FFA Approves Five New Regulations, Including Club Licensing and Stadium Requirements

The Executive Committee of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) has approved five updated regulations governing football club licensing, stadium requirements and the organization of competitions. In particular, clubs seeking a license must have at least nine youth teams, a women's team, qualified coaching staff and meet financial criteria.

The decision was made on October 30, 2026, and the federation published the approved documents on its official website on November 3.

The FFA Executive Committee approved the following regulations:

1. FFA Match Delegates Regulations (2026 edition).

2. FFA Stadium Infrastructure Regulations (2026 edition).

3. Club Licensing Regulations for UEFA Women's Club Competitions (2026 edition).

4. Regulations for Armenian Amateur Football Competitions for the 2026/27 season.

5. FFA Football Club Licensing Regulations (2026 edition).

What Requirements Must Football Clubs Meet?

According to the published 160-page club licensing regulations, the FFA issues two types of licenses: a national license, required to participate in the Armenian Premier League, and a UEFA license, which allows clubs to compete in European club competitions if they qualify through sporting results.

To obtain a national license, a club must meet the requirement of at least one season of participation in official competitions and FFA membership or the relevant contractual relationship. A three-year requirement applies to UEFA licensing, subject to certain exceptions.

At Least Nine Youth Teams

One of the key requirements is the existence of a well-developed youth football structure.

Each club must have at least nine youth teams, including:

• Four teams in age categories between 12 and 18.

• One team for children under the age of 12.

• Four additional teams in any age categories.

All these teams must participate in official competitions recognized by the FFA.

In addition, clubs must have a youth development program covering a period of three to seven years, with a defined budget, coaching staff and infrastructure.

Women's Football and Futsal Teams

Under Article 18 of the regulations, every club must have at least one women's football team competing in either the Armenian Women's Premier League or First League.

A separate provision also requires clubs to have at least one futsal team participating in official competitions organized under the FFA's authority.

However, the futsal team requirement falls under Category B. Failure to comply may result in disciplinary sanctions but does not, by itself, lead to the refusal of a license.

Requirements for Coaches and Club Personnel

The regulations also establish qualification requirements for clubs' coaching and administrative staff.

In particular:

• The first-team head coach must hold a valid UEFA Pro license or an equivalent qualification recognized by UEFA.

• The assistant head coach must hold at least a UEFA A license or its recognized equivalent.

• The head of youth development must hold a UEFA Pro license or an equivalent qualification.

• The first-team goalkeeping coach must hold a UEFA Goalkeeper A license or its recognized equivalent.

Clubs must also employ a chief executive officer, a qualified financial officer, a press officer, medical personnel, and staff responsible for security and match organization.

Additional qualification requirements apply to press officers, including relevant professional education or at least three years of professional experience in journalism or public relations, as well as completion of specialized FFA training.

Stadium and Training Facility Requirements

Clubs must have access to a stadium approved by the FFA for hosting official matches.

To obtain a UEFA license, the nominated stadium must meet at least UEFA Category 2 stadium requirements. Higher standards may apply to certain stages of European club competitions.

Owning a stadium is not mandatory. Clubs may use rented facilities provided they have a written agreement with the stadium owner.

The same principle applies to training infrastructure. Clubs must have access to training facilities throughout the year, including during both summer and winter.

The FFA's separate stadium infrastructure regulations establish the requirements for stadiums and the procedure for assigning them to different categories.

Financial Requirements and Outstanding Debts

A significant part of the regulations focuses on clubs' financial stability.

To obtain a license, clubs must submit annual financial statements audited by an independent auditor.

The regulations also establish the following conditions:

• A club's equity must be positive, or its equity position must have improved by at least 10% compared with the previous designated reporting period.

• Clubs must not have overdue transfer-related payables to other football clubs within the deadlines specified by the regulations.

• Clubs must confirm the absence of relevant overdue salary payments and other outstanding obligations to employees.

• Clubs must comply with requirements concerning obligations to tax and social authorities, as well as the FFA and UEFA.

In particular, the regulations use February 28 and March 31 as reference dates for assessing outstanding debts.

What Happens If a Club Fails to Meet the Requirements?

The regulations divide licensing criteria into two categories.

Category A includes requirements whose non-compliance may result in a license being refused.

Category B covers requirements whose violation may lead to disciplinary sanctions but does not, by itself, constitute grounds for refusing a license.

Therefore, having nine youth teams, a women's football team, the necessary infrastructure, qualified personnel and compliance with financial criteria is essential for obtaining a club license.

The new edition of the club licensing regulations entered into force on October 30, 2026.

All five documents are available on the official website of the Football Federation of Armenia.