Noah sets new benchmark for Armenian football in Conference League campaign | UEFA Conference League

After successfully completing all four qualifying rounds to reach the first stage of the competition, the representatives of FC Noah would have noted with particular joy one match from the draw of the UEFA Conference League 2024/25.

A trip to Stamford Bridge to take on two-time UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea is the next step for the Armenian team on their European journey, which has already included a setback against AEK Athens in qualifying and a win against Czech side Mladá Boleslav in their opening includes. competition match in Yerevan.

For Noah’s owner Vardges Vardanyan and development director Anna Ohanyan, the match against Chelsea is just the last chance to make the most of competing in one of Europe’s most prestigious club competitions.

In addition to taking advantage of the learning opportunities that come from playing against Conference League clubs, there is also a desire to set a new benchmark for football in Armenia.

Rising standards at Noah

Noah’s participation in the Conference League has contributed to a dramatic rise in standards at the club.

“It has been a very interesting experience for us, as a young football club (Noah was founded in 2017), to organize matches that meet UEFA standards,” Ohanyan explains.

“We are learning not only from UEFA standards, but also from the smaller and larger clubs we interact with on our journey, who have been through all these processes before.”

Participating in the UEFA competition also offers Noah the opportunity to involve more fans in domestic football in Armenia.

“People seem to be interested in club football only when there are significant achievements; otherwise it plays no role in people’s daily lives,” Ohanyan said. “It’s important to make club football part of their everyday conversations. We aim to fill stadiums and make matches more interesting for the community.”

Defender Sergey Muradyan believes that the upcoming match against Chelsea could generate the necessary interest in Armenian football. “Chelsea are the biggest club in the Conference League,” he said. “It will be interesting for our fans. I think everyone in Armenia will see this match.”

Plans for the future

With football in Armenia on the rise, Vardanyan is determined to take advantage by improving infrastructure.

“There are a lot of investment and construction planning going on at the club,” Vardanyan said. “We are trying to create a fully equipped, state-of-the-art, world-class training ground. At the same time, significant work is being done to build a 20,000-seat stadium that meets UEFA Category 4 stadium standards.

“This would allow us to host all kinds of matches from all competitions. This is a big part of our dreams. We hope that one day we can all enjoy that stadium.”

However Noah fares against Chelsea or their other Conference League opponents this season, their European journey will leave a legacy of rising standards, increased interest in domestic football and potential investment in football infrastructure in Armenia.