Ararat-Armenia learn their opponent in the first round of the Champions League
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Armenian champions Ararat-Armenia have learned their opponent in the first qualifying round of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League. Following the draw, the Armenian club will face Latvian side Riga FC.
The first leg of the tie will be played in Yerevan. The first qualifying round matches of the Champions League are scheduled for July 7/8, with the return legs set for July 14/15.
The draw was not an easy one for Ararat-Armenia. The group of possible opponents also included clubs from Gibraltar, Wales, Northern Ireland and Estonia, but the Armenian champions were handed arguably the strongest and most valuable team on the list. Riga FC are valued at €13.7 million, while Ararat-Armenia’s squad is valued at €6.5 million.
The possible opponents were:
Shamrock Rovers — Ireland
KuPS — Finland
Lincoln Red Imps — Gibraltar
Riga FC — Latvia
Flora — Estonia
Larne — Northern Ireland
The New Saints — Wales
At the same time, the draw can hardly be called favorable for Riga FC either. Ararat-Armenia were also one of the most serious possible opponents for the Latvian club.
Last season, Riga reached the play-off round of the UEFA Conference League qualifiers, where they lost to Sparta Prague. The Latvian side were beaten 2-0 in the first leg but managed to win the return match 1-0, putting up a serious fight against their opponent.
For Ararat-Armenia, this will be their first European challenge after winning the Armenian championship. The winner of the tie will continue in the next round of Champions League qualifying, while the losing side will drop into the second qualifying round of the Conference League.
Results of the 2026/27 Champions League first qualifying round draw
- Sabah FC (Azerbaijan) — The New Saints FC (Wales)
- Floriana FC (Malta) — Shamrock Rovers FC (Ireland)
- FC Flora Tallinn (Estonia) — FC Iberia 1999 Tbilisi (Georgia)
- Lincoln Red Imps FC (Gibraltar) — Inter Club d’Escaldes (Andorra)
- S.S. Tre Fiori F.C. (San Marino) — Larne FC (Northern Ireland)
- FC Ararat-Armenia (Armenia) — Riga FC (Latvia)
- FC Vardar (North Macedonia) — KuPS Kuopio (Finland)
- FK Kauno Žalgiris (Lithuania) — FC Drita (Kosovo)
- ML Vitebsk (Belarus) — Universitatea Craiova (Romania)
- FC Petrocub (Moldova) — KF Egnatia (Albania)
- FK Borac (Bosnia and Herzegovina) — PFC Levski Sofia (Bulgaria)
- Víkingur Reykjavík (Iceland) — ETO FC Győr (Hungary)
- FC Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan) — FK Sutjeska Nikšić (Montenegro)
- KÍ Klaksvík (Faroe Islands) — FC Atert Bissen (Luxembourg)
The draw for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League will also take place today, with Pyunik and Alashkert set to learn their opponents. The draws for the second qualifying rounds will be held on June 17.