Lernayin Artsakh FC ( hy, Լեռնային Արցախ Ֆուտբոլային Ակումբ) is an association football club based in unrecognized

Stepanakert / az, Xankəndi, italic=no , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = File:StepanakertCollage.jpg , imagesize = 300px , image_caption = From top left: Holy Mother ...

Artsakh Republic Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh () or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (),, is a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Artsakh controls a part of the former N ...

but is registered in the town of Sisian, Syunik Province, Armenia. The club was founded in 1927 in Soviet Azerbaijan and its current name translates from Armenian as "''Mountainous Artsakh''".

History

The club was founded in 1927 under the name ''Dinamo Stepanakert''. In 1960, the name was changed to ''Karabakh'' and remained by that name until 1989 when it was renamed ''Artsakh''. During the years between 1992 and 1995 they were unable to participate in any competition due to the

First Nagorno-Karabakh War The First Nagorno-Karabakh War, referred to in Armenia as the Artsakh Liberation War ( hy, Արցախյան ազատամարտ, Artsakhyan azatamart) was an ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in th ...

. In 1995, the club moved from Stepanakert to Yerevan in order to participate in the Armenian Premier League. They subsequently changed their name back to ''Karabakh''. In 1999, the club was expelled from the Premier League due to financial problems, but managed return to professional football the following year. The club changed its name to ''Lernayin Artsakh'' in 2002, and played their home matches in

Kapan Kapan ( hy, Կապան) is a town in southeast Armenia, serving as the administrative center of the urban community of Kapan as well as the provincial capital of Syunik Province. It is located in the valley of the Voghji River and is on the nort ...

that year. The club withdrew from the Armenian top tier before the start of the 2003 season in protest against the exclusion of fellow Premier League club Ararat Yerevan. The next year, the club finished second in the First League and again won promotion. Their return to the highest level in 2002 was of short duration, as they withdrew after playing eleven matches. In 2006 they won promotion to the Premier League for a third time, but this time declined to enter the top flight. In 2009, the club relocated back to Stepanakert, and started participating in the

Artsakh Football League Artsakh football league is the top association football, football competition in self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. Although there was a football competition held in Artsakh starting 2004, this current league was formed in 2018, being composed o ...

. They have moved back to the First League for 2019–20, thereby voiding their

2019 Artsakh Football League The 2019 Artsakh Football League is the 2nd official professional season of the Artsakh Football League. It started on the March 9th, 2019 and is composed of twelve clubs which will compete for the title. Participants Twelve teams will take ...

season.

Domestic records since 1978

Honours

Armenian First League The Armenian First League is currently the second level football competition in Armenia after the Armenian Premier League The Armenian Premier League ( hy, VBET Հայաստանի Պրեմիեր Լիգա, known as the VBET Armenian Premier Lea ...

(1): :: 2021–22 *

**Winners (2):2009-2018

Players

Current squad

References

External links

RSSSF Armenia (and subpages per year)
{{Football clubs in Artsakh Association football clubs established in 1927 Sport in the Republic of Artsakh