Pafos FC Managers

Pafos F.C. () is a Cypriot professional football club based in Paphos. It was established in 2014 following the merger of two local clubs, AEP Paphos and AEK Kouklia, with the aim of creating a stronger and more competitive team to represent the Paphos region in the top tier of Cypriot football.

The club plays its home matches at the Stelios Kyriakides Stadium, a venue with a capacity of approximately 9,000 spectators. Pafos FC currently competes in the Cypriot First Division. In recent seasons, the club has attracted several international players and coaching staff.

In 2024, Pafos FC qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League for the first time in its history, marking its debut in European competition.

History

Early years (2014–2017)

Pafos FC was formed by a merger between the strongest football forces of the province of Paphos. The club's emblem includes the name of the club and town, and features the figure of Cypriot revolutionary Evagoras Pallikarides. The shape and colours of the emblem (white, blue, and gold) refer to the historical clubs of APOP and AEK Kouklia. The emblem was renewed in the 2018–19 season, making the figure of Pallikarides more visible.

On 10 June 2014, the historic building of AEP Paphos FC hosted the first gathering for the supporters of the merged team, in the presence of politicians, active and veteran football players of Paphos, and hundreds of fans. The first president of the team was Christakis Kaizer, who was previously the president of AEK Kouklia and one of the main people in the effort to create the new team together with the then six-member managing committee of AEP.

As an official home stadium for its obligations in the championship of the first division, the team uses Stelios Kyriakides Stadium (Paphiako Stadium).

The purpose of the club is to promote noble rivalry, "fair play" and culture both through sports activities and through numerous cultural and educational events, and visits to schools, and educational institutions in Paphos. The team has projected a picture of renewal and full professionalism in all departments and levels. An important event is the complete renovation of the training center to the standards of European clubs.

The team's first coach was Radmilo Ivančević, who had served as AEP Paphos's coach in the past.

Pafos FC competed in the 2014–15 Cypriot Second Division, in their first season as a club. The first match in the club's history was against Enosis Neon Paralimni, at the Municipal Stadium of Geroskipou which was the first home stadium of the team. The team finished in second place and was promoted to the first division. In the 2015–16 season, in the first participation of Pafos FC in the first division, the team finished in 12th place and was relegated. Their first victory and the team's first overall victory in the first division came on 12 September 2015 in the third game of the league when Pafos FC defeated Aris Limassol 3–0 at home. The team finished 2nd in the Second Division and was promoted to the First Division in the 2016–17 season.

Dubov Era (since 2017)

The following season, Pafos FC remained in the top division, finishing in 10th place under the leadership of their new owner, Total Sports Investments, managed by British businessman Roman Dubov. Changes in the club's structure, the academy's operational processes, renovation of the Pafos FC Training Center along with resounding transfers significantly raised the level of the club which now appears to be one of the most modern and well-equipped teams in Cyprus.Since Dubov's arrival, the team's placement in the league has improved or remained constant every year, from 2018 until 2023. On 25 February 2022, a new attendance record was set for Pafos FC, as over 4661 fans came to support the club in a 1–1 home draw against Aris Limassol, which secured a place in the championship playoffs for the first time in the club's history. Pafos FC players were the top goalscorers of the Cypriot First Division in the 2018–19, 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons.

On 24 June 2023, Juan Carlos Carcedo was announced as the new Head Coach of Pafos. In May 2024, Pafos won the Cypriot Cup, marking the club's first major honour.

2024–25 season

The 2024–25 season was a landmark campaign for Pafos FC, highlighted by their first-ever appearance in European competition. After securing the Cypriot Cup title in the 2023–24 season—an historic first for the club—Pafos qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League, entering the tournament in the second qualifying round and winning their first league title.

Pafos FC made their debut in the UEFA Europa Conference League during the 2024–25 season. The club entered the competition in the second qualifying round and secured a 4–2 aggregate victory over Lithuanian champions FK Žalgiris, including an impressive 3–0 win at home.

In the first-ever meeting between two Cypriot sides in major European competitions, Pafos FC beat AC Omonia 3–2 on aggregate to reach the last 16 of the 2024-25 UEFA Conference League.

Pafos finished their Conference League performance of season 2024/25 with an average passing accuracy of 84.2%.
The team’s structured play and tactical discipline earned them praise domestically and abroad.

In the meantime, in the Cypriot First Division, Pafos continued to build on their momentum. With strong leadership from head coach Juan Carlos Carcedo, the team remained in contention for a top-three finish throughout the season, with a goal to return to European competition again in 2025–26, which was successful as they won their first ever league title and will qualify to the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Honours

European history

;Notes
* 1Q: First qualifying round
* 2Q: Second qualifying round
* 3Q: Third qualifying round
* PO: Play-off round
* LP: League Phase
* KPO: Knockout phase play-offs
* R16: Round of 16

Domestic history

Club's identity

The logo of Pafos FC is a variation of AEP Paphos's logo and a refresh of Pafos FC's first logo, including the name of the team and town and the classic figure of the Cypriot hero Evagoras Pallikaridis. The logo also includes the team's colours, blue, white, and gold. The emblem was renewed during the period 2018–19, making the depiction of the hero Evagoras Pallikarides more prominent.

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

From 2019 to 2023, Pafos FC's kits were manufactured by Jako, marking a period of steady branding and visual identity as the club continued to grow its presence in Cypriot football.

Starting with the 2023–24 season, Pafos FC transitioned to Puma, both for the Main Team and for Academy, as their official kit supplier, aligning the club with a globally recognized sportswear brand. The move was seen as a step toward strengthening the club’s commercial profile and aligning with more prominent European football standards. Despite the change in kit manufacturer, the club retained its core sponsors — Korantina Homes, LF Group, and Cablenet — demonstrating ongoing commercial stability and sustained backing from key partners.

Players

Out on loan

Current staff

Records

Most appearances

Top goalscorers

Managers

References

External links

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{{Cypriot First Division

Football clubs in Cyprus
Association football clubs established in 2014
2014 establishments in Cyprus
Football clubs in Paphos