On April 28 at 12:00, an important meeting with club representatives will take place at the office of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA). The agenda will include discussions on proposals for changing the format of the Armenian Premier League. Among other issues, one of the key topics will be the discussion of the legionnaire limit, which has been actively debated among clubs and has sparked diverse opinions.
Currently, the Armenian championship has a rule that requires at least 3 Armenian players on the field. However, as shown by the responses of clubs to the FFA's proposal, many of them suggest either tightening the limit or, conversely, loosening it, citing various economic and sports realities.
For Tightening the Limit
Some clubs support the idea of tightening the legionnaire limit. As of now, only three clubs have expressed support for stricter requirements regarding the number of Armenian players on the field:
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FC Urartu proposes tightening the limit to 4 Armenian players on the field. The club clarifies that players with only Armenian citizenship should not be considered legionnaires, nor should those with dual citizenship who chose to play for the Armenian national team. The proposal also includes a rule that players who have spent at least 36 months in the Armenian club system between the ages of 15 and 21 should not be considered legionnaires.
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FC Syunik also supports tightening the limit, proposing that 5 Armenian players be on the field simultaneously, with a mandatory condition of at least 11 Armenian players on the roster for the season.
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FC Pyunik proposes a gradual introduction of changes. They suggest starting with 4 Armenian players on the field in the 2025/2026 season and gradually increasing this number to 5 by the 2027/2028 season. One of the important conditions is that one of these players should be under 23 years old, and another should be under 22 years old.
For Maintaining or Loosening the Limit
However, most clubs oppose radical changes and support either maintaining the current limit or loosening it:
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FC Ararat-Armenia does not support tightening the limit and proposes keeping the current practice but with the addition of a mandatory condition that one of the Armenian players be under 23 years old. The club believes that the country still lacks sufficiently qualified local players, and any strict restrictions could negatively affect the competitiveness of the championship.
"Perhaps in 5 years, when a new generation of players is formed, it will be appropriate to discuss the issue of gradually increasing the number of players trained in Armenia or playing for national teams on the field."
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FC Noah opposes any legionnaire limits altogether. They propose gradual tightening only if there are enough quality local players in the country. They believe that strict restrictions in the current conditions will lead to a decrease in the level of play in the league and a drop in interest from fans, as well as poor results from clubs in European competitions.
"In our opinion, tightening the limit will lead to a decrease in the overall level of football in the league, which will result in a decrease in interest from football fans towards the Armenian Premier League, as well as reduced competitiveness for clubs in European competitions. Even now, the interest in the Armenian Premier League is so low that we believe this change will further reduce interest from football fans. The football policy followed in the last 30 years does not provide enough grounds for such a radical decision. This decision should have been preceded by a long-term effective strategy, institutional reforms, and infrastructure programs."
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FC Gandzasar proposes to keep the current limit — 3 Armenian players on the field, but supports strict limitations on legionnaires in the First League, suggesting a limit of 5 foreign players on the field.
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FC Van and FC West Armenia have stated that they consider it right to leave the legionnaire limit unchanged.
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FC Ararat proposes loosening the limit to 2 Armenian players on the field, reflecting their position on the need to ease the requirements.
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FC Alashkert has not commented on the changes to the limit, and FC Shirak declined to participate in the discussions and did not send their proposals.
Conclusion
Clearly, the issue of the legionnaire limit in Armenia is complex and multifaceted, with each club seeing both opportunities and risks. While some clubs believe that stricter requirements will help develop local players, others are concerned that such changes could weaken the level of the championship and reduce interest from spectators and sponsors. The answer to this issue will likely depend on the further development of football infrastructure in Armenia and the preparation of local players.