Artsakh national football team

Artsakh
Shirt badge/Association crest
AssociationArtsakh Football Association
ConfederationConIFA
Head coachSlavik Gabrielyan
Home stadiumStepanakert Republican Stadium, Stepanakert (formerly)
FIFA codeNKR (not official)
First colours
Second colours
First international
 Abkhazia 1–1 Nagorno-Karabakh 
(Sukhumi, Abkhazia; 25 September 2012)
Biggest win
 Nagorno-Karabakh 12–0 Darfur 
(Östersund, Sweden; 5 June 2014)
Biggest defeat
 Chameria 4–1 Artsakh 
(Martuni, Artsakh; 3 June 2019)
CONIFA World Football Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2014)
Best result9th
CONIFA European Football Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2019)
Best result5th

The Artsakh national football team (Armenian: Արցախի ֆուտբոլի հավաքական), until 2017 known as Nagorno-Karabakh national football team, was the national representative of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which was internationally unrecognized. Consequently, it was not a member of FIFA or UEFA and was therefore not eligible to enter the World Cup or the European Championship.

History

On 17 September 2012 they became a provisional member of the N.F.-Board and a week later played their first competitive match away against Abkhazia.[1] The following month they played the return match at home against Abkhazia.[2] Their first competitive competition was the ConIFA World Football Cup which took place in Östersund, Sweden. The Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan failed to stop their participating in the competition after contacting ConIFA. ConIFA refused to revoke their invitation and Artsakh finished 9th overall after losses to Ellan Vannin, Nice and wins against Darfur and Sapmi.[3]

In 2019, Artsakh came back to CONIFA competitions by organising the 2019 CONIFA European Football Cup, where they finished in the fifth position.

In 2023, Artsakh will compete in the 2024 CONIFA World Cup Qualification. They were drawn in Group D with Abkhazia. Their match was originally to be scheduled on 10 July 2023. But the match was delayed by CONIFA to a later date. It was eventually cancelled due to rising tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan due to the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh. On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive against Artsakh, the government surrendered and announced the dissolution of all government institutions by the end of 2023. It's currently unknown if the team will regroup in Armenia.

International record

At CONIFA World Football Cup

Year Position GP W D L GF GA
Sápmi 2014 9th 4 2 0 2 19 5
Abkhazia 2016 did not participate
Ogaden 2018
Kurdistan Region 2024
Total 4 2 0 2 19 5

At CONIFA European Football Cup

Year Position GP W D L GF GA
Székely Land 2015 did not enter
Northern Cyprus 2017
Republic of Artsakh 2019 5th 5 3 1 1 9 8
County of Nice 2021 qualified
Total 5 3 1 1 9 8

Current squad

The following 23 players were called up to the squad for the 2019 CONIFA European Football Cup.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Erik Khachatryan (1998-01-05)5 January 1998 (aged 21)
2 4FW Marat Karapetyan (1991-05-17)17 May 1991 (aged 28)
3 2DF Artur Abrahamyan (1997-05-02)2 May 1997 (aged 22)
4 2DF Armen Abrahamyan (1997-08-25)25 August 1997 (aged 21)
5 2DF Gevorg Poghosyan (1986-08-26)26 August 1986 (aged 32) Free agent
6 2DF Aram Kostandyan (1989-06-20)20 June 1989 (aged 29)
7 3MF Gor Poghosyan (1988-06-11)11 June 1988 (aged 30) Armenia FC Ararat Yerevan
8 3MF Mher Mkrtumyan (1986-07-03)3 July 1986 (aged 32)
9 4FW Levon Grigoryan (1989-09-23)23 September 1989 (aged 29)
10 3MF Arsen Sargsyan (1983-03-08)8 March 1983 (aged 36)
11 4FW Karen Shakhkeldyan (1993-11-08)8 November 1993 (aged 25) Free agent
12 1GK Sergey Asryan (1993-01-02)2 January 1993 (aged 26)
13 3MF Tigran Hambardzumyan (1997-04-02)2 April 1997 (aged 22)
14 3MF Khoren Veranyan (1985-09-04)4 September 1985 (aged 33) Armenia Shirak SC
15 3MF Dmitri Malyaka (1990-01-15)15 January 1990 (aged 29) Free agent
16 2DF Orbeli Hambardzumyan (1996-03-26)26 March 1996 (aged 23) Armenia FC Ararat Yerevan
17 2DF Vadim Hayriyan (1997-04-06)6 April 1997 (aged 22) Armenia Artsakh FC
18 3MF Artyom Gevorkyan (1993-05-21)21 May 1993 (aged 26) Armenia Shirak SC
19 3MF Narek Danielyan (1990-09-23)23 September 1990 (aged 28)
20 4FW Norik Mkrtchyan (1997-03-09)9 March 1997 (aged 22) Free agent
21 2DF Davit Harutyunyan (1994-12-14)14 December 1994 (aged 24) Free agent
22 1GK Stepan Ghazaryan (1985-01-11)11 January 1985 (aged 34) Armenia FC Banants
23 4FW Davit Ghandilyan (1993-06-04)4 June 1993 (aged 25) Armenia Shirak SC

Matches played

25 September 2012 Friendly Abkhazia  1–1  Nagorno-Karabakh Abkhazia Sukhumi
Gublia 75' Report Barikyan 80' Stadium: Republican Stadium
Referee: Serhiy Streletskyi (Ukraine)
21 October 2012 Friendly Nagorno-Karabakh  3–0  Abkhazia Republic of Artsakh Stepanakert
Report Stadium: Stepanakert Republican Stadium
1 June 2014 2014 ConIFA WC GS Ellan Vannin Isle of Man 3–2  Nagorno-Karabakh Sápmi Östersund
19:00 McNulty 41'
Antony Moore 88'
Frank Jones 90'		 Manasyan 27', 31' Stadium: Jämtkraft Arena
3 June 2014 2014 ConIFA WC GS Nagorno-Karabakh  0–1  County of Nice Sápmi Östersund
19:00 Sborgni 7' Stadium: Jämtkraft Arena
5 June 2014 2014 ConIFA WC PR1 Darfur  0–12  Nagorno-Karabakh Sápmi Östersund
13:00 Nranyan 7', 24', 45', 75'
Gyozalyan 22', 39', 54', 74'
Grigoryan 33', 42'
Karapetyan 69'
Bareghamyan 90+2'		 Stadium: Jämtkraft Arena
7 June 2014 2014 ConIFA WC PR2 Sápmi  1–5  Nagorno-Karabakh Sápmi Östersund
13:00 Ivar Ring 68' Poghosyan 30', 83'
Manasyan 32', 52'
Petrosyan 64'		 Stadium: Jämtkraft Arena
2 June 2019 2019 ConIFA EC GS Artsakh  3–2  Sápmi Republic of Artsakh Stepanakert
16:00 Mkrtchyan 3'
Sargsyan 43'
Malyaka 82'		 Report Zakrisson 24'
Edvardsen 83'		 Stadium: Stepanakert Republican Stadium
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Dmitrii Zhukov
4 June 2019 2019 ConIFA EC GS Chameria  4–1  Artsakh Republic of Artsakh Martuni
18:00 Çema 58', 90+3'
Mziu 85'
Gjoka 90+5'		 Report Sargsyan 83' Stadium: Avakyan Arena
Attendance: 1,080
Referee: Ivan rkalj
4 June 2019 2019 ConIFA EC GS Artsakh  1–1  Abkhazia Republic of Artsakh Martuni
18:00 Mkrtchyan 33' Report Logua 8' Stadium: Avakyan Arena
Attendance: 1,080
Referee: Dmitrii Zhukov
6 June 2019 2019 ConIFA EC PR1 Artsakh  2–1  Székely Land Republic of Artsakh Martuni
17:00 Sargsyan 76' (pen.)
Danielyan 90+4'		 Report Vékás 62' Stadium: Avakyan Arena
Attendance: 1,080
Referee: Dmitrii Zhukov
8 June 2019 2019 ConIFA EC PR2 Padania  0–2  Artsakh Republic of Artsakh Stepanakert
11:00 Sargsyan 58'
Malyaka 90+6'		 Stadium: Stepanakert Republican Stadium
Attendance: 4,400
Referee: Ivan Mrkalj

References

  1. ^ "Footballminor". footballminor.blogspot.it. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Artsakh Soccer Team Beats Abkhazia 3-0 - Asbarez.com". asbarez.com. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Response to AFFA statement - Conifa World football". www.conifa.org. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

See also