# 2017–18 Armenian First 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.

## Team changes

3 newly founded teams have joined the 2017–18 Armenian First League season:
* Lori FC from Vanadzor, Lori Province
* Artsakh FC from Yerevan
* FC Ararat-Moskva Yerevan from Yerevan (played as FC Avan Academy during the 1st half of the season)

## Stadiums and locations

10 teams will take part in this season's competition, of which only 4 teams -Artsakh, Erebuni, Lori, and Ararat-Moskva- are eligible to get the promotion right to the 2018–19 Armenian Premier League by the end of the competition. The remaining 6 teams are the reserve teams of the football clubs currently participating in the Armenian Premier League competition.
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Artsakh | Yerevan (Shengavit) Yerevan (Kentron) Dzoraghbyur (Kotayk) | Mika Stadium (matchday 1 to 8) Pyunik Stadium (matchday 9 to 14) Dzoraghbyur Training Centre (matchday 15 & onwards) | 7,250 780 n/a |
| Ararat-Armenia | Yerevan (Avan) | Football Academy Stadium | 1,428 |
| Erebuni | Ashtarak (Aragatsotn) | Kasaghi Marzik Stadium (matchday 11 & onwards)$^1$ | 3,600 |
| Lori | Vanadzor | Vanadzor Football Academy$^2$ | 100 |
| Alashkert-2 | Yerevan (Shengavit) Ashtarak (Aragatsotn) | Alashkert Stadium (matchday 1 to 14) Kasaghi Marzik Stadium (matchday 15 & onwards) | 6,800 3,600 |
| Ararat-2 | Dzoraghbyur (Kotayk) | Dzoraghbyur Training Centre | n/a |
| Banants-2 | Yerevan (Malatia-Sebastia) | Banants Training Centre pitch#3 | 600 |
| Gandzasar-2 | Kapan | Gandzasar Training Centre | n/a |
| Pyunik-2 | Yerevan (Kentron) | Pyunik Stadium | 780 |
| Shirak-2 | Gyumri | Gyumri City Stadium | 2,844 |
* $^1$Erebuni will play at the Kasaghi Marzik Stadium, Ashtarak, instead of their own Erebuni Stadium, Yerevan. However, the team used several stadiums in Yerevan until matchday 9.
* $^2$Lori will play at the main training pitch of the Vanadzor Football Academy due to the rebuilding of their regular venue Vanadzor City Stadium, Vanadzor.

### Personnel and sponsorship

| Team | President | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Artsakh | Sevan Aslanyan | Tigran Yesayan | Gor Mkrtumyan | Nike | Renault, Efubet, Steritech |
| Ararat-Moskva | Poghos Galstyan | Artak Oseyan | Hovhannes Harutyunyan Albert Khachumyan | Adidas | |
| Erebuni | Tigran Ayvazyan | Sevada Arzumanyan | Hayk Melkonyan Arsen Hakobyan | Joma | |
| Lori | Robert Grigoryan | Armen Adamyan | Gurgen Matevosyan | Puma | Jose Restaurant |
| Alashkert-2 | Bagrat Navoyan | Sergey Erzrumyan | Artashes Arakelyan | Joma | Bagratour |
| Ararat-2 | Hiraç Yagan | Georgi Andriasyan | Gevorg Poghosyan Armen Derdzyan | Jako | |
| Banants-2 | Hrach Aghabekian | Vahe Gevorgyan (matchday 1 to 9) Samvel Nigoyan (matchday 10 & onwards) | Stepan Harutyunyan Suren Aloyan | Adidas | |
| Gandzasar-2 | Garnik Aghababian | Ashot Manucharyan | Tigran Ivanyan | Adidas | ZCMC |
| Pyunik-2 | Artur Soghomonyan | Samvel Sargsyan (matchday 1 to 10) Albert Sarkisyan (matchday 11 & onwards) | Davit Terteryan Emil Ghukasyan | Nike | Gold's Gym |
| Shirak-2 | Arman Sahakyan | Tigran Davtyan | Artur Amiryan | Adidas | |
    1. ^ On the back of shirt, upside.
    2. ^ On the back of shirt, downside.
    3. ^ Died of a car accident on August 30, 2017 (after matchday 4).
    4. ^ Left the team at the end of the 1st half of the season (after matchday 14).

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Lori (C, P) | 27 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 74 | 16 | +58 | 69 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 2 | Artsakh (P) | 27 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 77 | 16 | +61 | 65 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 3 | Ararat-Moskva (P) | 27 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 65 | 41 | +24 | 46 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 4 | Banants-2 | 27 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 45 | 42 | +3 | 45 | Ineligible for promotion |
| 5 | Pyunik-2 | 27 | 13 | 1 | 13 | 49 | 44 | +5 | 40 | Ineligible for promotion |
| 6 | Alashkert-2 | 27 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 48 | 42 | +6 | 40 | Ineligible for promotion |
| 7 | Ararat Yerevan-2 | 27 | 7 | 4 | 16 | 36 | 55 | −19 | 25 | Ineligible for promotion |
| 8 | Erebuni | 27 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 33 | 91 | −58 | 22 | |
| 9 | Gandzasar Kapan-2 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 31 | 74 | −43 | 20 | Ineligible for promotion |
| 10 | Shirak-2 | 27 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 59 | −37 | 18 | Ineligible for promotion |

## Season statistics
### Top scorers

As of 28 May 2018
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Grigor Aghekyan | Artsakh | 18 |
| 2 | Armen Hovhannisyan | Ararat-Moskva | 15 |
| 3 | Mher Sahakyan | Alashkert-2 | 14 |
| 3 | Sos Tadevosyan | Erebuni | 14 |
| 5 | Erik Petrosyan | Pyunik-2 | 13 |
| 6 | Tinga Kofi Tei | Lori | 12 |
| 7 | Armen Nahapetyan | Ararat-Moskva | 11 |
| 8 | Edgar Mkrtchyan | Lori | 10 |
| 8 | Vigen Avetisyan | Lori | 10 |
| 10 | Karen Khatuyev | Pyunik-2 | 9 |
| 10 | Mher Harutyunyan | Gandzasar Kapan-2 | 9 |