A club barely a decade old, a crest bearing the likeness of a freedom fighter, and a city that even the ancient Greeks considered the birthplace of love – when we host Pafos FC at the Red Bull Arena on Thursday 6 August for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League qualifier, we'll be facing opponents with a few surprises in store. Kick-off is at 19:00, and tickets for the clash are already available online.

A young club that has taken a giant leap

Pafos FC is still a relatively new face in European football: the club was only formed in 2014 through the merger of local clubs AE Paphos and AEK Kouklia. Since 2017, two Russian investors, Sergey Lomakin and Roman Dubov, have been behind the club. On the pitch, things have been looking up for the club in recent years: 2024 saw their first ever cup title, followed a year later by a sensation – Pafos became Cypriot champions for the first time ever in 2024/25. Last season, they added another cup title, but had to settle for fourth place in the league, 25 points behind perennial champions Omonia Nicosia.

26 Million Euro estimated market value

The league title also opened new doors internationally: Pafos participated in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. Although their run ended after eight matchdays against top teams like Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Monaco, the nine points they collected caused quite a stir.

6 Brazilians in the Pafos squad

Brazilian class meets Portuguese handicraft

Responsible for their success since April is coach Ricardo Sa Pinto. The Portuguese coach usually employs a 4-2-3-1 formation and relies heavily on Brazilian attacking flair. Brazilian experience is also present in defence, where 39-year-old David Luiz, a UEFA Champions League winner with Chelsea in 2012, brings a wealth of international experience. The club seemingly prioritises experience over youth: the starting XI against Hajduk Split averaged 29.6 years of age.

A historic face

A closer look at the Paphos badge reveals a portrait: it depicts Evagoras Pallikarides, a poet from the Paphos region who was active in the resistance against British colonial rule in Cyprus during the 1950s. His image has adorned the club crest since the early days of its predecessor, Evagoras Paphos, and was retained during the merger to form Paphos FC.

The club's home is equally steeped in history. The Cypriots usually play their home games at the Stelios Kyriakides Stadium, which holds just under 9,000 spectators. For international matches, as on Thursday, they move to the Limassol Arena, about 45 minutes away.

Ancient mythology and the Magic Flute

The club's true home is the port city of Paphos in the southwest of the island – a tranquil spot with just 38,000 inhabitants, but one that boasts a remarkable mythology. Legend has it that the city was founded by King Cinyras, which is why generations of priest-kings there later called themselves the Kinyrads. The Greek hero Agapenor is also said to have built a temple here on his journey home from Troy – so anyone who has recently seen Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey in the cinema is in good company, mythologically speaking.

According to Greek legend, the goddess of love, Aphrodite, rose from the sea just off the coast of Paphos – the city is still considered her birthplace.

And because we Salzburgers can't resist the Mozart connection: in the sequel to The Magic Flute, The Labyrinth, which premiered in Vienna in 1798 and was written by Emanuel Schikaneder and Peter von Winter, a King of Paphos appears. The Queen of the Night promises him the hand of her daughter Pamina in her battle against Sarastro.

Ready for the home match!

Mythology and club history aside – on Thursday at 19:00, only the football counts for us. We want to take the first step towards the league stage of the UEFA Europa League. Be there and get your tickets now for the home match against Paphos FC!

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Aphrodite's heirs - the story behind Pafos FC