| Football in Cyprus | |
|---|---|
| Country | Cyprus |
| Governing body | Cyprus Football Association |
| National teams | Men's national team Women's national team |
| National competitions | |
| Club competitions | |
| International competitions | |
Football isCyprus's most popular sport.[1][2]
Short of some sporadic surprise wins versushigher-ranked countries, mostly on home soil, thenational team has not enjoyed any success of note. On the other hand, Cypriot clubs have reached theChampions League group stage three times in recent years; that has made Cyprus the smallestsovereign state (in terms of both ofarea andpopulation) to have been represented in the main phase ofEurope's most prestigious club tournament, since the introduction of the group stage in 1992.
APOEL FC has made history by being the first and only Cypriot team to reach the quarter-finals of theUEFA Champions League (in 2012), and the round of 16 of theEuropa League (in 2017). They have also won thedomestic league andcup more times than any other Cypriot club (28 and 21 times respectively). APOEL's performances, in both domestic and European competitions, have made it the most successful club in Cyprus.
Founded in 1911,Anorthosis Famagusta is the oldest Cypriot football club.Omonia is the most popular club in Cyprus, .[3]
Football was introduced to Cyprus early in the 20th century by the British (CanonFrank Darvall Newham, founder of The English School, Nicosia). Initially played in the island's schools, it proved hugely popular and a number of clubs were duly formed. Football clubs played friendly games only and the first unofficial island-wide league was organised in 1932.[4]
The rivalry between teams that support different political parties has grown intense over the decades and the matches result in bloody conflicts between the fans. The fans take extreme pride in their team not only because the history of their team but because the connection their political party has with their team. The more hardcore right wing fans were waved before fascist symbols during matches whereas the hardcore left wing fans wave symbols associated with communism.AC Omonia's hardcore fans in the season 2011-2012 made an enormous choreography of thehammer and sickle, whereasAnorthosis Famagusta FC and others have shown their love towards their Turkish-occupied home city ofFamagusta and their passionate Greek-Cypriot heritage. The two teams mentioned above have an often violent rivalry, resulting in injuries to fans. Another team associated with politics is the rivals of Omonia,APOEL. APOEL's fans have strong connections with the nationalist party.
As football became established, the clubs were united in agreeing that an official body was needed to regulate the sport. In September 1934, theCyprus Football Association (CFA) was formed and matches were soon being played on an official basis. The association became aFIFA member in 1948 and anUEFA member in 1962.[4]
Until the mid-1980s, footballers in Cyprus did not have any organisation or union that promoted their interests. Players were usually paid small wages and needed to have other jobs in order to support themselves and their families.[5][6][7] On December 12, 1987 the Pancyprian Footballers Association (Greek:Παγκύπριος Σύνδεσμος Ποδοσφαιριστών) was created. On February 25, 1997, the PFA became aFIFPro member.[8]
There are 52,403 (19,203 registered) players and 108 football clubs in Cyprus.[9]
The governing body of football in Cyprus is theCyprus Football Association. The first official league was organised in 1934. TheCyprus Football Association oversees the organization of:
The Cypriot national team has yet to qualify for a majorFIFA orUEFA competition.
Cyprus' highest FIFA ranking (43rd) came in October 2010. Cyprus is currently ranked 111th (as of June 2023).
| League system | |
|---|---|
| Cup competitions | |
| Defunct competitions | |
| National teams | |
| Lists and categories | |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Rivalries | |
