22 Armenian footballers featured for domestic clubs in their opening European matches

Armenian clubs made a successful start to the 2026/27 European campaign. Ararat-Armenia, Alashkert and Pyunik all avoided defeat in their opening matches, with a total of 22 Armenian footballers taking to the field for the three teams.

Ararat-Armenia defeated Latvian side Riga 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League qualifying tie. Six Armenian players started the match: Kamo Hovhannisyan, Julio Bueno, Edgar Grigoryan, Karen Muradyan, Zhirayr Shaghoyan and Artur Serobyan. Armen Hambardzumyan came on as a substitute.

Edgar Grigoryan also registered an assist.

Five Armenian footballers started for Alashkert in their 1-1 draw against Kazakhstan’s Yelimay: Arsen Beglaryan, Arsen Sadoyan, Edgar Piloyan, Karen Nalbandyan and Robert Hakobyan. David Terteryan and Hakob Hakobyan came off the bench.

Terteryan scored the Yerevan club’s equaliser, with Nalbandyan providing the assist.

Pyunik fielded the highest number of Armenian players in their 3-0 away victory over Maltese side Marsaxlokk. Henry Avagyan, Artak Dashyan, Hovhannes Harutyunyan and Karlen Hovhannisyan were named in the starting line-up. Gevorg Tarakhchyan, Robert Darbinyan, Edgar Malakyan and Erik Simonyan entered the game as substitutes.

Artak Dashyan scored one of Pyunik’s three goals.

Overall, 22 Armenian footballers featured for the three Armenian clubs in their opening European matches. Fifteen of them started, while another seven came off the bench. Two players scored goals and two others provided assists.

Defender Hayk Musakhanyan also started for Belarusian club BATE in European competition. Armenia international midfielder Edgar Sevikyan remained an unused substitute for Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

Armenian clubs’ results

Ararat-Armenia 2-0 Riga

Alashkert 1-1 Yelimay

Marsaxlokk 0-3 Pyunik

These results added 0.625 points to Armenia’s total in the UEFA association coefficient rankings.