# Pafos FC
**Pafos FC** (Greek: Πάφος FC) is a professional football club based in Pafos, a coastal city in southwestern Cyprus, founded in 2014 through the merger of two local clubs, AEK Kouklia and AEP Paphos.[1](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/foram-fundados-em-2014-e-agora-estao-na-champions-a-historia-do-pafos-2025082705350092551) • [2](https://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol/champions-league/nota/_/id/15592079/la-increible-evolucion-de-pafos-fc-que-hizo-historia-y-jugara-la-uefa-champions-league) Within a decade of its founding the club won its first [Cypriot First Division](https://www.edgepedia.org/cypriot-first-division) title and became the third Cypriot team to reach the league phase of the [UEFA Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-champions-league), after APOEL and Anorthosis Famagusta.[3](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-pafos-tiene-una-cita-con-la-historia-n/) • [4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/029d-1ea2e7e3e5d8-c5227ee0ab3c-1000--meet-the-2025-26-champions-league-league-phase-teams/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 2014, from the merger of AEK Kouklia and AEP Paphos[1](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/foram-fundados-em-2014-e-agora-estao-na-champions-a-historia-do-pafos-2025082705350092551) |
| Home ground | Stelios Kyriakides Stadium, Pafos, capacity 9,394[5](https://pafosfc.com.cy/about/) |
| Ownership | Acquired in 2017 by the British company Total Sports Investments; chairman Roman Dubov[6](https://as.com/futbol/champions/afrodita-en-el-camino-f202511-n/) |
| First league title | Cypriot First Division champion for the first time in the 2024/25 season, ten years after founding[3](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-pafos-tiene-una-cita-con-la-historia-n/) |
| European debut | UEFA Conference League 2024/25, reaching the Round of 16[7](https://pafosfc.com.cy/pafos-fc-publishes-2024-annual-report-a-landmark-year-on-and-off-the-pitch/) |
| Champions League | 2025/26 league phase; record of 2 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses in 8 matches[8](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/clubs/2609532--pafos/) • [17](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/029c-1e9a9e46c0e1-d4a19f742eb9-1000--champions-league-league-phase-fixtures-and-results-by-team/) |
| Notable win | 1–0 against Villarreal in the Champions League league phase, 5 November 2025[9](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/UCL/2026/2045974_TS.pdf) |
## Founding and early years
The club was created in June 2014 to consolidate senior football in the Paphos district, when AEK Kouklia and AEP Paphos voted in favor of a merger.[1](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/foram-fundados-em-2014-e-agora-estao-na-champions-a-historia-do-pafos-2025082705350092551) The merger followed AEK Kouklia's relegation from the Cypriot First Division.[10](https://cadenaser.com/andalucia/2025/07/03/bruno-langa-de-almeria-a-chipre-ser-almeria/) Sources differ on the exact founding date: an Olympiacos matchday program states 10 June 2014, while a Spanish report gives 10 July 2014.[11](https://www.olympiacos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17/MatchDay-Programme-Pafos-17.09.25neo.pdf) • [10](https://cadenaser.com/andalucia/2025/07/03/bruno-langa-de-almeria-a-chipre-ser-almeria/) The club's own website describes its origin as a merger of AEK Kouklia and Pafos FC 2000.[5](https://pafosfc.com.cy/about/)
The new club played its first season in the Cypriot second division and won promotion at the first attempt, finishing second.[11](https://www.olympiacos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17/MatchDay-Programme-Pafos-17.09.25neo.pdf) Its first three years were turbulent, with two promotions to the first division and a relegation back to the second in between.[12](https://as.com/opinion/el-orden-de-caicedo-impulsa-al-pafos-f202511-n/)
## New ownership and growth
The turning point came in 2017, when the club was acquired by the British company Total Sports Investments.[6](https://as.com/futbol/champions/afrodita-en-el-camino-f202511-n/) Roman Dubov, an Anglo-Hungarian businessman of Russian origin who has held British nationality since 1999, took charge as president.[12](https://as.com/opinion/el-orden-de-caicedo-impulsa-al-pafos-f202511-n/) • [6](https://as.com/futbol/champions/afrodita-en-el-camino-f202511-n/)
The club's 2024 annual report, published in April 2025, described a record year: ticket sales rose 167%, with more than 30,000 fans attending home matches; 20 new sponsors joined and commercial income rose 50%; and the club invested in a squad valued at €24.5 million, €2.5 million in infrastructure, and €1.1 million in its academy, which serves more than 400 young athletes and won the U19 Cyprus Championship.[7](https://pafosfc.com.cy/pafos-fc-publishes-2024-annual-report-a-landmark-year-on-and-off-the-pitch/) The club reported increased cash reserves and no external debt entering 2025.[7](https://pafosfc.com.cy/pafos-fc-publishes-2024-annual-report-a-landmark-year-on-and-off-the-pitch/)
## Domestic success
Pafos won its first major trophy in 2024, a decade after founding, and followed it with its first Cypriot First Division championship in the 2024/25 season.[3](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-pafos-tiene-una-cita-con-la-historia-n/) The league title earned the club a place in Champions League qualifying.[13](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/2025-the-year-of-the-underdog-even-north-korea-won-something)
## European competition
**Champions League 2025/26.** In qualifying, Pafos eliminated Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv, and [Red Star Belgrade](https://www.edgepedia.org/red-star-belgrade), beating the Serbian champion 2–1 at the Rajko Mitić Stadium in Belgrade before more than 40,000 spectators.[13](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/2025-the-year-of-the-underdog-even-north-korea-won-something) • [12](https://as.com/opinion/el-orden-de-caicedo-impulsa-al-pafos-f202511-n/) In the 36-team league phase the club recorded 2 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses in 8 matches, including a 1–0 victory over [Villarreal](https://www.edgepedia.org/villarreal) on Matchday 4 and a draw at Olympiacos.[8](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/clubs/2609532--pafos/) • [9](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/UCL/2026/2045974_TS.pdf) • [13](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/2025-the-year-of-the-underdog-even-north-korea-won-something) • [17](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/029c-1e9a9e46c0e1-d4a19f742eb9-1000--champions-league-league-phase-fixtures-and-results-by-team/) A 38-year-old [David Luiz](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-luiz) played in the heart of its defense.[13](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/2025-the-year-of-the-underdog-even-north-korea-won-something)
The campaign ended in the league phase: a final-day 4–1 win over Slavia Praha, featuring a long-range goal by Vlad Dragomir, was not enough to reach the playoff round, from which Pafos was excluded on goal difference. The team scored 8 goals in its 8 league-phase matches, and its offensive output in the first seven matchdays, only 4 goals, proved decisive.[14](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-pafos-rozo-el-milagro-f202601-n/)
## Coaches and style
Juan Carlos Carcedo, formerly [Unai Emery](https://www.edgepedia.org/unai-emery)'s long-time assistant, led the club through its title-winning and Champions League campaigns, organizing the side in a 4-1-4-1 formation with rapid movement in the forward line.[15](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/head-coach-analysis/juan-carlos-carcedo-tactics-pafos-2025-2026-tactical-analysis) • [14](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-pafos-rozo-el-milagro-f202601-n/) He was succeeded by Albert Celades during the 2025/26 Champions League campaign.[14](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-pafos-rozo-el-milagro-f202601-n/)
## Stadium
Pafos FC plays its home matches at the Stelios Kyriakides Stadium in the center of Pafos, which the club lists with a capacity of 9,394; the Pafos tourism authority gives 8,500.[5](https://pafosfc.com.cy/about/) • [16](https://www.visitpafos.org.cy/active-pafos/football-training/)
## References
1. [Foram fundados em 2014 e agora estão na Champions: a história do Pafos, A Bola](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/foram-fundados-em-2014-e-agora-estao-na-champions-a-historia-do-pafos-2025082705350092551)
2. [La increíble evolución de Pafos FC, ESPN Deportes](https://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol/champions-league/nota/_/id/15592079/la-increible-evolucion-de-pafos-fc-que-hizo-historia-y-jugara-la-uefa-champions-league)
3. [El Pafos tiene una cita con la historia, AS](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-pafos-tiene-una-cita-con-la-historia-n/)
4. [Meet the 2025/26 Champions League league phase teams, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/029d-1ea2e7e3e5d8-c5227ee0ab3c-1000--meet-the-2025-26-champions-league-league-phase-teams/)
5. [About Us, Pafos FC official website](https://pafosfc.com.cy/about/)
6. [Afrodita en el camino, AS](https://as.com/futbol/champions/afrodita-en-el-camino-f202511-n/)
7. [Pafos FC Publishes 2024 Annual Report, Pafos FC official website](https://pafosfc.com.cy/pafos-fc-publishes-2024-annual-report-a-landmark-year-on-and-off-the-pitch/)
8. [Pafos – History, UEFA Champions League, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/clubs/2609532--pafos/)
9. [UEFA Champions League Matchday 4 technical report, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/UCL/2026/2045974_TS.pdf)
10. [Bruno Langa, de Almería a Chipre, Cadena SER](https://cadenaser.com/andalucia/2025/07/03/bruno-langa-de-almeria-a-chipre-ser-almeria/)
11. [Olympiacos matchday programme, 17 September 2025](https://www.olympiacos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17/MatchDay-Programme-Pafos-17.09.25neo.pdf)
12. [El orden de Carcedo impulsa al Pafos, AS](https://as.com/opinion/el-orden-de-caicedo-impulsa-al-pafos-f202511-n/)
13. [2025: The Year of the Underdog, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/2025-the-year-of-the-underdog-even-north-korea-won-something)
14. [El Pafos rozó el milagro, AS](https://as.com/futbol/champions/el-pafos-rozo-el-milagro-f202601-n/)
15. [Juan Carlos Carcedo Tactics At Pafos FC 2025/2026, Total Football Analysis](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/head-coach-analysis/juan-carlos-carcedo-tactics-pafos-2025-2026-tactical-analysis)
16. [Football Training, Visit Pafos](https://www.visitpafos.org.cy/active-pafos/football-training/)
17. [029c 1e9a9e46c0e1 D4a19f742eb9 1000 Champions League League Phase Fixtures and Results by Team, uefa.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/029c-1e9a9e46c0e1-d4a19f742eb9-1000--champions-league-league-phase-fixtures-and-results-by-team/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › Teams and sporting organizations › Football clubs of continental Europe and Israel › Balkan, Greek, and Turkish clubs*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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