Araz-Naxçıvan PFK

Araz-Naxçıvan
Full nameAraz-Naxçıvan Peşəkar Futbol Klubu
NicknameQırmızı qurdlar (The Red Wolves)
Founded1967; 59 years ago (1967)
GroundNakhchivan City Stadium
Capacity12,800
ChairmanCeyhun Sultanov
ManagerYuriy Maksymov
LeagueAzerbaijan Premier League
2025–26Azerbaijan Premier League, 6th of 12
Websiteanpfc.az

Araz-Naxçıvan PFK (Azerbaijani: Araz-Naxçıvan Peşəkar Futbol Klubu) is an Azerbaijani professional football club based in Nakchivan.

The club played in the Azerbaijan Premier League again in 2014–15 after being promoted at the end of the 2013–14 season. The club played in the Azerbaijan First Division from the 2022 to 2023 season. In 2023, Araz Nakhcivan was the champion of the Azerbaijan First Division, and promoted to the Azerbaijani Premier League.

History

The club was created in 1967, and as of 1968, it participated in the Soviet First League. The club stopped its activity after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 2001, the team was formed again and took part in the Azerbaijan Premier League. However year later, because of financial difficulties, the team once more ceased to exist.

The club was re-established on 23 May 2013 and immediately joined the Azerbaijan First Division. In its first season, Araz sent Simurq crashing out of the Azerbaijan Cup. In May 2014, the club earned promotion to Azerbaijan Premier League after winning the division in the same season. In September 2014, Araz became linked to a match fixing scandal, the result of which saw the key players leaving the club and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic government officials intervening.

On 3 November 2014, Araz-Naxçıvan announced their withdrawal from the league due to constant biased referee decisions, with the officially announcing their withdrawal on 17 November 2014. The club competed in the Azerbaijan First Division. In 2023, Araz Nakhcivan was champion of the Azerbaijan First Division and promoted to the Azerbaijani Premier League 2023–2024.

Stadium

Araz's home ground was Nakhchivan City Stadium, which has a capacity of 12,000. For the stadium's first game, the announced attendance was 4,000.

League and domestic cup history

Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Domestic Cup Top Goalscorer
2000–01 1st 10 20 3 3 14 14 55 12 1/8 final İlham Allahyarov (6)
2013–14 2nd 1 30 25 4 1 66 11 79 1/4 final David Janalidze (24)
2014–15 1st Withdrew Withdrew David Janalidze (3)
2023–24 1st 8 36 9 9 18 31 50 36 1/4 final Orkhan Aliyev (9)
2024–25 1st 3 36 15 13 8 34 29 58 1/2 final Felipe Santos (10)
2025–26 1st 6 33 13 7 13 44 58 46 Last 16 Ba-Muaka Simakala (9)

European history

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2025–26 UEFA Conference League 2QR Greece Aris Thessaloniki 2–1 2–2 4–3
3QR Cyprus Omonia 0–4 0–5 0–9
Notes

Supporters

Supporters of Araz were drawn from all over the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and beyond Azerbaijan. The club's main two supporting groups were Ultra Araz and Nagshijahan AAK.

Players

Current squad

As of 13 August 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  BRA Arthur
2 DF  AZE Abdulla Rzayev (on loan from Sabah)
5 DF  CRO Luka Dumančić
6 MF  CPV Patrick Andrade
7 MF  AZE Rövlan Muradov
8 MF  AZE Mustafa Ahmadzada
9 FW  AZE Agadadash Salyanski (on loan from Neftçi)
10 FW  FRA Charles Boli
11 FW  GUI Mohamed Mara
12 DF  BRA Bruno Franco
13 MF  AZE Qabil Alizada
14 FW  AZE Ulvi Isgandarov
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 DF  BFA Issouf Paro
19 FW  BDI Sudi Abdallah
21 FW  AZE Ibrahim Piriyev
22 DF  AZE Rashad Hasanov
23 MF  ESP Alberto Fernández
26 DF  AZE Omar Buludov
27 DF  BIH Bojan Letić
29 MF  AZE Ceyhun Nuriyev
36 MF  GUI Mamadou Kané
77 MF  AZE Nihat Mehralıyev
99 GK  AZE Tarlan Ahmadli

For recent transfers, see Transfers summer 2026.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
5 DF  AZE Nihad Gurbanli (at MOIK)
20 MF  AZE Turan Valizade (at Sabail)
— MF  COL Alejandro Herrera (at MOIK)

Club officials

Coaching staff

Position Name
Head coach Yuriy Maksimov
Assistant coach Azerbaijan Rasim Ramaldanov
Azerbaijan Afran Ismayilov
Goalkeeping coach Azerbaijan Ramiz Karimov
Physical training coach North Macedonia Teodor Terziev

Notable managers

Information correct as of match played 2 November 2014. Only competitive matches are counted.

Name Nat. From To P W D L GS GA %W Honours Notes
Tofig Akhundov  Soviet Union 1967 ???? N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Vagif Sadygov  Soviet Union 1977 1979 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Ahmad Alaskarov  Soviet Union 1979 1979 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Ali Rahmanov  Azerbaijan 199? 2000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Boyukagha Hajiyev  Azerbaijan 1999 2000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Asgar Abdullayev  Azerbaijan Jun 2013 Nov 2014 3025416611083.33

P – Total of played matches W – Won matches D – Drawn matches L – Lost matches GS – Goal scored GA – Goals against
%W – Percentage of matches won

Nationality is indicated by the corresponding FIFA country code(s).

Honours

References

  1. 1 2 "Əsgər Abdullayev: "Məqsədim "Araz"ı güclülər dəstəsinə çıxarmaqdır"". www.azadliq.org. (in Azerbaijani). 6 August 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Naxçıvanın "Araz" klubu peşəkar futbola qayıdır..." www.azadliq.org (in Azerbaijani). 20 June 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  3. ↑ ""Araz-Naxçıvan" Ərzurum səfərinə qələbə ilə başlayıb". www.azadliq.mobi (in Azerbaijani). 28 August 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Mammadov, Jeyhun. ""Araz-Naxçıvan" çempionata 3 xalla başladı". www.serqqapisi.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  5. ↑ Аскер Абдуллаев и Юнис Гусейнов могут возглавить Араз. Azerisport.com (in Russian). Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  6. ↑ Пример Араз-Нахчывана. Почему первый дивизион пока не готов делегировать в премьер-лигу своих участников?. azerisport.com (in Russian). Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  7. ↑ ""Araz-Naxçıvan" çalxalanır: Futbolçular qovuldu, Əsgər Abdullayevə sərt xəbərdarlıq". apasport.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  8. ↑ АН официально отказался от участия в чемпионате Азербайджана. www.azerisport.com (in Russian). Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  9. ↑ ""Araz Naxçıvan" fəaliyyətini dayandırdı". qol.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  10. ↑ Официально: ПФЛ подтвердила снятие Араза. www.azerifootball.com (in Russian). Azerifootball. 17 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  11. ↑ ""Araz"ın ilk oyununu 4 min azarkeş izlədi". Avrofutbol.com (in Azerbaijani).
  12. ↑ ""Nəqşicahan" "Araz"ı tək buraxmadı". orasport.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  13. ↑ Гулиев, Тебриз (2026-09-23). "Юрий Максимов назначен главным тренером "Араз-Нахчывана"". Report.az (in Russian). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
  14. ↑ Aliyev, Jeyhun. Злой, Плохой, Хороший. Azerifootball.com (in Russian). Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  15. ↑ "Böyükağa Hacıyevdən maraqlı sitatlar: "Onun cer-cehizini yığışdırıram"". futbol11.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  16. ↑ Аскер Абдуллаев согласился возглавить Араз. Azerisport.com (in Russian). Retrieved 15 January 2014.