Football in Cyprus

Last updated
Football in Cyprus
CountryCyprus
Governing body Cyprus Football Association
National team(s) Men's national team
Women's national team
National competitions
Club competitions
International competitions

Football is Cyprus's most popular sport. [1] [2]

Short of some sporadic surprise wins versus higher-ranked countries, mostly on home soil, the national team has not enjoyed any success of note. On the other hand, Cypriot clubs have reached the Champions League group stage three times in recent years; that has made Cyprus the smallest sovereign state (in terms of both of area and population) to have been represented in the main phase of Europe's most prestigious club tournament, since the introduction of the group stage in 1992.

Contents

APOEL FC has made history by being the first and only Cypriot team to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League (in 2012), and the round of 16 of the Europa League (in 2017). They have also won the domestic league and cup 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 Nicosia is the most popular club in Cyprus, according to a 2022 study conducted by the University of Nicosia. [3]

History

Football was introduced to Cyprus early in the 20th century by the British (Canon Frank 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 on 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 the hammer and sickle, whereas Anorthosis Famagusta FC and others have shown their love towards their turkish-occupied home city of Famagusta 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.

Cyprus Football Association

As football became established, the clubs were united in agreeing that an official body was needed to regulate the sport. In September 1934, the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) was formed and matches were soon being played on an official basis. The association became a FIFA member in 1948 and an UEFA member in 1962. [4]

Pancyprian Footballers Association

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 a FIFPro member. [8]

There are 52,403 (19,203 registered) players and 108 football clubs in Cyprus. [9]

League system

The governing body of football in Cyprus is the Cyprus Football Association. The first official league was organised in 1934. The Cyprus Football Association oversees the organization of:

Teams

National team

The Cypriot national team has yet to qualify for a major FIFA or UEFA competition.

Cyprus' highest FIFA ranking (43rd) came in October 2010. Cyprus is currently ranked 111th (as of June 2023).

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AC Omonia</span> Multi-sport club based in Nicosia, Cyprus

Athletic Club Omonia Nicosia, commonly known as Omonia Nicosia, or simply Omonia, is a Cypriot professional multi-sport club, established on 4 June 1948 in Nicosia. It is best known for its football department, which has played in the Cypriot First Division since 1953. On 14 June 2018, the football department of AC Omonia became a professional for-profit football company, and is since known as Omonia FC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">APOEL FC</span> Association football club in Nicosia, Cyprus

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyprus Football Association</span> Governing body of association football in Cyprus

The Cyprus Football Association (CFA) is the governing body of football in Cyprus and is based in Nicosia. It organises Cyprus's football championships, whose top league is the Cypriot First Division. It also organises the Cypriot Cup, the Cypriot Super Cup and the Cypriot national football team. Cyprus Football Association is also responsible for organising futsal competitions, including the Cypriot Futsal league, the Cypriot Futsal Cup and the Cypriot Futsal Super Cup.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apollon Limassol FC</span> Cypriot sports club

Apollon Limassol FC is a Cypriot sports club, based in Limassol. It has football, basketball and volleyball teams. Founded in 1954, Apollon FC currently plays in the Cypriot First Division and has won the championship title four times, the cup nine times and the Super Cup four times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nea Salamis Famagusta</span> Sports club based in Ammochostos, Cyprus

Nea Salamis Famagusta or Nea Salamina Famagusta is a Cypriot sports club based in Ammochostos, Cyprus. The club is named after Salamis, an ancient city near present-day Famagusta. Nea Salamis Famagusta fields teams in men's football and volleyball, and formerly fielded teams in women's football, track and field, water sports and table tennis.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyprus Volleyball Federation</span>

Cyprus Volleyball Federation (CVF) (Greek: Kυπριακή Oμοσπονδία Πετοσφαίρισης, Κ.Ο.ΠΕ) (Turkish: Kıbrıs Voleybol Federasyonu (KVF)) is the governing body of volleyball in Cyprus. It organises the first division, second division leagues and a cup competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anorthosis Famagusta FC</span> Cypriot association football club

Anorthosis Famagusta, commonly known as Anorthosis in English or Anorthosi in Greek, is a Cypriot football club, part of the Anorthosis Famagusta multi-sport club founded in 1911 in Varosha, Famagusta.

Francisco Manuel Geraldo Rosa, known as Kiko, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a left-back for First Division club Anorthosis Famagusta.

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The 2012–13 season was Anorthosis' 64th consecutive season in the Cypriot First Division, the top division of Cyprus football. It covers a period from 1 July 2011 to 30 May 2012.

Anorthosis Famagusta Futsal is the futsal team of Cypriot sports club Anorthosis Famagusta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nea Salamis Famagusta FC</span> Football club

Nea Salamis Famagusta FC or Nea Salamina Famagusta FC is a Cypriot professional football club based in Ammochostos. It has been a refugee club since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, when Turkey occupied the northern part of the island. The club is temporarily based in Larnaca.

The 2013–14 season will be Anorthosis' 65th consecutive season in the Cypriot First Division, the top division of Cyprus football. It covers a period from 1 July 2013 to 30 May 2014.

The 2013–14 season is Omonia's 59th season in the Cypriot First Division and 65th year in existence as a football club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gate 9</span>

Gate 9 is a Cypriot Ultras group that supports PAC Omonia 29M and the non-football departments of AC Omonia.

The 2014–15 season will be Anorthosis' 66th consecutive season in the Cypriot First Division, the top division of Cyprus football. It covers a period from 1 July 2014 to 30 May 2015.

The 2018–19 Cypriot Cup was the 77th edition of the Cypriot Cup. A total of 24 clubs were accepted to enter the competition. It began on 5 December 2018 with the first round and concluded on 22 May 2019 with the final held at GSP Stadium. The winner of the Cup was AEL Limassol for seventh time and qualified for the 2019–20 Europa League second qualifying round.

The 2023–24 Cypriot First Division is the 85th season of the Cypriot top-level football league.

References

  1. ↑ "Amazon.com.cy" . Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  2. ↑ Doyle, Paul (2013-03-21). "How Cyprus's financial crisis may bolster moves towards football unity | Paul Doyle | Football". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  3. ↑ Solutions, BDigital Web. "Πρωταθλήτρια σε κόσμο η… Ομόνοια". 24sports.com.cy. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  4. 1 2 "Cyprus Football Association" . Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  5. ↑ "European football: In another league". The Economist. 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  6. ↑ "Play but no pay: how foreign players were cheated". Cyprus Mail. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  7. ↑ "Premier League has second-largest proportion of foreigners in Europe | Football". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
  8. ↑ Η ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΓΚΥΠΡΙΟΥ ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΥ ΠΟΔΟΣΦΑΙΡΙΣΤΩΝ (in Greek). Π.Α.Σ.Π. 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  9. ↑ "Cyprus: country information". FIFA. 2008-12-02. Archived from the original on August 20, 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
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