FFA Approves Statute Changes That Could Clear the Way for Denis Djorkaeff to Become President

On November 4, members of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) voted overwhelmingly in favor of amendments to the organization's statutes at an extraordinary general assembly. The changes remove requirements concerning Armenian language proficiency and permanent residence in Armenia over the previous year for candidates seeking leadership positions.

A total of 29 federation members voted in favor of the amendments, while two voted against. The assembly was attended by 31 of the FFA's 34 members.

Under the approved amendments, candidates will no longer be required to speak Armenian or have permanently resided in Armenia for the past year. However, the requirements to hold Armenian citizenship and be at least 25 years old remain in place.

The rules for calculating terms of office in leadership positions have also been amended. Under the new provisions, serving less than two years will not count as a full term, while a period of two years or more will be counted as one term.

Changes Could Be Linked to Denis Djorkaeff's Potential Candidacy

Sportaran previously reported that the proposed amendments could pave the way for Denis Djorkaeff, a French figure of Armenian descent, to seek the FFA presidency. He is the elder brother of Youri Djorkaeff, who won the 1998 FIFA World Cup with France.

Armenian media outlets had previously reported on Djorkaeff's potential candidacy for the FFA presidency. Some reports also alleged that FIFA was promoting his candidacy through what was described as "political interference." However, these allegations have not been officially confirmed.

The approved amendments remove two potential obstacles to Djorkaeff's participation in the elections, but they do not mean that his candidacy has already been formally announced.

The elections for the president of the Football Federation of Armenia and members of its Executive Committee are scheduled for the second half of December 2026.

Ahead of the vote, the proposed amendments sparked disagreements within the Armenian football community. In particular, Ararat-Armenia opposed their adoption, while the FAF supporters' movement called for retaining the mandatory Armenian language proficiency requirement for candidates seeking leadership positions within the federation.