campaign, the victory over Mexico represents an important first step toward that goal.