Ararat-Armenia have learned their opponents for the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league phase, with the Armenian champions handed a demanding eight-match schedule that includes an away trip to Italian giants AC Milan.
The draw is another historic milestone for Ararat-Armenia, who are competing in the Europa League league phase for the first time and became the first Armenian club to reach this stage of the competition.
Under the league-phase format, Ararat-Armenia will face eight different opponents, playing four matches at home and four away.
Their home opponents will be AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands, Sparta Prague of Czechia, Celje of Slovenia and NEC Nijmegen of the Netherlands.
Away from Yerevan, Ararat-Armenia will travel to face AC Milan in Italy, Salzburg in Austria, Jagiellonia Białystok in Poland and Torreense in Portugal.
The standout fixture is unquestionably the trip to AC Milan.
Milan are one of the most decorated clubs in the history of European football. The Rossoneri have won the European Cup and UEFA Champions League seven times, more than any other Italian club, and have also won numerous Serie A titles. Ararat-Armenia will therefore have the opportunity to play one of European football’s historic heavyweights at the San Siro.
The trip to Austria will bring another major challenge against Salzburg. The Austrian club have dominated their domestic football for much of the past decade and have become regular participants in UEFA competitions. Salzburg have also built a reputation for developing young players who later move to some of Europe’s biggest leagues and clubs.
Ararat-Armenia will also travel to Poland to face Jagiellonia Białystok. Jagiellonia have emerged as one of the strongest clubs in Polish football in recent seasons and won their first Polish league title in 2024. The club have also gained European experience and are known for a strong home atmosphere in Białystok.
Their fourth away opponent will be Portuguese side Torreense. Based in Torres Vedras, the club were founded in 1917 and have a history stretching back more than a century in Portuguese football. While less internationally known than Milan or Salzburg, Torreense represent another difficult away assignment in what will already be a demanding European campaign.
Ararat-Armenia’s home schedule also contains several notable opponents.
AZ Alkmaar will visit Armenia after being drawn against the Armenian champions. AZ are one of the Netherlands’ most established clubs outside the traditional giants Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord. They have won the Dutch championship twice and reached the UEFA Cup final in 1981. The club are also widely regarded for their academy and player-development system.
Sparta Prague will also travel to Yerevan. Founded in 1893, Sparta are one of the most successful and historic clubs in Czech football. They have won dozens of domestic trophies and have a long history of participation in European competition. Their experience at continental level should make them one of the more difficult opponents Ararat-Armenia will host.
Slovenian side Celje are another home opponent. Founded in 1919, Celje have developed into one of Slovenia’s leading clubs and have enjoyed increasing success both domestically and in European competition. Their recent continental campaigns have given the club valuable experience against opposition from across Europe.
The fourth club coming to Armenia will be NEC Nijmegen. Founded in 1900, NEC are based in the eastern Dutch city of Nijmegen and compete in the Eredivisie. They play their home matches at the Goffertstadion and have spent much of their history in the top levels of Dutch football.
For Ararat-Armenia, the draw represents a significant step up in both competition and profile.
The club’s European campaign began in the qualifying rounds and ultimately ended with them securing a historic place in the Europa League league phase. They will now play competitive European matches against clubs from Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Czechia, Slovenia, Poland and Portugal.
Ararat-Armenia’s UEFA Europa League league-phase opponents:
- AC Milan, Italy, away ✈️
- AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands, home 🏠
- Salzburg, Austria, away ✈️
- Sparta Prague, Czechia, home 🏠
- Celje, Slovenia, home 🏠
- Jagiellonia Białystok, Poland, away ✈️
- NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands, home 🏠
- Torreense, Portugal, away ✈️
The fixture order, exact dates and kick-off times will determine how difficult the schedule becomes, but the draw already guarantees several major European nights for Ararat-Armenia.
Most notably, an Armenian club will travel to the San Siro to face seven-time European champions AC Milan, while supporters in Yerevan will have the opportunity to see established European sides such as AZ Alkmaar and Sparta Prague.
For Ararat-Armenia, their first Europa League league-phase campaign will not simply be about participation. It will provide the Armenian champions with eight matches against clubs from some of Europe’s strongest footballing countries and an opportunity to test themselves at a level no Armenian club has previously reached in the competition.
