Cypriot Cup
The Cypriot Cup, formally known as the Cypriot Coca-Cola Cup of First and Second Division for sponsorship purposes, is a Cypriot knockout football club competition, hosted annually by the Cyprus Football Association.
First held in 1934, it is the second most important competition in Cypriot football, after the Cypriot First Division. Since 2008, it is contested by teams from the first and second division, while teams from the third and fourth division compete in the Cypriot Cup for lower divisions.
The winners of the Cypriot Cup qualify for one of UEFA's European competitions, and a place in the Cypriot Super Cup. APOEL are the most successful team in the competition with 21 titles. AEK Larnaca FC are the current champions, having defeated the previous champions Pafos FC in the 2024–25 Final.
History
The Cypriot Cup was first held in the 1934–35 season, the same year the Cyprus Football Association was founded. The 1934–35 Cypriot Cup was the first competition ever held by CFA, since it took part before the 1934–35 Cypriot First Division. The Cyprus Cup has been held every season since then, with the following exceptions:- During the period 1941–1944, the competition was not held due to World War II. Many Cypriots were voluntarily enlisted in the Greek and English army, and also formed a Cypriot constitution. Most teams had undertaken a national project by collecting money and clothing to be sent to Greece in order to assist the Greek people and the army. Moreover, many Greek refugees fled to Cyprus. Due to the war conditions, the CFA decided to suspend all the competitions.
- During the periods 1955–58 and 1959–61, the competition was not held due to the unstable situation in Cyprus regarding the EOKA struggle. Meanwhile, a special cup was held in 1958–59 season. That season, the Cypriot Championship was not held for the same reasons. When the situation improved and Cyprus was heading towards independence, the CFA decided to bring back the teams which were inactive for several months and decided to launch a special cup called the "Independence Cup". The competition was official and its winners were listed as Cypriot Cup winners. The cup was held again in the 1961–62 season.
- In the 2019–20 season, the competition was abandoned after the quarter-finals, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participating teams
At first, only the teams of the Cypriot First Division could take part in the competition. The Cypriot Second Division was considered non-league at the time, since it majorly consisted of reserve teams of the First Division clubs.From 1952–53 until 2007–08, the teams of the Cypriot Second Division also took part in the Cypriot Cup, with the exception of the 1963–64 season. In certain seasons in the 1960s and 1970s, only the top teams of the league would participate. From 1975–76 onwards, every team of the Second Division would take part in the Cypriot Cup. No Second Division team has ever reached the final, but they managed to qualify to the semi-finals four times.
From 1971–72 until 2007–08, the teams of the Cypriot Third Division would take part in Cypriot Cup. Since 2008–09, the Third Division teams are no longer allowed to participate, but if they so wish, they can take part in the Cypriot Cup for lower divisions. No Third Division team ever reached the final or the semi-finals, but they managed to qualify to the quarter-finals once.
The teams of the Cypriot Fourth Division would take part in the Cypriot Cup from 1986–87 until 2007–08. Since 2008–09, the Cypriot Fourth Division teams do not participate in the Cypriot Cup, but they are allowed to take part in the Cypriot Cup for lower divisions.
Format
The structure of the cup has changed throughout the years:- From 1934–35 until 1983–84, the competition was traditionally a pure knockout tournament. In all rounds each tie was played as a single leg and was held at the home ground of one of the two teams, according to the draw results. Each tie winner was qualifying to the next round. If a match was drawn, extra time was following. If extra time was ended also in a draw, there was a replay at the ground of the team who were away for the first game. Exceptions were the 1958–59 Cypriot Cup and the 1973–74 Cypriot Cup, with all ties being two-legged, except the final which was a single match.
- From 1984–85 until 2001–02, the competition was traditionally a pure knockout tournament. The preliminary rounds were played as a single leg and was held at the home ground of one of the two teams, according to the draw results. From the first round all ties were two-legged, except the final which was a single match.
- From 2002–03 until 2005–06, the competition was traditionally a pure knockout tournament. The preliminary rounds were played as a single leg and was held at the home ground of one of the two teams, according to the draw results. From the first round all ties were two-legged, except the round of 16 where the teams were drawn into four groups of four. The teams of each group played against each other twice, once at their home and once away. The group winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the quarter-finals. The final was a single match.
- From 2006–07 until 2007–08, the competition was traditionally a pure knockout tournament. The preliminary rounds were played as a single leg and was held at the home ground of one of the two teams, according to the draw results. From the first round all ties were two-legged, except the quarter-finals where the teams were drawn into two groups of four. The teams of each group played against each other twice, once at their home and once away. The group winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals. The final was a single match.
- From 2008–09 until 2010–11, the competition was traditionally a pure knockout tournament. All ties were two-legged, except the final which was in a single match. Since 2011–12 Cypriot Cup the preliminary round was played as a single leg and was held at the home ground of one of the two teams, according to the draw results. From the first round all ties were two-legged, except the final which was a single match.
- Since 2011–12, the competition is traditionally a pure knockout tournament. The preliminary round is played as a single leg and is held at the home ground of one of the two teams, according to the draw results. From the first round all ties are two-legged, except the final which is played in a single match.
European participations
Previously, if the cup winner was also the winner of the Cypriot First Division, their place would be given to the runners-up of the Cup. Since 2015, after UEFA's decision, if the cup winner is also the winner of the Cypriot First Division, then the place of the Cypriot Cup winner is given to the second team of the domestic championship, and the fourth team also qualifies to the same European competition.
Host stadiums (finals)
The Cypriot Cup final has taken place in six different stadiums. From 1934–35 until 1974–75, the final was held in Nicosia, at the old GSP Stadium, regardless of whether the stadium was the home ground of one of the two finalists. The only exception was the 1970–71 Cypriot Cup, where a replay final was needed after Omonia and Anorthosis had drawn at the GSP Stadium. The replay was played at the GSE Stadium, Anorthosis' home ground in Famagusta. The GSP Stadium was chosen as the ground of the final as it was the stadium with the biggest capacity in Cyprus, at the time.In 1975, the Tsirion Stadium was built in Limassol, and it hosted the final of the 1975–76 Cypriot Cup. The next two finals were played at the GSP Stadium. The final of the 1977–78 Cypriot Cup was the last one to take place at the old GSP Stadium. The final of the 1978–79 Cypriot Cup was played at the newly built Makario Stadium at Nicosia.
After 1981, the ground of the final was chosen with neutrality in mind: If the two teams were based in different cities, then the final would take place in a third city. In the event that this was not an option, the ground of the final was determined by a draw.
In 1999, the new GSP Stadium was built, and hosted the 1999–2000 Cypriot Cup final between Omonia and APOEL. Since then, due to its large capacity, the GSP stadium is always considered to be the first choice option for the cup final, although it is often not a neutral ground, as APOEL and Omonia frequently appear in the final.
The following table shows the stadiums that held the Cypriot Cup finals from 1934–35 until 2022–23, the number of finals that each stadium held and the seasons where each stadium held the final. Although there are 81 editions of the Cypriot Cup, 85 finals have been played, as a replay was needed in five cases, while the 2019–20 Cypriot Cup was abandoned.
| Stadium | N. | Seasons |
| Old GSP Stadium | 37 | 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78 |
| GSP Stadium | 19 | 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 |
| Tsirion Stadium | 18 | 1975–76, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2012–13, 2015–16 |
| Makario Stadium | 7 | 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1996–97, 1997–98 |
| GSZ Stadium | 5 | 1992–93, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2014–15 |
| GSE Stadium | 1 | 1970–71 |