Plan your visit to the NK Celje vs Ararat-Armenia football match in Champions League qualifying at Stadion Z'dežele in Celje. The game is scheduled for 11 August 2026, and because published kick-off times differ, check the latest match details before travelling and plan your ticket purchase
NK Celje and Ararat-Armenia in a clash leading to the final hurdle
NK Celje welcomes Ararat-Armenia to Stadion Z'dežele for the second leg of the third qualifying round of the Champions League. This is a match that could determine the entire European season for both clubs: the winner advances to the play-off, the final hurdle before the league phase, while the defeated side continues its European journey in another competition.
The return leg in Celje comes one week after the first match in Armenia, scheduled for 4 August. Therefore, the final tactical picture of the second leg will only take shape after the result from Yerevan. The team arriving in Slovenia with an advantage will be able to choose when to take risks, while the other side will have to search for a goal and raise the tempo from the opening minute.
The kick-off time is currently not fully aligned across the available schedules. Some announcements list a 19:00 start, while NK Celje's schedule states 20:15. Visitors should therefore check the kick-off time again immediately before setting off for the stadium.
Tickets for this match are in high demand among supporters. The stakes are high, the stadium is compact, and the result of the first match could further increase interest during the final days of ticket sales.
How the clubs reached this clash
Both teams progressed through the previous round in dramatic fashion, but by completely different routes.
Celje played two goal-filled matches against Egnatia. The first encounter in Albania ended 3:3. Mario Kvesić scored twice, while Armandas Kučys added one goal. The return leg at Stadion Z'dežele again ended 2:2, so the decision came only after extra time and penalties. Celje won the shoot-out 4:1 and survived a tie in which neither team's defence managed to establish complete control.
Ararat-Armenia built the foundations for qualification against Shamrock Rovers in the first match in Yerevan. Sandro Lima and Zidane Banjaqui secured a 2:0 victory. In Dublin, the Irish side quickly levelled the aggregate score, but Sandro Lima scored in the second half to send the Armenian champions through 3:2 on aggregate.
The most important results before the head-to-head encounter are as follows:
- Celje - Egnatia 2:2, Celje advanced after winning the penalty shoot-out 4:1
- Egnatia - Celje 3:3
- Shamrock Rovers - Ararat-Armenia 2:1
- Ararat-Armenia - Shamrock Rovers 2:0
- Gandzasar - Ararat-Armenia 3:4 in the first round of the Armenian championship
This sequence of results suggests that neither team can rely solely on its defence. Celje scored five goals and conceded five in two European matches against Egnatia. Ararat-Armenia showed in Dublin that it can lose control of a match, but also that it has a striker capable of punishing a single mistake at a moment when the opponent is dominant.
Current form and domestic context
Celje entered the season as the 2025/26 Slovenian champions. Vítor Campelos's team is still without a victory at the start of the new domestic campaign, but it has not lost either. A 2:2 draw against Mura was followed by a 1:1 draw with Maribor, in which Darko Hrka equalised late on. Two points from the opening two rounds leave Celje in the lower part of the very early table, although the European matches have already shown that its attacking output is greater than the domestic results suggest.
Ararat-Armenia arrives in Celje as the 2025/26 Armenian champion and as a team that opened the new league season with a 4:3 away victory over Gandzasar. Four goals scored confirm its attacking depth, but three goals conceded once again raise questions about stability when a match turns into an exchange of attacks.
Celje plays Olimpija between the two European matches, while Ararat-Armenia faces Urartu. Rotations in those fixtures will show which players the coaches are particularly protecting for the return leg.
As of 3 August, the final list of absentees for the return leg had not been published. It is therefore unwise to conclude in advance who will be available, especially because suspensions, minor injuries and registration decisions can alter the squad in the days between the two matches.
Players who can change the course of the match
For Celje, Mario Kvesić has already made the strongest impression in this qualifying campaign. His two goals in Albania were not merely statistics. Kvesić is important at set pieces, with the final pass and during moments when Celje needs to slow the match down. If Ararat-Armenia closes the centre, his accuracy from free kicks and corners could become the shortest route to a chance.
Svit Sešlar provides Celje with a link between midfield and attack. He can receive the ball between the opposition lines, turn towards goal and accelerate the move with one pass. Armandas Kučys offers a different threat: height, hold-up play and attacks into the space in front of goal. His goal against Egnatia came after a quick transition and a cross towards the far post, precisely the type of situation Celje may seek again.
On the other side, Sandro Lima enters the tie as a striker who scored in both matches against Shamrock Rovers. In the first encounter, he capitalised on a defensive mistake, while in the return leg he scored when Ararat-Armenia was under intense pressure. That type of striker is particularly dangerous in a second leg: he does not require many touches or a long period of team dominance to change the aggregate score.
Zidane Banjaqui provides runs from deep, while Artur Serobyan can create overloads on the right and attack the space behind the full-back. Carlos França is important in linking the lines and preparing the final action. Celje must not leave large spaces after losing the ball, because that is precisely when Ararat-Armenia looks most direct.
The key individual duels could be:
- Kučys against the central defenders in aerial challenges and battles for the second ball
- Sešlar against the Armenian midfielders between the lines
- Kvesić against the defence at free kicks and corners
- Sandro Lima against Celje's last line after possession is lost
- Serobyan against the left side of the home defence in transition
The tactical picture of the return leg
Celje will probably try to control the ball and build attacks through short passes, but the tie against Egnatia showed how quickly a match can escape the planned rhythm. When the full-backs push high, the space behind them must be covered. Ararat-Armenia has enough pace to turn every poor pass into a run towards goal.
The most important question for Campelos will be the balance between patience and risk. If Celje sends too many players forward too early, the visitors will gain room for counter-attacks. If the home side plays too slowly, Ararat-Armenia will be able to settle into a compact block and protect the centre. Celje therefore needs to switch the point of attack, use cut-backs from the wings and force the visiting defence to move, rather than merely sending high crosses towards Kučys.
Manuel Tulipa already demonstrated a pragmatic approach against Shamrock Rovers. Ararat-Armenia can defend a result from a deep position, but it struggled to escape pressure during the first half in Dublin. When the opponent raised the intensity and aggressively closed down the first pass, the Armenian team began losing the ball near its own penalty area.
The visitors' plan in Celje may therefore have two clear phases. The first is to survive the initial pressure without committing unnecessary fouls around the penalty area. The second is to find Lima or the wingers quickly as soon as Celje loses its balance. The result of the first match will determine how long Ararat-Armenia can remain patient and when it will have to open up its lines.
This is the first qualifying tie between the clubs. The first match in Yerevan will therefore provide not only a result, but also the first real answers about who can impose the tempo, which side has the advantage in duels and how both teams react when they lose a lead.
Stadion Z'dežele and the atmosphere in Celje
Stadion Z'dežele is located in the sports park in the Hudinja district, next to Zlatorog Arena and the Supernova shopping complex. It has a capacity of 13,059 seats, of which 7,000 are covered. The stadium was renovated during 2023 and 2024, enabling Celje to host more demanding European matches in front of its home crowd.
The enclosed arrangement of the stands keeps the noise close to the pitch. Celje will try to combine that energy with more aggressive pressing, especially at the beginning of the match.
Seats in the stands disappear quickly when the result of the first match leaves qualification unresolved. Visitors travelling to Celje should plan to arrive early, particularly because of possible congestion on the approaches to the sports park and entrance checks for the sector stated on the ticket.
Arrival, parking and entrances
As of 3 August, no special announcement had yet been published for this match confirming the opening time of the entrances. For earlier European matches, the club opened the stadium approximately one hour and fifteen minutes before kick-off, but that information should not be regarded as final until an announcement specifically concerning the match against Ararat-Armenia is published.
A practical arrival plan could look like this:
- The stadium's address is Opekarniška cesta 15a, 3000 Celje.
- For the previous European match, the club directed cars to the outdoor car park and garage near Supernova, as well as to the car parks near the Zlatorog and Golovec arenas.
- The availability of those parking areas for this match should be checked on matchday, as the traffic arrangement may change depending on attendance and other events in the sports park.
- Passengers arriving by train or bus reach the edge of Celje's city centre, from where they can continue by public transport, taxi or on foot, depending on the weather and their luggage.
- The safest option is to be in the stadium area at least 60 to 90 minutes before the confirmed kick-off time.
Smoking is prohibited in the stands except in designated areas. The stadium also uses a separate waste collection system. Cashless payment is available when purchasing food and drinks, although cash has not been completely abolished.
Celje as a destination for visiting supporters
Celje lies on an important transport route between Ljubljana and Maribor. It is approximately 75 kilometres from Ljubljana and around 54 kilometres from Maribor. The railway and bus stations are located on the edge of the old city centre, making arrival easier for travellers who do not wish to drive to the stadium.
Visitors arriving earlier can walk through the historic centre beside the Savinja. Anyone planning to visit Celje Old Castle should leave enough time to return to the stadium before the evening congestion.
The city centre has pedestrian areas, cafés and restaurants, while the sports park is located northeast of the old town. Drivers should pay attention to the different city parking zones and any temporary traffic instructions around the stadium. The city's mobility system allows users to monitor bus arrivals and the occupancy of some parking areas in real time.
What to monitor immediately before the match
The most important information will be the result of the first match. If Celje earns an advantage in Armenia, the return leg may begin in a more controlled manner, with a greater emphasis on possession and preventing transitions. If Ararat-Armenia arrives in Celje with a lead, the home side will have to attack earlier, and the space available to Lima and Serobyan will become greater.
The line-ups in the domestic league matches between the two European dates should also be monitored. Resting Kvesić, Sešlar, Kučys or one of the important defenders could indicate a planned rotation, while their playing the full match might raise questions about fatigue. The same applies to Sandro Lima and the key players of the Armenian champions.
The final kick-off time, entrance opening time, traffic arrangements and parking plan should be checked after the publication of special information for supporters. It is advisable to secure tickets in good time and leave sufficient flexibility in the travel plan for congestion around the sports park.
Sources:
- Competition match centre - competition stage, match dates, line-ups and club form
- NK Celje - schedule, coach, reports against Egnatia, stadium information and instructions for supporters
- PrvaLiga.si - opening Slovenian league table and the result of the Celje - Maribor match
- Football Federation of Armenia - Ararat-Armenia results, opening table and qualifying reports
- Municipality of Celje - stadium capacity, number of covered seats and renovation details
- Visit Celje and the city mobility system - location of the city, arrival, parking and public transport