Pafos FC's Champions League Debut: A Journey of Growth and Ambition

Thu Sep 18 2025 18:10:09 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

From its humble beginnings, Pafos FC is set to grace the Champions League for the first time in its 11-year history, marking a significant milestone for the Cypriot club.

Pafos FC is preparing for its Champions League debut, just 11 years after formation. The club has progressed rapidly, reaching the group stage after impressive qualifying rounds. Brazilian star David Luiz, who joined recently, hopes to further enhance the club's reputation and contribute to memorable moments in the team’s journey.

Champions League debut and Luiz - the rise of Pafos

Cypriot side Pafos FC will make their Champions League debut on Wednesday - just 11 years after their formation.

The club have made waves in recent years, playing in Europe for the first time last season and reaching the Conference League last 16, as well as winning their first league title.

And this season they have reached another huge milestone in coming through three rounds of qualifying to reach the Champions League proper - one of only two teams, alongside Kazakh outfit Kairat Almaty, to feature for the first time.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv and Red Star Belgrade were all dispatched by Pafos through qualifying. Their reward is eight matches in the league phase, including a home game against Bayern Munich and trip to Chelsea, but they start with a trip to Greece to face Olympiakos on Wednesday.

Everybody was in ecstasy, former Brazil and Chelsea defender David Luiz, who joined the club in August, told BBC Sport about the moment Pafos qualified. Everybody was totally happy because we did something amazing. Nobody expected us to be in the Champions League this season.

I'm very happy to be here because I can see this feeling, with everybody's hunger, to do something great.

Formed in 2014, a brief history

Pafos were formed in 2014 when two clubs from the region merged - AEK Kouklia and AEP Paphos - who themselves had been formed in a 2000 merger of two other teams in the district.

They started in the second tier and bounced around between that and the top flight until the 2017 takeover of Roman Dubov, a Russian businessman with British citizenship who had a spell as Portsmouth owner in 2011.

Our vision was clear - we wanted to create something new, something competitive, something sustainable - not just a football club but one that could give back to the community, he recently told Gold magazine.

“There was no instant success, though,” stated journalist Andreas Odysseos. “Total Sport Investment have transformed the club, 100%. It was a team that struggled to stay in the top division."

The club saw varying fortunes over the years until the hiring of Spaniard Juan Carlos Carcedo in June 2023 brought success, culminating in a Cypriot Cup win and a championship title, allowing Pafos entry into the Champions League.

'I think we can do something special'

This summer, Pafos pulled off the surprise signing of defender Luiz, who had been playing for Fortaleza in Brazil. Luiz commented on their impressive journey and dedication to make an impact in their inaugural Champions League appearance.

Slated to face big names like Chelsea and Bayern Munich, Luiz expressed excitement about the opportunity, stating, Nobody expected many things for us in the Champions League, but I think we can do something special.