Valve assembly for an injection valve, comprising - a valve body having a longitudinal axis and comprising a cavity with a fluid inlet portion and a fluid outlet portion, - a valve needle axially moveable in the cavity, the valve needle preventing a fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in a closing position and releasing the fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in further positions, the valve needle comprising -- an upper retaining element fixedly connected to a needle shaft of the needle and extending in radial direction and being arranged in an axial region of the valve needle facing away from the fluid outlet portion and -- a lower retaining element fixedly connected to the needle shaft and extending in radial direction and being arranged in an axial region of the valve needle facing the fluid outlet portion, - an electro-magnetic actuator unit being designed to actuate the valve needle, the electro-magnetic actuator unit comprising a pole piece and an armature spaced from the pole piece by an axial gap defining a full lift when the actuator unit is de-energized, the armature being axially movable in the cavity and joined to the valve needle by form-fit, the armature being able to slide on the valve needle between the upper retaining element and the lower retaining element, - a calibration spring which is preloaded to bias the needle towards the closing position and - a spring element is arranged between the armature and the upper retaining element and biases the armature towards the lower retaining element, wherein, - the spring element and the calibration spring are adapted to one another such that the armature compresses the spring element and travels at least 50% of the full lift before an opening force of the valve assembly becomes larger than a total needle closing force, - the opening force for displacing the valve needle away from the closing position is transferred from the armature to the valve needle completely through the spring element, and - a further axial gap between the armature and the upper retaining element is maintained throughout the operation of the valve assembly. - a valve body having a longitudinal axis and comprising a cavity with a fluid inlet portion and a fluid outlet portion, - a valve needle axially moveable in the cavity, the valve needle preventing a fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in a closing position and releasing the fluid flow through the fluid outlet portion in further positions, the valve needle comprising -- an upper retaining element fixedly connected to a needle shaft of the needle and extending in radial direction and being arranged in an axial region of the valve needle facing away from the fluid outlet portion and -- a lower retaining element fixedly connected to the needle shaft and extending in radial direction and being arranged in an axial region of the valve needle facing the fluid outlet portion, -- an upper retaining element fixedly connected to a needle shaft of the needle and extending in radial direction and being arranged in an axial region of the valve needle facing away from the fluid outlet portion and -- a lower retaining element fixedly connected to the needle shaft and extending in radial direction and being arranged in an axial region of the valve needle facing the fluid outlet portion, - an electro-magnetic actuator unit being designed to actuate the valve needle, the electro-magnetic actuator unit comprising a pole piece and an armature spaced from the pole piece by an axial gap defining a full lift when the actuator unit is de-energized, the armature being axially movable in the cavity and joined to the valve needle by form-fit, the armature being able to slide on the valve needle between the upper retaining element and the lower retaining element, - a calibration spring which is preloaded to bias the needle towards the closing position and - a spring element is arranged between the armature and the upper retaining element and biases the armature towards the lower retaining element, - the spring element and the calibration spring are adapted to one another such that the armature compresses the spring element and travels at least 50% of the full lift before an opening force of the valve assembly becomes larger than a total needle closing force, - the opening force for displacing the valve needle away from the closing position is transferred from the armature to the valve needle completely through the spring element, and - a further axial gap between the armature and the upper retaining element is maintained throughout the operation of the valve assembly.