Benfica, one of Europe’s most storied and successful clubs, is opening a football academy in Armenia, scheduled to open in July 2027 and ranking among the largest international centers Benfica has ever built in scale, investment and infrastructure. It will make Armenia’s capital home to only the third international development center in the Portuguese giant’s global academy network, according to the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA), the Football Investment Group, and Benfica’s official website.
Benfica Academy Armenia will be able to host more than 1,000 young footballers aged 4 to 17, trained directly under Benfica’s world-renowned methodology and the supervision of its coaching staff, giving Armenian children the same development system that has produced world-class talent in Portugal. The academy is set to begin operating from the 2027/28 season at the FFA Technical Centre in Yerevan. Combining that system with significant local investment and modern facilities, it ranks among the most ambitious football development projects in the region, establishing a new Benfica hub in the Caucasus and strengthening the club’s growing international network of academies and technical partnerships.
Modeled on Benfica’s development system in Portugal, the academy will cover all phases of youth development, combining broad participation and sports education in the introductory phase before moving toward higher levels of specialization as players progress. The main objective is personal development and education through sport, gradually building a sustainable pathway from youth football to the elite level.
Beyond developing players, the project places heavy emphasis on training and certifying local coaches, technical staff, and football professionals, aiming to raise standards across the country. It commits to continuous coach education, a unified player development system, and the transfer of international best practices to Armenian specialists. Players and coaches will also interact directly with the Benfica Campus in Lisbon, gaining access to technical exchanges, educational programs, tournaments, and scouting opportunities across Benfica’s global network.
Armenia’s location between Europe and Asia gives it a strategic role in Benfica’s international expansion, serving as a gateway to emerging football markets. The country will further raise its profile on the international stage by co-hosting the 2029 FIFA U-20 World Cup alongside neighboring Georgia.
Before the academy opens its doors, the site will undergo a comprehensive modernization. The first phase covers the renovation of six football pitches, the installation of two new artificial-turf pitches, an upgrade of the stadium to the latest UEFA criteria, a complete replacement of the lighting system, floodlighting across all training pitches, and reconstructed gym and dressing rooms, along with new facilities for players and a waiting area for parents.
The second phase goes further, adding a new multifunctional complex with residential accommodation, educational and healthcare facilities, sports performance areas, conference halls and other infrastructure designed to deliver a high-performance sporting environment.
Part of the FFA Technical Centre and Football Academy has been granted to Football Investment Group LLC under a long-term, rent-free agreement to carry out the project. The FFA framed the decision around the scale of the initiative, its strategic importance for Armenian football, and Benfica’s standing as one of the world’s leading football development centers.
“The Benfica Academy Armenia represents a significant milestone in our international development strategy, with the goal of establishing a major hub in this region,” said Bernardo Faria de Carvalho, executive director of International Expansion at Sport Lisboa e Benfica. “Benfica has always believed that talent can emerge anywhere in the world when the right environment, training, and opportunities are in place. Together, we aim to create a model project for Armenia and the entire Caucasus region.”
Alfred Sadoyan, founder of the Football Investment Group, framed the partnership as bigger than a single academy. “Our vision goes beyond building an academy. We want to create a football institution capable of developing talent, inspiring future generations, and positioning Armenia as a regional leader in football development and excellence,” he said. “Benfica brings not only experience but also a culture of ambition, professionalism, and success that aligns perfectly with our goals.”
FFA President Armen Melikbekyan cast the partnership as a turning point for youth football in the country. “We are confident that strategic investments of this kind will significantly enhance the competitiveness of Armenian football, create new opportunities for the development of young players and strengthen Armenia’s position on the regional football map,” he said.
He added that the project reflects the Federation’s consistent policy of bringing the expertise of the world’s leading football organizations to Armenia. “I am confident that this partnership will create significant value for Armenian football and help Armenia gradually become one of the region’s leading centers for football education and talent development,” Melikbekyan said.
Through the Benfica Way methodology, focused on education and long-term talent development, the club reaches more than 20,000 young players across 30 countries. With technical partnerships and development projects spanning the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, Benfica continues to strengthen its position as one of the world’s leading football development organizations, reflecting both the size of its player base and the quality of its facilities.
For Armenia, the academy opens a direct path from the youth pitches of Yerevan to the European game, giving the country’s next generation a route to the sport’s highest levels that has never existed at home before.
