Armenian Football Federation Plans Statute Changes That Could Pave the Way for Denis Djorkaeff to Become President

The Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) is preparing significant amendments to its statutes ahead of the upcoming leadership elections. A total of 29 out of the federation's 34 members have proposed convening an Extraordinary Assembly. The proposed changes would remove several eligibility requirements for candidates seeking membership on the FFA Executive Committee, potentially opening the door for Denis Djorkaeff to take a leading role in Armenian football.

According to the FFA's press service, the request was submitted on October 16 under Articles 34 and 35 of the federation's statutes. The main purpose of the Extraordinary Assembly is to consider proposed amendments and additions to the existing regulations.

What Changes Are Being Proposed to the FFA Statutes?

The first amendment concerns Article 31, which establishes eligibility requirements for candidates seeking election to the federation's Executive Committee.

Under the current regulations, candidates must, among other conditions, have permanently resided in Armenia for the previous year and possess proficiency in the Armenian language.

The proposed amendment would completely remove both requirements. However, two other conditions would remain in place: candidates must hold Armenian citizenship and be at least 25 years old.

If approved, these changes would allow Armenian citizens living permanently abroad, including those who do not speak Armenian, to become members of the Executive Committee.

The second amendment concerns Article 38 and the rules for calculating terms of office for senior officials.

Under the existing statutes, even if an individual has held a particular position for only a few months, that period counts as one full four-year term.

The proposed revision introduces a different approach:

• If an individual has held office for less than two years, that period will not count as a full term.

• If the period of service is two years or longer, it will count as one full term.

Could the Amendments Be Linked to Denis Djorkaeff's Potential Candidacy?

The proposal to remove the Armenian-language requirement and the obligation to reside permanently in Armenia has attracted particular attention.

Sportaran previously reported that Denis Djorkaeff, a French public figure of Armenian descent and the older brother of 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Youri Djorkaeff, is among the potential candidates for the presidency of the Football Federation of Armenia.

On October 8, the Armenian newspaper Hraparak reported that Djorkaeff was being considered as a possible successor to current FFA president Armen Melikbekyan.

The publication also noted that one of the obstacles facing Djorkaeff was his lack of proficiency in Armenian.

Now, federation members are proposing to eliminate precisely that requirement, along with the obligation to have permanently resided in Armenia during the previous year.

The proposed amendments could therefore remove two potential obstacles to Djorkaeff's involvement in the FFA's leadership. The timing and substance of these changes, alongside earlier reports about his possible appointment, have attracted attention. However, there has been no official confirmation that the proposed amendments are directly linked to Djorkaeff's potential candidacy.

It is also important to note that the proposed changes specifically concern candidates for the Executive Committee. Their approval would not automatically make Djorkaeff eligible to run for FFA president, as he would still need to satisfy all requirements established for that position.

Denis Djorkaeff serves as Armenia's honorary consul in France and as deputy mayor of the French city of Décines-Charpieu. He has also previously worked as an adviser to the FFA president.

The upcoming elections for the leadership of the Football Federation of Armenia are expected to take place in December 2026. Current president Armen Melikbekyan previously announced that he does not intend to seek another term.

The FFA has stated that further details regarding the procedure for convening the Extraordinary Assembly, including its date, will be announced later.

For now, the amendments remain proposals, and no final decision on their adoption has been made.