Cypriot First Division

Cypriot First Division
Country  Cyprus
Confederation UEFA
Founded 1934 (1934)
Number of teams 14
Level on pyramid 1
Relegation to Cypriot Second Division
Domestic cup(s) Cypriot Cup
Cypriot Super Cup
International cup(s) UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
Current champions APOEL (24th title)
(2014–15)
Most championships APOEL
(24 titles)
TV partners CytaVision
PrimeTel
Website CFA
2015–16 Cypriot First Division

The Cypriot First Division championship (Greek: Πρωτάθλημα Α' Κατηγορίας) is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus, run by the Cyprus Football Association. Since February 2016, it is sponsored by Cyta and thus officially known as Cyta Championship.[1]

History

Football was introduced to Cyprus early in the 20th century by the British. Initially played in the island's schools, it proved hugely popular and a number of clubs were duly formed.

Since 1911, when Anorthosis Famagusta FC was founded, many clubs were established and in 1932 the Cypriot Championship began annually at first unofficially. Every season, the championship was organized by a different football club which caused some conflicts between some of the teams.

As football became more established, the clubs were united in agreeing that an official body was needed to regulate the sport. And in September 1934, the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) was formed and the Cypriot Championship and Cup began to take place annually.[2] The first Champions of Cyprus were Trast AC in 1935 but the club folded three years later. The 1930s were dominated by APOEL, who won five championship in a row until 1940. Like other Championships in the World, the Cypriot Championship was interrupted, due to World War II from 1941 until 1945.

World War II was followed by the Greek Civil War, which caused a lot of fanaticism between Greeks. Since the majority of the island are Greek Cypriots, it had a lot of influence in their society too, including sport. In 1948, some clubs were involved in politics and criticized the left-wing as responsible for the War. Several footballers from those clubs criticized their club but that followed the expulsion of those players from their teams. Those players then went on to help establish new clubs with their own Association and their own football competitions. Until 1953 there were two separate football Championships in Cyprus and two different Associations. However, in 1953, the two Associations unified Cypriot football, and the teams which were established in 1948 under the separate association, were allowed to become members of the CFA. Only Omonia was accepted into the First Division. And due to the addition of more clubs that season, relegation and promotion began in Cypriot football.

The Cypriot Championship unification, lasted for only two seasons. In 1955, Çetinkaya Türk S.K., who had been the only Turkish Cypriot team playing in the Cypriot First Division since 1934–35, withdrew from the Championship and with other Turkish Cypriot teams, established the Cyprus Turkish Football Federation, with its own competitions. The reason behind this was political, as the Turkish Cypriot leadership were supporting the partition of the island. However, this Federation was never recognized and no team of that federation could play in international competitions.

The independence of Cyprus in 1960, was followed by full membership for the Cyprus Football Association to UEFA in 1962. From 1963, the champions of the Cyprus, could compete in the European Champions Cup and the Cup winners in the European Cup Winners Cup. Since 1971, the runners up in the Greek Cypriot First Division can compete in the UEFA Cup. From 1967 until 1974, the Greek Cypriot Champions were promoted to the Greek First National Division. Greek Cypriot teams were relegated every season from the Alpha Ethniki, apart from 1974, when APOEL managed to remain in the Greek Championship which meant that Cyprus would have two teams in Alpha Ethniki. However, due to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus that year, APOEL and AC Omonoia (the champion of Cyprus for 1974) withdrew from the League.

The Greek Cypriot championship was abandoned in the 1963–64 season due to the bicommunal conflicts between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

Omonia dominated the Greek Cypriot Championship in the 1970s and 1980s, winning 12 championship in 13 seasons. In 1976, Omonia player Sotiris Kaiafas was the top scorer not only in Cyprus but also in Europe with 39 goals winning the European Golden Boot. Anorthosis Famagusta dominated Cyprus football between 1995 and 2000, losing the championship during those years only once in 1996.

The last 15 years (2000–present), APOEL had been the most successful club by winning more than one championship every two years, counting eight championship titles in total.

Format

At present, 14 clubs compete in the league. Each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, which makes a total of 26 games for each club. The last two teams (of the first round) are relegated directly to the Second Division. Since 2007–08 season the league has a second round play-off system. In the second round the first 12 (out of 14) teams are separated into two groups of six teams according to their position at the end of the first round. The points from the first round are carried to the second round and the teams play each other twice (10 more matches). At the end of the second round, the bottom team of the relegation group is relegated to the Second Division.

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. The rule for three points for a win has been applied since 1992, before then two points were awarded for a win. Teams are ranked by total points, the matches between the teams, then goal difference and then goals scored. If teams are still equal they are deemed to occupy the same position. If the champions, teams for relegation or qualification for other competitions thus cannot be decided, a series of play-off match(es) are played between the affected teams, although this has yet to occur. Since the establishment of the league and until 2005–06, goal difference had the biggest ranking after total points. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned as champions. The three lowest placed teams are relegated into the Cypriot Second Division and the top three teams from the 2nd Division promoted in their place.

The league champions are entitled to entrance in the UEFA Champions League in the third qualifying round. The winner of the Cypriot Cup automatically enters the UEFA Europa League play-off round. The runner-up and third placed team in the league enters the UEFA Europa League on the second qualifying round. If the cup winners are also league champions, then the losing cup finalists are granted a UEFA Europa League berth. If the cup winners qualify for Europe by their league position, then the fourth-placed team in the league qualifies for the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round.

The First Division has had 14 teams from 1989 until today, apart from the 1994–95 season when the league was reduced to 13 teams and the 2014–15 season when the league was reduced to 12 teams. For some years there has been discussion about reducing the number of teams in the first division. This is partly driven by some of the mid-table clubs not being involved for much of the season in either the Championship or qualification for Europe, or relegation. In the 2014–15 season, the Cypriot First Division teams were reduced from 14 to 12, but the next season (2015–16) they were increased again to 14.

Previous formats

From 2007–08 until 2012–13 season, in the second round the first 12 (out of 14) teams were separated into three groups of four teams according to their position at the end of the first round. For the 2013–14 season, in the second round the first 12 (out of 14) teams were separated into two groups of six teams according to their position at the end of the first round. The last two teams of the first round were relegated directly to the B1 Division and the bottom two teams of the relegation group also. The points from the first round were carried to the second round and the teams played each other twice.

In the 2014–15 season, only 12 clubs competed in the league. Each club played the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, which made a total of 22 games for each club. In the second round the 12 teams were separated into two groups of six teams according to their position at the end of the first round. The points from the first round were carried to the second round and the teams played each other twice (10 more matches). At the end of the second round, the bottom team of the relegation group was relegated to the Second Division.

2015–16 Clubs

Club Location 2014–15 season
AEK LarnacaLarnaca2nd
AEL LimassolLimassol8th
AnorthosisLarnaca5th
APOELNicosia1st
Apollon LimassolLimassol3rd
Aris LimassolLimassol2D, 3rd
Ayia NapaAyia Napa10th
Doxa KatokopiasKatokopia11th
Enosis Neon ParalimniParalimni2D, 1st
Ermis AradippouLarnaca6th
Ethnikos AchnaAchna7th
Nea SalaminaLarnaca9th
OmoniaNicosia4th
Pafos FCPaphos2D, 2nd

League name history

Champions

Season Winner Runner-up
1934–35 Trast AC Çetinkaya Türk
1935–36 APOEL Trast AC
1936–37 APOEL Trast AC
1937–38 APOEL Trast AC
1938–39 APOEL EPA Larnaca
1939–40 APOEL Pezoporikos Larnaca
1940–41 AEL Limassol APOEL
1941–44
Suspended due to World War II
1944–45 EPA Larnaca APOEL
1945–46 EPA Larnaca APOEL
1946–47 APOEL EPA Larnaca
1947–48 APOEL AEL Limassol
1948–49 APOEL Anorthosis Famagusta
1949–50 Anorthosis Famagusta EPA Larnaca
1950–51 Çetinkaya Türk APOEL
1951–52 APOEL EPA Larnaca
1952–53 AEL Limassol Pezoporikos Larnaca
1953–54 Pezoporikos Larnaca APOEL
1954–55 AEL Limassol Pezoporikos Larnaca
1955–56 AEL Limassol APOEL
1956–57 Anorthosis Famagusta Pezoporikos Larnaca
1957–58 Anorthosis Famagusta Pezoporikos Larnaca
1958–59
Not Held
1959–60 Anorthosis Famagusta Omonia
1960–61 Omonia Anorthosis Famagusta
1961–62 Anorthosis Famagusta Omonia
1962–63 Anorthosis Famagusta APOEL
1963–64
Championship Abandoned
1964–65 APOEL Olympiakos Nicosia
1965–66 Omonia Olympiakos Nicosia
1966–67 Olympiakos Nicosia APOEL
1967–68 AEL Limassol Omonia
1968–69 Olympiakos Nicosia Omonia
1969–70 EPA Larnaca Pezoporikos Larnaca
1970–71 Olympiakos Nicosia Digenis Morphou
1971–72 Omonia EPA Larnaca
1972–73 APOEL Olympiakos Nicosia
1973–74 Omonia Pezoporikos Larnaca
1974–75 Omonia Enosis Neon Paralimni
1975–76 Omonia APOEL
1976–77 Omonia APOEL
1977–78 Omonia APOEL
1978–79 Omonia APOEL
1979–80 APOEL Omonia
1980–81 Omonia APOEL
1981–82 Omonia Pezoporikos Larnaca
1982–83 Omonia Anorthosis Famagusta
1983–84 Omonia Apollon Limassol
1984–85 Omonia APOEL
1985–86 APOEL Omonia
1986–87 Omonia APOEL
1987–88 Pezoporikos Larnaca APOEL
1988–89 Omonia Apollon Limassol
1989–90 APOEL Omonia
1990–91 Apollon Limassol Anorthosis Famagusta
1991–92 APOEL Anorthosis Famagusta
1992–93 Omonia Apollon Limassol
1993–94 Apollon Limassol Anorthosis Famagusta
1994–95 Anorthosis Famagusta Omonia
1995–96 APOEL Anorthosis Famagusta
1996–97 Anorthosis Famagusta Apollon Limassol
1997–98 Anorthosis Famagusta Omonia
1998–99 Anorthosis Famagusta Omonia
1999-00 Anorthosis Famagusta Omonia
2000–01 Omonia Olympiakos Nicosia
2001–02 APOEL Anorthosis Famagusta
2002–03 Omonia Anorthosis Famagusta
2003–04 APOEL Omonia
2004–05 Anorthosis Famagusta APOEL
2005–06 Apollon Limassol Omonia
2006–07 APOEL Omonia
2007–08 Anorthosis Famagusta APOEL
2008–09 APOEL Omonia
2009–10 Omonia APOEL
2010–11 APOEL Omonia
2011–12 AEL Limassol APOEL
2012–13 APOEL Anorthosis Famagusta
2013–14 APOEL AEL Limassol
2014–15 APOEL AEK Larnaca

Performances

Performance by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning seasons
APOEL
24
20
1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1973, 1980, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015
Omonia
20
16
1961, 1966, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1993, 2001, 2003, 2010
Anorthosis
13
10
1950, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2008
AEL Limassol
6
2
1941, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1968, 2012
EPA Larnaca
3
5
1945, 1946, 1970
Olympiakos Nicosia
3
4
1967, 1969, 1971
Apollon Limassol
3
4
1991, 1994, 2006
Pezoporikos Larnaca
2
8
1954, 1988
Trast AC
1
3
1935
Çetinkaya Türk
1
1
1951
AEK Larnaca
1
Digenis Morphou
1
Enosis Neon Paralimni
1

Performance by city

City Winners Club(s)
Nicosia
49
APOEL (24)
Omonia (20)
Olympiakos Nicosia (3)
Trast AC (1)
Çetinkaya Türk (1)
Famagusta
13
Anorthosis (13)
Limassol
9
AEL Limassol (6)
Apollon Limassol (3)
Larnaca
5
EPA Larnaca (3)
Pezoporikos Larnaca (2)

Participations per club

So far, 39 different teams participated in the Cypriot First Division. Neither team has participated in all leagues (77 in total, including the period 2015–16) for various reasons (participation in the Greek league, relegation at the Second Division, teams dissolution and merge or leaving Cyprus Football Association).

Fifteen of the 39 teams are no longer in the Cypriot leagues. Among them is the only Turkish-Cypriot team that participated in the first division, Çetinkaya which left the Cyprus Football Association, but also the Armenian AYMA and Orfeas Nicosia that participate now in the amateur tournaments. Pezoporikos and EPA merged creating AEK Larnaca, Evagoras and APOP merged creating AEP Paphos, AEK Kouklia and AEP Paphos merged creating Pafos FC. Keravnos disbanded its football section, APOP Kinyras, Atromitos Yeroskipou, Onisilos Sotira and Alki Larnaca dissolved due to financial problems and the first champion of Cyprus Trast AC ceased to exist.

Team Participations
APOEL75
AEL Limassol75
Anorthosis Famagusta70
Olympiakos Nicosia66
Omonia60
Apollon Limassol57
Nea Salamina54
Aris Limassol51
EPA Larnaca50
Pezoporikos Larnaca49
Team Participations
Enosis Neon Paralimni46
Alki Larnaca43
Ethnikos Achna29
AEK Larnaca21
APOP Paphos19
Evagoras Paphos18
Çetinkaya Türk18
Digenis Akritas Morphou15
Omonia Aradippou13
Doxa Katokopias12
Team Participations
AYMA11
AEP Paphos10
Ermis Aradippou10
ASIL Lysi8
APEP7
Anagennisi Dherynia6
APOP Kinyras5
Keravnos4
Orfeas Nicosia4
Trast AC4
Team Participations
Ayia Napa4
Ethnikos Assia3
Chalkanoras Idaliou2
AEK Kouklia1
Atromitos Yeroskipou1
THOI Lakatamia1
Onisilos Sotira1
Othellos Athienou1
Pafos FC1

League or status at 2015–16:

2015–16 Cypriot First Division
2015–16 Cypriot Second Division
2015–16 Cypriot Third Division
Amateur Leagues
No longer affiliated with CFA
Clubs that no longer exist

All-time Cypriot First Division table (1934–35 until 2014–15)

The All-time Cypriot First Division table is a ranking of all Cypriot football clubs based on their performance in the Cypriot First Division. The points are the sum of the points of all seasons, despite the point system of the season. The 1963–64 Cypriot First Division season is not included because the championship was abandoned.

Rank Club Years Points G<noinclude> W<noinclude> D.<noinclude> L.<noinclude> GF.<noinclude> GA.<noinclude> GD.<noinclude>
1APOEL7429751676994364318359617021894
2Omonia5928501520954313253334714011946
3Anorthosis Famagusta6927351669849413407306019321128
4AEL Limassol742262168269041757527842366418
5Apollon Limassol562245148165738743724691854615
6Olympiakos Nicosia661664146549135162322092694-485
7Nea Salamina531660135945535654818962053-157
8Enosis Neon Paralimni451436122742235445116371650-13
9Pezoporikos Larnaca491432106244431830017191326393
10EPA Larnaca501222105236227741315701641-71
11Alki Larnaca431202112830928453514001986-586
12Aris Limassol501189121330529861015592488-929
13Ethnikos Achna2899179727519532710871192-105
14AEK Larnaca20820567230130207899775124
15APOP Paphos194065021051262715011007-506
16Evagoras Paphos1837148090136254431906-475
17Digenis Akritas Morphou1533939694110192397690-293
18AEP Paphos103152788172125376478-102
19Doxa Katokopias112953267473179363674-311
20Omonia Aradippou132323576492201315686-371
21Çetinkaya Türk18189209773597393503-110
22ASIL Lysi81801983740121169430-261
23Ermis Aradippou92172665556155265590-325
24APOP Kinyras5161148442975201275-74
25Orfeas Nicosia413490241650110180-70
26AYMA111211762327126256593-337
27Anagennisi Dherynia61161603128101144351-207
28APEP71011922534133158460-302
29Keravnos484108282852111167-56
30Trast AC4684430861295475
31Ethnikos Assia3607817952102184-82
32Chalkanoras Idaliou2436016113359116-57
33Ayia Napa3588412225073154-81
34Othellos Athienou12532510172642-16
35AEK Kouklia1233665253494-60
36Onisilos Sotira1132634192263-41
37Atromitos Yeroskipou172614211969-50
38THOI Lakatamia172614211575-60
Total28248221968380543638033901339010

Final places (1934–35 until 2014–15)

↓Team / Place→ 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th Total
APOEL242015341313000000074
AEL Limassol62616127654423010074
Anorthosis Famagusta131087145831000000069
Olympiakos Nicosia3424476756113310066
Omonia201610822100000000059
Apollon Limassol3465913514330000056
Nea Salamina004356664633601053
EPA Larnaca354243484741100050
Aris Limassol000441371787350050
Pezoporikos Larnaca2814655411210000049
Enosis Neon Paralimni0123356125421100045
Alki Larnaca001104326667331043
Ethnikos Achna000318206220220028
AEK Larnaca010620433000100020
APOP Paphos000000011225350019
Çetinkaya Türk114362010000000018
Evagoras Paphos000000002026341018
Digenis Akritas Morphou010010112111302115
Omonia Aradippou000001110112222013
AYMA000101232000200011
Doxa Katokopias000000110230310011
AEP Paphos000000212102020010
Ermis Aradippou00010100101004019
ASIL Lysi00000100110201118
APEP00000000001015007
Anagennisi Dherynia00000000100220016
APOP Kinyras00000012000101005
Trast AC13000000000000004
Orfeas Nicosia00000010012000004
Keravnos00000000100111004
Ayia Napa00000000010020003
Ethnikos Assia00000000000201003
Chalkanoras Idaliou00000000000100012
AEK Kouklia00000000000100001
Othellos Athienou00000000000100001
Onisilos Sotira00000000000010001
Atromitos Yeroskipou00000000000001001
THOI Lakatamia00000000000001001

See also

References

  1. "Πρωτάθλημα Cyta" μέχρι το 2019 (συμφωνία ΚΟΠ – Cyta) ["Cyta Championship until 2019] (in Greek). cfa.com.cy. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  2. HISTORY OF CFA. CFA. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.

External links

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