Stepanakert or Khankendi is a ghost city in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. The city was under the control and the capital city of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh prior to the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in the region. The city is located in a valley on the eastern slopes of the Karabakh mountain range, on the left bank of the Qarqarçay (Karkar) river.
Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh or the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, was a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory was internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Between 1991 and 2023, Artsakh controlled parts of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, including its capital Stepanakert. It had been an enclave within Azerbaijan from the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war until the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive, when the Azerbaijani military took control over the remaining territory controlled by Artsakh. Its only overland access route to Armenia after the 2020 war was via the 5 km (3.1 mi) wide Lachin corridor, which was placed under the supervision of Russian peacekeeping forces.
The Republic of Artsakh was a republic with limited recognition in the South Caucasus region. The Republic of Artsakh controlled most of the territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. It was recognized only by three other non-UN member states, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria. The rest of the international community recognized Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan. In November 2012, a member of Uruguay's foreign relations committee stated that his country could recognize Nagorno-Karabakh's independence. In 2012, Armenia and Tuvalu established diplomatic relations, which led to speculation of possible recognition of Artsakh by Tuvalu. In October 2012, the Australian state of New South Wales recognized Nagorno-Karabakh. In September 2014, the Basque Parliament in Spain adopted a motion supporting Artsakh's right to self-determination and in November 2014, the Parliament of Navarre, also in Spain, issued a statement supporting Artsakh's inclusion in taking part in settlement negotiations.
The Pan-Armenian Games are a multi-sport event, held between competitors from the Armenian diaspora and Armenia. They consist of various competitions in individual and team sports among the Armenian athletes. It takes place in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.
Lernayin Artsakh FC is an association football club based in unrecognized Stepanakert, Artsakh Republic but is registered in the town of Vayk, Vayots Dzor Province, Armenia. The club was founded in 1927 in Soviet Azerbaijan and its current name translates from Armenian as "Mountainous Artsakh".
Yerazank Football Club, was a football club established in Stepanakert, and participated in the Artsakh Football League.
Erebuni is one of the 12 districts of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is situated southeast of the city centre where Erebuni Fortress is located. The name of Yerevan itself is derived from ancient Erebuni.
The Artsakh national football team, until 2017 known as Nagorno-Karabakh national football team, was the national representative of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which was internationally unrecognized. Consequently, it was not a member of FIFA or UEFA and was therefore not eligible to enter the World Cup or the European Championship.
The 2017–18 Armenian Cup was the 27th season of the football knockout competition in Armenia. The winners of the cup this season earned a place in the 2018–19 Europa League and would begin play in the first qualifying round. Shirak won the cup final in the previous season and were the defending champions.
Football Club Noah, commonly known as Noah is an Armenian professional football club based in Armavir. Founded in 2017 as FC Artsakh, they currently play in the Armenian Premier League.
The 2017–18 Armenian First League season was the 26th since its establishment. The season was launched on August 7, 2017, and concluded on May 28, 2018. Banants-2 were the defending champions from the previous season.
Artsakh Basketball Club, is a professional basketball team based in Yerevan, Armenia. It was originally founded in 2017 in Stepanakert; the capital of the unrecognized Republic of Artsakh, as the basketball section of Artsakh FC, a Yerevan-based football club. Artsakh BC is a founding member of the Armenia Basketball League A.
The 2018 Artsakh Football League was the 1st official professional season of the Artsakh Football League. It started on the 14 July and ended on 18th of November. It was composed of eight clubs which competed for the title.
The 2018–19 Armenian Cup was the 28th edition of the football knockout competition in Armenia. This season's cup winners earned a place in the 2019–20 Europa League. The tournament began on 19 September 2018 and ended on 7 May 2019.
The 2018–19 Armenian First League season was the 27th since its establishment. The season was launched on August 6, 2018, and concluded on June 13, 2019. Junior Sevan were reigned as champions, however, they did not gain promotion to the 2019–20 Armenian Premier League, due to not meeting the requirements of the Football Federation of Armenia to take part at the Armenian Premier League competition. Instead, runners-up Yerevan gained promotion, as they met the above-mentioned requirements.
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.
The 2019–20 Armenian First League season was the 28th since its establishment. The season was launched on August 6, 2019, and concluded on May 27, 2020. Sevan are the defending champions.
The 2017–18 season was Ararat-Moskva's 1st season in existence, in which they finished Third in the First League, gaining promotion to the Armenian Premier League, whilst they were knocked out of the Armenian Cup by Gandzasar Kapan in the Quarter-finals.
The 2021 Artsakh Football League is the 3rd official professional season of the Artsakh Football League. It started on the March 7th, 2021 and is composed of nine clubs which will compete for the title.
