The Rise of Pafos FC: From Merger Club to Champions League Dreamers

The Rise of Pafos FC: From Merger Club to Champions League Dreamers

In 2014, a new club was born in Cyprus. Few would have predicted that just over 10 years later we'd be looking at one of the most inspiring stories in footballing folklore history, but that is exactly what has happened.

From two clubs on the brink of extinction, to one club on the brink of Champions League qualification. This is a tale of a bold vision, foreign investment, and local pride which has paved the way for underdogs far beyond the Mediterranean.

This is the story of Pafos FC.

The Birth of a New Club

In July of 2014, Pafos FC were formed. Born from the struggles of two former Cypriot club in AEP Paphos and AEK Kouklia FC, the new club were formed as a symbol of footballing unity in the Paphos region.

🇨🇾 What a meteoric rise it has been for Pafos of Cyprus! 🤩

🏆 2023: First Cypriot Cup
🇪🇺 2024: European debut
👑 2025: First Cypriot league title
💫 2025: UEFA Champions League debut
🇺🇦 2025: First UEFA Champions League win pic.twitter.com/oZPREnmOP4

— The Sweeper (@SweeperPod) August 13, 2025

The aim was to rid the regions footballing landscape of the financial instability and lack of resources that had previously plagued it and replace it with a sustainable force, eventually emerging as a challenger to the dominance of Nicosia and Limassol.

And it couldn't have got off to a better start. In Pafos FC's first season, they gained promotion into the first division of Cypriot football after finishing as runners up in the second division.

However, in the next season somewhat of a reality check would be given as they were again condemned to the second division after being comfortably relegated.

This cast some doubt over the project, with many believing that they had entered a yo-yo club period that would go on to define them throughout their history.

The Turning Point of Investment

Despite their founding in 2014, it was 2017 where the project really began to take flight.

Total Sports Investment (TSI), fronted by Russian-British businessman Roman Dubov, acquired the club and began their journey of investment.

Happy Birthday to our chairman, Mr. Roman Dubov 🎂🎉

Pafos FC family expresses our warmest wishes for health, love, and happiness to Mr. Roman Dubov and his family 👏🏼

Thank you for everything you do for the club and our town 🇨🇾 pic.twitter.com/7HCUdjcA1A

— Pafos FC (@pafosfcofficial) June 27, 2024

They began a programme of professionalism across the club with massive changes, processes and renovations of the infrastructure taking place.

A financial stability and platform to inhibit growth was put in place, the club began to attract better players and staff as the project began to really take hold and look to the future.

But this wasn't another story of massive investment sending a club to the top and losing its identity in the process. Instead the club continued to anchor itself in the community and use strong local branding to market itself to the local population.

Pafos weren't just a club looking to attain mediocrity and stability anymore, they were a club hell bent on becoming a force in Cyprus and beyond.

First Glory & European Steps

After years of consolidation and laying the foundations for future success, Pafos finally made the breakthrough.

In 2023/24, under cult-hero Spanish boss Juan Carlos Carcedo, Pafos lifted their first major trophy in the Cypriot cup.

Juan Carlos Carcedo. ⚽ ⚽
First trophy 🏆 in the history of Pafos
Euro qualification to the knockout stages
First championship in its history
First participation in the C/League
Undefeated in both matches#Carcedo #PafosFC #Pafos #Championsleague pic.twitter.com/FmAinYADYv

— Pafos International Supporters Group (@PafosFCsupport) July 31, 2025

They faced Nicosia, one of the clubs they previously vowed to compete with in the final, winning 3-0 in spectacular fashion and qualifying for their first taste of European football in the process.

For a club that had only existed for 10 years, this was a massive achievement. One previously hoped for, but one that wasn't expected as quickly or even as meaningfully as it ended up being.

It was a watershed moment, and one that was the beginning of something much larger for Pafos FC.

The 24/25 Season: Champions of Cyprus

Pafos' first European campaign saw them enter into the Europa League, before ending up in the Europa Conference League after some early setbacks.

The club bounced back with some massive wins in Europe, eventually seeing them face Omonia in the first ever tie between two Cypriot clubs in UEFA competition history.

Just like when they beat Nicosia in the cup final in the previous year, Pafos once again not only competed with a domestic giant they were determined to overthrow, but beat them 3-2 over two legs, advancing to the round of 16, before being defeated by Djurgardens IF.

This Thursday, we celebrate August 15th in a different way. ⚽️

Join your Pafos FC family and support the team towards the UEFA Conference League playoffs! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/MMNJsJodpi

— Pafos FC (@pafosfcofficial) August 13, 2024

This experience was invaluable for such a young club with ambitions as big as Pafos, and proved that they could compete and defeat names already established as European competitors.

But even with this European run, it wasn't the most fairytale story they produced last season.

Whilst their European story was unfolding, Pafos were writing a novel much greater in their domestic territory.

Pafos secured their first ever Cypriot first division title with a 4-0 win over Aris Limassol. In fact, it wasn't only their first title as a club, it was the first time in history that any club from the Paphos district had been crowned champions of Cyprus.

Pafos FC set out their stall to replace the stigma around merger clubs and foreign investment, with the unification of football and community in a club that meant something.

Becoming champions of the Cypriot division was just another step, albeit the biggest thus far, on the journey to prove they could do exactly that.

The Champions League Dream

The league win resulted in qualification for the qualifying phase of the Champions League.

Pafos have already navigated the first two qualifying rounds, beating big clubs in Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dynamo Kyiv on the way.

Pafos lead 1-0 against Dynamo Kyiv thanks to Mislav Orsic's 2nd minute strike pic.twitter.com/VHG05tQEwz

— THIS IS MAPPA: CYPRUS FOOTBALL PODCAST (@ThisIsMappa) August 12, 2025

Now, they are on the brink of history. The club sit one round away from reaching the league phase of Europe's elite competition, with Red Star Belgrade the only thing standing between them and history.

For a club only in existence for 11 years, born out of serious financial struggles, the story is quite frankly extraordinary.

Why Pafos FC's Rise is so Special

For all of the sporting reasons mentioned, Pafos FC's story is one of unfathomable proportions.

After just 11 years as an entity, Pafos have done more than many clubs dream of achieving in entire lifetime's.

But it hasn't just been 11 years as an entity, it has been 11 years of forging a deep-rooted identity, and the impact of this story stretches far further than just on the field.

Merger clubs often struggle to encapsulate and capture the community, as bringing two sets of football fans who have lost their beloved clubs together is not easy.

But Pafos, recognising the importance of said community and unity, have kept the local culture and history at the heart of the project.

The Pafos FC story shows exactly what can happen when the backstory resonates with more than just money.

From Brazil to Europe, from Champions League glory to Copa Libertadores — now writing a new chapter in Cyprus.

A historic day for our club.
A new era begins.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗪 and @DavidLuiz_4 is part of it! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/XYIcft2XIC

— Pafos FC (@pafosfcofficial) August 3, 2025

A big investment may have been the catalyst to catapult them into the worlds spotlight as a footballing story, but it isn't what has made the world continue to take notice.

The club have reminded the footballing world that daring to dream is not fruitless. Underdog stories are few and far between in the modern game but they are not impossible.

Pafos FC are proof of what can be achieved if foundations of funds are built upon correctly with structures of passion and heart. They have come so far already, but if the past 11 years are anything to go by, the Cypriot club have many engrossing chapters left to write before they turn their final page.

Pafos FC, from merger club to Champions League dreamers.