Who are FC Noah? Armenian football club taking on Chelsea in Uefa Conference League match

FC NOAH is an Armenian team that has recently made waves in European football.

Here’s everything you need to know about the aspirational club, who are taking on Chelsea in the Europa Conference League.

Who Are FC Noah?

Founded in 2017 as FC Artsakh, the team was originally based in Stepanakert, Artsakh, Armenia.

The club relocated to Armavir and was rebranded as FC Noah in 2019, drawing inspiration from biblical figure Noah.

Its name references the story of Noah’s Ark, which is said to have come to rest on the Mountains of Ararat, traditionally identified with Mount Ararat in Armenia.

Rise to prominence

The team’s rise to prominence has been meteoric — they finished second in the Armenian First League in their inaugural 2017-18 season, earning promotion to the Armenian Premier League.

Despite a disappointing 8th-place finish in their first top-flight season, the club’s fortunes changed dramatically following a change of ownership and the rebranding in 2019.

Noah’s first major trophy came in the 2019-20 season, when they won the Armenian Cup, defeating Ararat-Armenia on penalties.

This marked the beginning of their European journey, as it meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League for the first time.

They were knocked out in the first qualifying round in the 2021-22 season, losing 5-1 on aggregate to Finish club Kuopion Palloseura.

The side finished second in the Armenian Premier League in 2023-24, meaning they qualified for Europe’s third-tier tournament once again.

Making history

The 2024-25 season has been a landmark year for FC Noah.

They made history by becoming the first club in history to enter the Conference League qualifiers in the first round and successfully navigate all four rounds.

Their impressive run included victories over Shkëndija, Sliema Wanderers and Greek powerhouse AEK Athens, before a nail-biting 4-3 aggregate win against Ružomberok in the play-off round.

They continued their hot streak run into match-day one of the competition on October 3, 2024, beating Czech First League outfit FK Mladá Boleslav 2-0 at Armavir City Stadium, their home ground.

Key players

Currently managed by Rui Mota, Noah boasts a diverse squad filled with both local talent and players from around the world.

Key players include Gonçalo Gregório from Portugal and Brazilian Matheus Aiás in attack.

In midfield there’s Gustavo Sangaré from Burkina Faso and local lad Gor Manvelyan.

The side boasts experienced defenders in Hovhannes Hambardzumyan from Armenia, as well as the Icelandic left-back Guðmundur Þórarinsson.

Stadium

The team’s home ground has changed several times since their inception.

After initially playing at various stadiums in Yerevan, including the Mika Stadium and Alashkert Stadium, FC Noah moved their home games to the Armavir City Stadium in February 2022.

Upcoming Chelsea fixture

FC Noah’s European adventure continues with a highly anticipated match against English giants Chelsea in the UEFA Conference League on November 7, 2024.

This fixture represents a David vs Goliath encounter, pitting the Armenian underdogs against one of Europe’s most successful clubs of the past two decades.

The match against Chelsea will undoubtedly be the biggest in the club’s short history.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk