The Earliest Achievements (1935–1948)

In the year 1935, under the stewardship of Vramshapuh Merangulian, the football club “Spartak” was established in Yerevan. In its formative years, the team primarily competed in domestic championships, gradually forging its identity on the national stage. A significant milestone came in 1940, when the club—by then renamed “Dynamo”—secured its first major accolade by lifting the Armenian Cup.

The outbreak of the Great Patriotic War brought a halt to all major competitions across the Soviet Union, and from 1941 to 1944, the USSR Championship and Cup, along with republican tournaments, were suspended. In 1944, as football resumed across the country, Dynamo was set to participate in the renewed USSR Cup campaign. However, their scheduled fixture against the Tbilisi club of the same name was never played, owing to a withdrawal or failure on the part of the Yerevan side.

In the subsequent two seasons, the club struggled to make notable progress. Nevertheless, a resurgence came in 1947, when Dynamo emerged as runners-up in the Second Group Championship of the Transcaucasian zone. That season’s crowning moment came on home soil with a resounding 7–1 victory over Tbilisi’s “Krylya Sovetov”—the team's most impressive performance of the campaign.

A Turning Point: The 1948 Season

The 1948 campaign was set to mark a new chapter for the Yerevan side, as Dynamo prepared to commence the season in the First Group—the pinnacle of Soviet football at the time. However, after just 30 matches, Dynamo, along with fifteen other clubs, was abruptly withdrawn from the First Group roster in a sweeping reorganization of the league structure.

Undeterred, the Yerevan club returned to competition in the Second Group the following season, displaying renewed determination and significantly improved form. Competing in the Southern Zone, Dynamo claimed the top position with conviction, securing 13 victories in 18 matches. Yet, finishing first in the zone did not automatically guarantee promotion.

According to the regulations of the USSR Championship, the winners of the six regional zones of Group B were required to face one another in a single-round playoff to determine which clubs would ascend. In this decisive series, Dynamo of Yerevan finished third out of the six—a result that proved sufficient to earn the team promotion to Group A, restoring its place among the elite of Soviet football.

Accumulation of Experience (1949—1970)

In 1949, Dynamo Yerevan made its debut in the USSR’s highest league. With 8 victories, 5 draws, and 21 defeats, the Armenian club finished 16th in a competition featuring 18 teams, successfully maintaining its position in the top division. However, their run in the USSR Cup ended in the 1/16 final after a 0–1 defeat to Stalingrad’s Dynamo.

In the 1950 season, Dynamo showed improved results compared to the previous year, yet it still proved insufficient to retain its place in the top division. The team suffered its first loss only in the fourth round, a 2–4 defeat to Leningrad's Zenit. With 10 wins, 11 draws, and 15 losses, Dynamo earned 31 points, tied with Kyiv’s Dynamo. However, due to an inferior goal difference, Dynamo finished 14th and was relegated to Group B, where the club would remain for the next decade. In the USSR Cup, after defeating weaker opponents, the team faced Kyiv’s Dynamo in the 1/16 finals. In a hard-fought away match, the Yerevan team won 3–2. However, in the 1/8 finals, Dynamo Yerevan suffered a crushing 0–7 defeat to the Soviet champions and silver medalists, Moscow’s Dynamo, ending their cup run.

The first major success in inter-union competitions came in 1954, when the club, renamed Spartak, reached the final of the USSR Cup under the leadership of Hayk Andriasyan. On their way to the final, they defeated Moscow’s Shakhtar (3–0), Minsk’s Spartak (2–0), Stalino’s Shakhtar (1–0), and Dnipropetrovsk’s Metallurg (4–0). Their final opponent was Kyiv’s Dynamo, who were making their first appearance in a cup final. Notably, Spartak had gained a reputation for having the strongest defense, as they had not conceded a single goal throughout the tournament until the final. Despite this, the Yerevan side lost 1–2 to Kyiv in the final held at Moscow’s Dynamo Stadium. The only goal for Spartak came from Viktor Merkulov.

In the second half of the 1950s, Spartak experienced fluctuating fortunes in the 3rd zone of the USSR Football Championship’s Group B, a division where Leninakan’s Shirak also competed. Under the prevailing regulations, promotion to the top division was an extraordinarily difficult feat. The winners of each of the six zones in Group B would meet in a tournament of champions, with only the victor earning the coveted right to compete in the top-tier league. During this period, the Group B competition featured 94 to 96 teams in total, all contending for just a single place in the prestigious First Group.

1959-1962: A Period of Progress and Setbacks

In the 1959 season, Spartak emerged as the dominant force in the 3rd zone of Group B, finishing with a commanding lead. The team secured 16 victories in 26 matches, suffering only a single defeat. Despite this impressive performance, the Armenian side did not participate in the tournament of zone winners. On December 21, 1959, the Presidium of the Central Council of the USSR Sports Unions and Organizations made a historic decision to expand the number of teams in the top division, increasing the participants from 12 to 22. While only four of the twelve teams in the 1959 championship did not represent the RSFSR, by 1960 the number of non-Russian clubs grew to twelve, with spots allocated to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the RSFSR. As a result, Spartak Yerevan earned the right to compete in the 1960 championship.

In the 1960 season, the club finished 9th, improving to 8th in 1961, before a challenging 1962 season saw them drop to 18th place. One of the team’s most notable achievements during these years was reaching the semifinals of the USSR Cup. However, their cup run ended when they were narrowly defeated 0-1 by Znamya Truda of Orekhovo-Zuyevo.

1963-1970: A New Identity and Rise to Prominence

In 1963, under the supervision of the "Ashkhatank" ("Work") State Union, the team was renamed Ararat. That same year, the club was relegated from the USSR’s highest league, returning only three years later. Starting in 1966, Ararat became a permanent fixture in the Soviet top division. That year, the team strengthened with the additions of Alyosha Abrahamyan and Alexander Syomin, both of whom were recognized as the "Best Newcomers of the Season". In the following season, Norik Demirchyan received the same honor.

Until 1970, the team’s performance was satisfactory, as Ararat was essentially rebuilding itself. The best players from various teams across Soviet Armenia were invited to join Ararat. From Shirak in Gyumri, Ishtoyan and the future captain Zanazanyan were recruited, along with Nazar Petrosyan, a graduate of the Republic's Football School. Additionally, players like Andriasyan and Markarov, previously with Neftchi Baku, joined the ranks.

The Rise of Armenian Football (1971-1976)

In 1971, under the leadership of Nikolai Glebov, Ararat earned the silver medal in the USSR Championship, marking the first major achievement for Armenian SSR clubs. Six players from the team were included in the list of the best 33 footballers of the season in the Soviet Union: Ishtoyan, Andriasyan, Markarov, Zanazanyan, Kovalenko, and Mesropyan.

The following season, Ararat continued to perform actively, earning the "Aggressive Guest" team award. However, despite their strong showing, they finished in 4th place, just one point behind the top three. On September 13, 1972, Ararat made its debut in the European Cup competition. The team played its first match in Larnaca, Cyprus, against Enosis (now EPAC), winning with a narrow 1-0 scoreline. The return leg also ended 1-0 in favor of Ararat.

In the next round, Ararat faced the Swiss club Grasshopper. Without encountering significant resistance, the Armenian team won 3-1 away and 4-2 at home, advancing to the third round, where they were to face the German side 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Each team won 2-0 on their home turf. Extra time did not produce a winner, and in the penalty shootout, Ararat was narrowly defeated 4-5.

The 1973 season is considered the pinnacle of Ararat Football Club's history, under the guidance of the legendary coach Nikita Simonyan. It was with him at the helm that the team's greatest success occurred that year.

Ararat triumphed in both the Soviet Championship and the Soviet Cup, securing a memorable victory over Dynamo Kyiv in an iconic match, thus achieving the prestigious "golden double." For their exceptional performances, the team earned four collective awards: the "Aggressive Guest" award, the "Grigory Fedotov Award," the "Award for a High Goal Difference," and the prize for the largest score margin. Additionally, eight Ararat players were included in the list of the 33 best players of the Soviet Championship season.

By the whim of fate, Ararat alternated between successful seasons and relatively disappointing ones. In the 1974 season, the team once again finished without any trophies, and in the Soviet Cup competition, they faltered in the quarterfinals, losing to Shakhtar Donetsk.

In the autumn, Ararat made its debut in the European Cup competition. The first two rounds saw the team face little resistance from Viking and Cork Celtic, defeating them 2-6 and 1-7, respectively. In the quarterfinals, Ararat was drawn to face the reigning champions, Bayern Munich.

Away from home, the team suffered a 0-2 defeat. However, in Yerevan, Ararat put up a strong defensive display and even managed to score against their formidable opponents, but a single goal was not enough to secure further participation in UEFA's premier competition. The tournament's top scorer was Eduard Markarov, tied with Gerd Müller.

In 1975, under the guidance of Viktor Maslov, Ararat reached half of the heights they had achieved in 1973, becoming the Soviet Cup champions. The team finished just 4 points behind the top three.

That year, the star of Armenian football legend Khoren Hovhannisyan shone in the team, earning the "Best Newcomer" award of the season. In the fall, the team made its debut in the Cup Winners' Cup competition. After easily overcoming Cyprus's Anorthosis (10:1), Ararat stumbled in the next round, where London’s West Ham United triumphed with scores of 1:1 and 1:3. This marked Ararat’s final participation in European club competitions as a Soviet football team.

In 1976, the team was led by former player Eduard Markarov. The spring season of 1976 ended with Ararat securing second place, winning silver medals. In the final match (a postponed game from the 9th round), they lost to Kyiv's Dynamo 1:2, allowing Moscow's Dynamo to take the championship. The team's top scorer, Arkady Andreasyan, netted 8 goals in 15 matches. Under Markarov’s leadership, Ararat made it to the final of the Soviet Cup, overcoming strong opposition from Moscow’s Dynamo, CSKA, and Dnipro. However, in the final, the team was decisively beaten by Tbilisi's Dynamo, with a 0:3 scoreline.

"Ararat" 1977-1991

After 1976, the team's lineup changed drastically. The legendary players who contributed to the golden double of 1973 were no longer part of Ararat. The team saw the departure of Nikolay Ghazaryan, Levon Ishtoyan, Hovhannes Zanazanyan, Eduard Markarov, and several other key players. New names began to emerge in the "Ararat" lineup.

On March 19, 1975, in the 64th minute of the match against Bayern Munich, 19-year-old Khoren Hovhannisyan made his debut for Ararat, replacing Nikolay Ghazaryan. Hovhannisyan would go on to captivate tens of thousands of Ararat fans who gathered at the Hrazdan Stadium for many years with his performances. That year, Hovhannisyan played 24 matches, scored 4 goals, and was named "Best Rookie of the Season." In 1979, Hovhannisyan scored 17 goals, becoming the highest-scoring player for Ararat in a single season. Before that, the highest goal tally in a season for an Ararat player had been 14 goals by Hovhannes Zanazanyan (1969) and Eduard Markarov (1971). Khoren Hovhannisyan was included in the list of "Best 33 Footballers of the Season" in the USSR for five consecutive years (1979-1983), which remains the best streak among Ararat players.

In 1978, the team performed below expectations, finishing in 14th place. This season marked the end of the legendary Arkadi Andriasian’s career, who scored 4 goals in 23 appearances. After the disappointing 1978 season, Nikolay Gulaev was replaced by Yozhef Bechan, who led the team until 1981. In Bechan's first season, the team's performance improved significantly, and Ararat finished in 7th place. Notable players in the team included Babken Melikyan, Alexander Kerobyan, Samvel Ghasaboghlian, and Ashot Sahakyan. Sahakyan, together with Khoren Hovhannisyan, was included in the list of the 33 best footballers of the 1979 Soviet season.

In 1980, Ararat finished in 8th place in the Soviet league, and in the Cup, they reached the quarterfinals, where they lost 0-1 to Moscow's Spartak. The following year, Bechan's team repeated the result, this time losing 1-2 to the future cup winner, Rostov's BMA. The only goal for Ararat in that match was scored by Samvel Ghasaboghlian.

On August 13, 1980, in the 55th minute of the game against Neftchi Baku, 18-year-old Hamlet Mkhitaryan replaced Babken Melikyan on the field, and along with Khoren Hovhannisyan, would go on to become one of the long-term leaders of Ararat.

1981 was an unsuccessful year for Ararat in the Soviet Championship. The team found itself in the lower part of the standings, leading to Joseph Betza leaving the team.

In 1982, Ararat welcomed back Arkady Andreasyan as head coach. After the 8th round of the championship, Andreasyan's team was at the top of the standings and remained in that position until the 14th round. The Soviet Championship was interrupted by the World Cup in Spain, where Khoren Hovhannisyan scored the best goal for the USSR national team. After the break, Ararat was unable to maintain its advantage over its rivals and finished in 5th place. In 1983, the season ended in 14th place.

In 1984, Nikita Simonyan returned to lead Ararat for the second time, but he was unable to replicate the successes of the previous decade. The team finished the season in 11th place. The year 1984 was also notable for Hamlet Mkrtchyan, who scored 18 goals and became Ararat's top scorer in a single season, surpassing Khoren Hovhannisyan's record.

The 1985 season proved to be rather challenging for the Yerevan-based team, leading to a change in leadership. Nikita Simonyan was replaced by Leonid Zakharov, under whose guidance the team ended the season in 13th place.

In 1986, the reins of "Ararat" were once again handed to Arkadi Andreasyan, this time for a more extended period, lasting until 1989. The 1986 season proved to be difficult for the team, but Andreasyan managed to keep them in the top division, finishing in 14th place. The following year, "Ararat" showed some improvement, securing an 8th-place finish. Andreasyan began building a new team, with the old guard no longer in place. Khoren Hovhannisyan had already left, and Hamlet Mkrtchyan departed the team in 1987.

Among the key players for "Ararat" in the 1980s was Ashot Khachatryan, who made 366 appearances for the club across 16 seasons. Only Sergey Bondarenko, with 392 appearances, had played more games for "Ararat." During the club's most challenging periods, it was Khachatryan who led the team forward. Unsurprisingly, in the 1987 season, he became the team’s top scorer with six goals. He repeated this feat in the following season, scoring another six goals.

During these years, Babken Melikyan also impressed with his performances. He played for "Ararat" from 1978 to 1984, and then, in 1988, returned under Andreasyan's leadership, becoming one of the team's key players. Over the course of his career at "Ararat," Melikyan made 302 appearances and scored 43 goals, ranking sixth in the club's all-time top scorers list.

In the 1988-89 seasons, "Ararat" found themselves in the middle or lower half of the Soviet league standings. The unsatisfactory results ultimately led to the departure of Arkadi Andreasyan. These years proved to be particularly challenging for the club, as a new team was being formed, featuring some former stars, but also many new faces. Considering the team's roster and the strength of their competitors, the results achieved were somewhat expected.

Along with Babken Melikyan and Ashot Khachatryan, the team’s leaders during these years also included Eduard Veranyan, forward Robert Kocharyan, and defenders Sargis Hovhannisyan and Albert Sargsyan. The goal for Ararat during these years was defended by Russian goalkeeper Alexander Podshivalov, who spent seven seasons with the club. Thanks to his reliable performances, the team earned crucial points during this period. After the results of 1989, Andriasyan was briefly replaced by Nikolay Ghazaryan, and by 1990, the team’s leadership was taken over by Armen Sarkisyan, who worked at the club until 1994. Ararat participated in the last two Soviet Union championships under his guidance.

In the final two Soviet Union championships, Ararat finished in 7th place. It’s important to note that alongside the well-known footballers, new young talents emerged during these years, bringing a fresh dynamic to the team’s play and ensuring high-level performances in the Soviet championship. A new team was formed during this period, which later became the foundation of the Armenian national team.

Overall, Ararat played 1026 matches in the Soviet Union’s Top Division (participating in 33 championships) and achieved 352 victories. This ranks them 10th in the list of the top 20 Soviet teams of all time. The Yerevan team was always a tough opponent for everyone, and visiting the Hrazdan Stadium was a true test for any rival. Until the final Soviet championship, Ararat managed to maintain a high level of play and honorably closed this chapter in its history.

Independence Era

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ararat established itself as a leading team in the early years of Armenia's independence. During these years, the team won the Armenian Cup four times (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996/1997), once became the Armenian Champion (1993), twice earned silver medals (1996/1997, 1999), and once won bronze (1994).

In 2000, Ararat again earned silver medals, and in 2001, the team reached the final of the Armenian Cup but lost to Yerevan’s Mika in a penalty shootout.

In 2003, the Football Federation of Armenia’s disciplinary committee banned Ararat from participating in any FFA-organized tournaments for one year. This decision came after the club had prevented its players from joining the Armenian national team for a match in Israel, due to a UEFA ban on international fixtures amid the country’s wartime situation.

Ararat returned to the Premier League in 2004, but it did not achieve notable success until 2007. Under the leadership of renowned coach Varuzhan Sukiasyan, the team underwent a transformation. Ararat’s strong performances and successes followed soon after. In 2007, Ararat reached the final of the Armenian Cup but lost to Banants. However, in 2008, they redeemed themselves by defeating Banants in the final held in Ijevan, winning the Armenian Cup for the fifth time.

The team earned silver medals in the league, despite being in contention for the championship until the very last moment. Ararat and Pyunik had equal points, and the title was to be decided in a "Golden Match." On November 19, 2008, at the Republican Stadium, events in that match seemed to be against Ararat. The details of the controversial match are well-known to all Armenian football fans. Despite winning silver medals, Ararat was undeniably deserving of gold. It should be noted that in 2019, 11 years later, Pyunik’s owner Arthur Soghomonyan made a symbolic gesture to restore justice. During a meeting with Ararat’s owner Vartan Sirmakes and president Hratch Kaprelian, Soghomonyan handed over a replica of the 2008 Armenian Premier League trophy to them.

After this unfortunate match, the club, finding that fair play wasn’t yielding success, parted ways with several key players. As a result, in 2009, Ararat found itself at the bottom of the league table. Despite relegation, the team won the Armenian Super Cup.

In 2010, Ararat played in the First Division. The team returned to the Premier League on their first attempt, finishing first. However, the 2011-2012 seasons were not successful for the club, as Ararat was mostly positioned in the lower half of the standings. The situation changed when Abraham Khashmanyan was appointed as head coach.

Before the 2013/14 season, Ararat returned to its home, the renovated Hrazdan Stadium. At the end of the first part of the season, the team finished first, with an 8-point lead over the second-placed team. However, towards the end of the season, Khashmanyan left, and Ararat finished in 4th place.

In the following seasons, Ararat mostly found itself in the middle or lower half of the standings. The situation did not improve even in 2018, when Abraham Khashmanyan returned as head coach. Although the team had some impressive performances under his guidance, it was not enough to secure a higher position in the standings in the 2018/19 season. In the 2019/20 season, Ararat had a strong start, being among the leaders at the winter break, but like the previous season, it failed to secure a podium spot, finishing in 6th place.

In the 2020/21 season, the club underwent radical changes. Arthur Nazaryan was appointed as executive director, and former Shirak head coach Vardan Bichakhchyan joined the team. Several current and former national team players were also brought in. Thanks to some solid performances, Ararat won the Armenian Cup in 2020/21 and, after 15 years, returned to European competitions.