Artsakh national football team

Artsakh
2012–2019
Association	Artsakh Football Association
Confederation	ConIFA
Head coach	Slavik Gabrielyan
Home stadium	Stepanakert Republican Stadium, Stepanakert (formerly)
FIFA code	NKR (not official)
First colours	Second colours
First international
	Abkhazia 1–1 Nagorno-Karabakh ; (Sukhumi, Abkhazia; 25 September 2012)
Last international
	Padania 0–2 Artsakh ; (Stepanakert, Artsakh; 8 June 2019)
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
Appearances	1 (first in 2014)
Best result	9th
CONIFA European Football Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2019)
Best result	5th

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[edit]

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 again. However, Artsakh remains a listed member of CONIFA and was listed as an active member at the 2024 AGM.^[4]

International record[edit]

At CONIFA World Football Cup[edit]

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

At CONIFA European Football Cup[edit]

Year	Position	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA
2015	did not enter
2017	did not enter
2019	5th	5	3	1	1	9	8
2021	qualified
Total		5	3	1	1	9	8

Current squad[edit]

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

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	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)	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)	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)	FC Ararat Yerevan
17	2DF	Vadim Hayriyan	(1997-04-06)6 April 1997 (aged 22)	Artsakh FC
18	3MF	Artyom Gevorkyan	(1993-05-21)21 May 1993 (aged 26)	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)	FC Banants
23	4FW	Davit Ghandilyan	(1993-06-04)4 June 1993 (aged 25)	Shirak SC

Matches played[edit]

25 September 2012 Friendly	Abkhazia	1–1	Nagorno-Karabakh	Sukhumi
	Gublia 75'	Report	Barikyan 80'	Stadium: Republican Stadium Referee: Serhiy Streletskyi (Ukraine)

21 October 2012 Friendly	Nagorno-Karabakh	3–0	Abkhazia	Stepanakert
		Report		Stadium: Stepanakert Republican Stadium

1 June 2014 2014 ConIFA WC GS	Ellan Vannin	3–2	Nagorno-Karabakh	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	Östersund
19:00			Sborgni 7'	Stadium: Jämtkraft Arena

5 June 2014 2014 ConIFA WC PR1	Darfur	0–12	Nagorno-Karabakh	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	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	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	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	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	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	Stepanakert
11:00			Sargsyan 58' Malyaka 90+6'	Stadium: Stepanakert Republican Stadium Attendance: 4,400 Referee: Ivan Mrkalj

References[edit]

^ "Footballminor". footballminor.blogspot.it. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
^ "Artsakh Soccer Team Beats Abkhazia 3-0 - Asbarez.com". asbarez.com. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
^ "Response to AFFA statement - Conifa World football". www.conifa.org. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
^ https://twitter.com/unrecognizedpod/status/1762577797011083571

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