Main news ahead of the Armenia – Portugal match

On September 6, one of the most anticipated games of the autumn will take place in Yerevan – Armenia hosts Portugal in the first round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The atmosphere around the match is special: a packed stadium, huge fan excitement, and the tragic memory of striker Diogo Jota.

Atmosphere around the Armenia – Portugal clash

Pitch
After Jennifer Lopez’s concert in August, the pitch of the Republican Stadium was not fully ready. The Armenian Football Federation released videos showing preparations, but yellow patches are still visible. Because of this, open training sessions were held at another stadium.

Tickets
Online ticket sales for the Armenia – Portugal game ended just an hour after opening. All tickets sold out instantly, and now they are available only on the black market at inflated prices. In any case, the stadium will be full.

Fans and Cristiano Ronaldo
At Zvartnots Airport, Portugal’s national team was met by a huge crowd of fans. Most of the attention went to Cristiano Ronaldo: supporters followed him around the city, and the Portuguese team’s open training was packed with spectators and journalists. At the hotel lobby, one fan tried to rush to Ronaldo, but the player pushed him away. Armenia’s training session was also sold out, with one young fan even running onto the pitch.

Portuguese players in Armenia
Portuguese footballers from Yerevan’s Noah club will be present at the game. Winger Hélder Ferreira, a close friend of Rúben Dias, received a ticket directly from him. Ferreira expects a confident Portugal win, while defender Gonçalo Silva hopes for a balanced game and a decent result for Armenia.

Remembering Diogo Jota
This is Portugal’s first match since the tragic death of striker Diogo Jota. Armenian fans are preparing a tribute during the 20th and 21st minutes, while his shirt number (21) has been passed on to midfielder Rúben Neves, Jota’s close friend.

News from the Armenian national team

New coach and squad
Yeghishe Melikyan has been appointed head coach, bringing in a new staff. Lucas Zelarayán and Grant-Leon Ranos returned to the team, while debutants Narek Agasaryan and Karen Nalbandyan received their first call-ups.

Injuries
Forward Norberto Briasco Balekian was injured before the camp. Defender Stepa Mkrtchyan and goalkeeper Ognen Čančarević will also miss the game. Defender Erik Simonyan was called up, and midfielder Artem Bandikyan was promoted from the youth team.

New captain
Former captain Varazdat Haroyan ended his international career. The new captain’s name will be revealed only before kickoff.

Players in form
In excellent shape are Eduard Spertsyan, Vahan Bichakhchyan, Tigran Barseghyan, Lucas Zelarayán, Nair Tiknizyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan, Sergey Muradyan, and Ugochukwu Iwu. The attack and midfield look strong, but defense may face problems due to Mkrtchyan’s absence and the lack of international experience among other defenders.

Coach Yeghishe Melikyan stated he believes in his players and has prepared a surprise for the opponent.

Probable Armenia lineup
Henri Avagyan — Kamo Hovhannisyan, Georgiy Harutyunyan, Sergey Muradyan, Nair Tiknizyan — Ugochukwu Iwu, Daniel Aghbalyan, Eduard Spertsyan — Lucas Zelarayán, Vahan Bichakhchyan, Tigran Barseghyan.

News from the Portuguese national team

Injuries
Before flying to Armenia, Diogo Dalot got injured and was replaced by Lazio defender Nuno Tavares. Rafael Leão and Nélson Semedo are also absent. Thus, Portugal is missing two full-backs and two left wingers — Leão and Jota. Francisco Conceição, who has recently recovered from injury, may take a spot on the wing.

Team mood
Head coach Roberto Martínez emphasized that Portugal respects its opponent and will not underestimate Armenia. Defender Rúben Dias thanked Armenian fans for organizing a tribute to Diogo Jota.

Probable Portugal lineup
Diogo Costa — João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Mendes — João Neves, Vitinha — Bruno Fernandes — Cristiano Ronaldo, Pedro Neto, Francisco Conceição.

The Armenian team will play in red uniforms, and Portugal in white.