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Western Armenia national football team
The Western Armenia National Football Team
The Western Armenia national football team represents the Armenians of the Western Armenian region, which is now on the territory of the current Turkey. This region has a long and complex history, with various claims to its legitimacy as part of the State of Armenia recognized de facto by the Allied Powers during World War I.
In 2015, the team became a member of the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (ConIFA), an organization that governs football for teams not affiliated with FIFA. As such, Western Armenia participates in international competitions alongside other Conifa member nations. The team's participation is seen as significant by some Armenian organizations, which consider Western Armenia to be legitimately part of the State of Armenia.
Turkey signed the Treaty of Sèvres on 18 September 1919, recognizing Armenia's independence and sovereignty over the territory of Western Armenia, a claim already acknowledged by the Allied Powers. In response, an Armenian National Council was established to exercise and implement the rights to self-determination of the Armenians in this region.
The team made its debut in international football with a friendly match against Olympique de Marseille (CFA) at the Michel Hidalgo Stadium in Sausset-les-Pins on . Western Armenia lost the match 3-2, but Vahagn Militosyan became the first scorer in the history of the selection after scoring two goals. The team's early performances were marked by a significant victory over the Chagos Archipelago, winning their first official match in an international competition with a score of 12-0 on .
However, Western Armenia's success was short-lived, as they suffered consecutive defeats against Abkhazia and Punjab at the Conifa World Cup 2016. Despite this, the team showed resilience by competing in two standings: they won their first round match 6-5 against Kurdistan but lost to Lapland 3-0 in the second round.
In 2017, Western Armenia withdrew from the draw for the Conifa European Football Cup, marking a significant setback for the team. Nevertheless, their participation in international competitions remains an important symbol of Armenian identity and national pride.