The last international matches of the national teams took place in the fall of 2024. Since then, football fans have been fully immersed in the new European club competition format, rooting for "Noah" and enjoying European football. But now spring is taking over, and with it, international matches are returning. The Armenian national team is set for two crucial playoff matches against Georgia, which will determine who stays in League B of the Nations League and who moves down to League C.
Nations League: How It Works and Why It Matters
The Nations League was created to give weaker teams an extra chance to qualify for major international tournaments. A prime example is Georgia, which won its group in 2023, went through the playoffs, and secured a spot at Euro 2024. For Armenia, this path remains out of reach for now: in 2024, the team finished second in its group, earning a place in the playoffs.
The tournament is divided into four divisions: A, B, C, and D. The higher the division, the stronger the teams. Group winners get promoted, while the weakest teams get relegated. Georgia has already made this journey, rising to League B, and now it faces Armenia in a battle to retain its place in the league.
Some believe that staying in League C and trying to win it in the next cycle would be more beneficial for Armenia, but losing to a key rival for that reason is a questionable strategy. Moreover, in the next cycle, the qualification process through the Nations League will undergo significant changes, as we previously reported. More importantly, the focus should now be on developing tactical schemes and preparing for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers under the new head coach.
John van 't Schip – Armenia's New Coach
After the dismissal of Alexander Petrakov following a 0-2 defeat to North Macedonia, the football community speculated for a long time about who would take charge of the national team. It was only on February 17 that the FFA announced the appointment of Dutch specialist John van 't Schip.
The former Ajax and Genoa midfielder has worked as an assistant coach at Ajax and led the Greek national team (2019–2021). While he didn’t achieve major success there, his teams displayed organized football. Van 't Schip mainly uses the following formations:
- 4-3-3 (with two defensive midfielders)
- 4-2-3-1
- 5-2-3
Expectations for the new coach should not be too high, but fresh tactical ideas and smart squad management can help the national team move forward.
2026 World Cup Qualification: Armenia’s Group
Armenia has landed in a tough qualifying group, where every opponent is stronger and has experience in major tournaments. The group's top favorites are Portugal and Denmark. Hungary has been consistently strong and will be a difficult opponent, while Ireland, despite struggling in recent years, remains a solid team.
To reach the World Cup, the Armenian national team will have to give its all in every match. Even with a tough schedule, the dream of playing at the World Cup is still alive.
Upcoming Matches for Armenia
- March 20, 21:00 (Yerevan Time) – First match in Yerevan at the Republican Stadium
- March 23, 18:00 (Yerevan Time) – Second leg in Tbilisi at Dinamo Arena
Now we wait for these games and hope that Armenia will take a step forward!