Pafos Football Club () is a professional football club based in Paphos, Cyprus. Founded on 10 June 2014 following the merger of AEP Paphos and AEK Kouklia, the club represents the wider Paphos region in the Cypriot First Division. Pafos play home matches at the Stelios Kyriakides Stadium, which has a capacity of 9,394, though their European home matches are played at the Alphamega Stadium (capacity 10,830) due to the former falling short of UEFA standards.
The club won their first major honour, the Cypriot Cup, in 2024 and secured a first league championship in 2024âÂÂ25. Pafos made their European debut in the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2024âÂÂ25, reaching the round of 16, and entered the UEFA Champions League qualifiers for the first time in 2025âÂÂ26 as domestic champions. After surviving two 2025âÂÂ26 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds, Pafos also won their subsequent play-off against Red Star Belgrade and advanced to the league phase.
Pafos FC was formed to consolidate senior football in the Paphos district. AEP Paphos and AEK Kouklia voted to combine operations in June 2014; the new club played its first season in the Cypriot Second Division. Pafos won promotion in 2014âÂÂ15 as Second Division runners-up, were relegated in 2015âÂÂ16, and returned to the top flight at the first attempt in 2016âÂÂ17.
In 2017 the club came under the control of Total Sports Investments, linked with British-based businessman Roman Dubov, and began a programme of professionalisation across the first team and academy. The training centre in Paphos underwent significant renovation in 2020. Spanish coach Juan Carlos Carcedo was appointed head coach in June 2023.
Pafos won the 2023âÂÂ24 Cypriot CupâÂÂthe club's first major trophyâÂÂby defeating Omonia 3âÂÂ0 in the final on 18 May 2024 at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia. The victory qualified the club for European competition for the first time.
In 2024âÂÂ25 Pafos entered the UEFA Europa Conference League in the second qualifying round, overturning a first-leg defeat to à ½algiris with a 3âÂÂ0 home win to advance 4âÂÂ2 on aggregate. They eliminated CSKA 1948 (after extra time) and CFR Cluj (on penalties) to reach the league phase, where they recorded home wins over Astana and other positive results against seeded opposition.
In February 2025, Pafos faced Omonia in what was billed as the first all-Cypriot tie in UEFA competition; after a 1âÂÂ1 first leg in Nicosia, Pafos won the return in Limassol to advance 3âÂÂ2 on aggregate to the round of 16, where they were eliminated by DjurgÃÂ¥rdens IF.
Pafos secured the 2024âÂÂ25 league titleâÂÂtheir firstâÂÂby beating Aris Limassol 4âÂÂ0 on 5 May 2025 and were officially crowned champions later that month.
As Cypriot champions, Pafos entered the 2025âÂÂ26 UEFA Champions League in the second qualifying round and defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 2âÂÂ1 on aggregate (1âÂÂ1 home, 1âÂÂ0 away at a neutral venue in Serbia). In the third qualifying round they beat Dynamo Kyiv 3âÂÂ0 on aggregate (1âÂÂ0 away in Lublin, 2âÂÂ0 home at Alphamega Stadium) to reach the play-off round for the first time. In the play-offs, Pafos eliminated Serbian side Red Star Belgrade with a 3âÂÂ2 aggregate victory, securing their first-ever place in the UEFA Champions League league stage.
On 5 January 2026, Pafos announced that Head Coach Juan Carlos Carcedo had bought out his contract, and the contracts of Sergio DomÃÂnguez Cobo and Sebastián Corona, and had left the club for a new project. Four days later, on 9 January 2026, Pafos announced the appointment of Albert Celades as their new Head Coach on a contract until 2027.
UEFA Team Ranking (2025/26)
Last update: 3 September 2025 <br /> Source: https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/uefarankings/club/?year=2026
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 Pallikarides. The logo also includes the team's colours, blue, white, and gold. The emblem was renewed during the period 2018âÂÂ19, making the depiction of the hero Evagoras Pallikarides more prominent.
From 2019 to 2023, Pafos FC's kits were manufactured by Jako. Starting with the 2023âÂÂ24 season, Pafos FC transitioned to Puma, both for the Main Team and for Academy, as their official kit supplier, though the club retained its core sponsors â Korantina Homes, LF Group, and Cablenet.