# 1997 in Armenian football

The 1997 season was the sixth season of independent football in Armenia following the split-up from the Soviet Union. It was the return to the summer competition format after using the winter competition format for two seasons. The Armenian Premier League for 1997 existed of 10 teams of which the lowest ranked team would relegate to the Armenian First League and would be replaced by the champions of that league.

## Premier League

* FC Dvin Artashat and FC Lori are promoted.
* FC Van Yerevan went into bankruptcy and disbanded.
* Homenmen Yerevan changed their name into Erebuni-Homenmen Yerevan.

### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Yerevan (C) | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 41 | 10 | +31 | 43 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Shirak | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 46 | 8 | +38 | 41 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first qualifying round |
| 3 | Erebuni-Homenmen | 18 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 35 | 20 | +15 | 35 | Qualification for the Intertoto Cup first round |
| 4 | Pyunik | 18 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 42 | 16 | +26 | 35 | |
| 5 | Tsement Ararat | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 28 | 27 | +1 | 27 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup qualifying round |
| 6 | Ararat Yerevan | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 32 | 21 | +11 | 27 | |
| 7 | Kotayk | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 31 | 33 | −2 | 19 | |
| 8 | Karabakh Yerevan | 18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 28 | −15 | 18 | |
| 9 | Dvin Artashat (O) | 18 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 52 | −36 | 7 | Qualification for the Relegation play-off |
| 10 | Lori Vanadzor (R) | 18 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 7 | 76 | −69 | 1 | Relegation to First League |
| 11 | Van Yerevan (W) | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | — | 0 | Club dissolved |
* ↑ Van Yerevan were went into bankruptcy and disbanded before the start of the season.

## Promotion and relegation play-off

| Date | Venue | PL Team | Result | FL Team | Information |
| 20 November | Abovyan | Dvin Artashat | 3-1 | Spitak | FC Dvin Artashat remain in the Premier League. |

### Top goalscorers

| | Player | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Arthur Petrosyan | Shirak | 18 |
| 2 | Sevada Arzumanyan | Erebuni-Homenmen | 13 |
| 3 | Mkrtich Hovhannisyan | Kotayk | 11 |
| 4 | Varazdat Avetisyan | Pyunik | 10 |
| | Tigran Yesayan | Yerevan | 10 |

## First League

* Aragats FC returned to professional football.
* FC Spitak return to professional football.
* Zvartnots-AAL and Karabakh-2 Yerevan are introduced to the league.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification |
| 1 | Aragats | 16 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 46 | 17 | +29 | 41 | Promoted to Armenian Premier League |
| 2 | Spitak | 16 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 38 | 14 | +24 | 40 | Forced to play the promotion/relegation play-off |
| 3 | Lernagorts Kapan | 16 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 63 | 18 | +45 | 37 | |
| 4 | Nairit | 16 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 38 | 16 | +22 | 28 | |
| 5 | Dinamo Yerevan | 16 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 47 | −29 | 14 | |
| 6 | Karabakh-2 Yerevan | 16 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 21 | 39 | −18 | 13 | |
| 7 | BMA-Arai Echmiadzin | 16 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 25 | 45 | −20 | 13 | |
| 8 | Aragats Ashtarak | 16 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 16 | 36 | −20 | 12 | |
| 9 | Zvartnots-AAL | 16 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 43 | −31 | 11 | |
| 10 | Armavir | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | — | 0 | Withdrew from competition |
| 11 | Kumayri | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | — | 0 | Withdrew from competition |
| 12 | Zangezour | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | — | 0 | Withdrew from competition |
| 13 | Aznavour | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | — | 0 | Withdrew from competition |
| 14 | Sapfir | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | — | 0 | Withdrew from competition |
| 15 | Kaen Ijevan | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | — | 0 | Withdrew from competition |