Here's all you need to know about the Armenia Vs Georgia, UEFA Nations League 2024-2025 Playoff first leg match - preview, head-to-head, predicted starting XIs, live streaming details and more
Armenia will host Georgia in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League 2024-25 play-off tie at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, Yerevan on Thursday (March 20, 2025). Here's all you need to know about the ARM vs GEO football match. (Blog | More Football News)
Tonight's match will be their eighth meeting, and there's very little to separate between the neighbours. In fact, more than the on-field results, the rivalry between the two Caucasian countries is shaped by their shared history and the love-hate relationship.
Once part of the Russian empire, and later the Soviet Union, they are now caught in a regional rivalry involving many more countries. Before that, they even fought a protracted border war. But sports is a different game.
It's the right to compete in League B, the second tier of the UEFA Nations League next season.
Armenia, under Suren Chakhalyan, did well to navigate the latter stage of the League C campaign rather encouragingly and finished second in Group 4 behind North Macedonia, who claimed the lone automatic promotion to League B from the lot.
On the contrary, Georgia have failed to capitalise on a strong start and settled for third place in Group 1 of League B behind Czechia and Ukraine. While Czechs have been promoted to League A while the Ukrainians take on Belgium in the promotion play-off round, the Crusaders are caught in the relegation fight.
After the group stage of the new-look tournament, eight top teams -- group winners and runners-up in League A -- progress to the quarter-finals, then the following rounds to eventually crown the champions. Here are the match-ups (home/away): Netherlands vs Spain, Croatia vs France, Italy vs Germany, and Denmark vs Portugal.
The play-offs to decide promotion and relegation from one tier to another and vice versa are being held at the same window as the quarters. In these two-legged ties, third-place teams in League A will take on second-placed sides from League B for a place in the top tier.
Likewise, the third-place teams in League B will face second-placed teams in League C. In the bottom bracket, the two last-place teams in League C (with the best record) will take on League D runners-ups for a place in League C.
Georgia lead Armenia 3-2 in the overall head-to-head record. They won the first two meetings, 7-0 in a friendly in 1997 and 2-1 in the 2000 Cyprus Tournament.
Armenia's wins over Georgia have come in the 2004 Cyprus Tournament (2-0) and their UEFA Nations League, League C group meeting in November 2020 (2-1).
Armenia: Ognjen Cancarevic; Nair Tiknizyan, Sergey Muradyan, Varazdat Haroyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan; Gor Manvelyan, Solomon Udo, Ugochukwu Iwu; Vahan Bichakhchyan, Grant-Leon Ranos, Artur Serobyan.
Georgia: Giorgi Mamardashvili; Luka Lochoshvili, Lasha Dvali, Guram Kashia, Saba Goglichidze, Otar Kakabadze; Giorgi Kochorashvili, Otar Kiteishvili, Giorgi Chakvetadze; Georges Mikautadze, Budu Zivzivadze.
When Is Armenia vs Georgia, UEFA Nations League Play-Off First Leg Match?
The UEFA Nations League playoff first leg match between Armenia and Georgia will be held on March 20, Thursday at 10:30 PM IST.
Where will the Armenia vs Georgia, UEFA Nations League Play-Off First Leg match take place?
The Armenia vs Georgia, UEFA Nations League Play-Off First Leg match will take place at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in Yerevan.
Where to watch the Armenia vs Georgia, UEFA Nations League Play-Off First Leg Match?
The The Armenia vs Georgia, UEFA Nations League Play-Off First Leg Match will be available for streaming live on the SonyLiv app and website in India. The matches will also be live telecasted on the Sony Sports Network channels on TV.
In Armenia, fans can watch the match live on Fast Sports, FAST TV and Armenia TV.
Fans in Georgia can catch the live streaming of the UEFA Nations League Play-Off First Leg match on 1TV.