Cypriot football clubs prepare for upcoming European competitions
Cypriot football clubs Omonia and Pafos FC have concluded their preseason preparations ahead of upcoming UEFA matches. Omonia secured a 2-1 friendly victory against Panaitolikos on July 16, 2026, with Andronikos Kakoulli scoring both goals, and has officially submitted its squad list for the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round matches against Kairat Almaty. Pafos FC lost 2-3 to Slovan Bratislava in their final friendly, though the team clarified that defender Nikolas Ioannou’s exit from the match was precautionary due to ankle discomfort, and he is expected to be available for the match against Hajduk Split. Meanwhile, APOEL continues its tactical training and is scheduled to play a friendly against Olympiacos before departing for a training camp in the Netherlands. UEFA has appointed Gustavo Correia as the referee for the Omonia vs. Kairat fixture scheduled for July 22, 2026. Coaches Henning Berg and Sa Pinto are finalizing their squads and tactical adjustments for the official season start.