Cyprus football league remains oldest in Europe

According to the latest CIES Football Observatory report, the Cypriot football league is the oldest in Europe, with an average player age of 28.6 years. Globally, Cyprus ranks fourth, trailing only China (29.3), Peru (29.0), and Chile (28.7). During the previous season, AEK Larnaca recorded the highest average age among local clubs at 31.5 years, while Aris Limassol and APOEL averaged 28.6 and 28.4 years, respectively.

Recent developments show a shifting strategy for some clubs. Aris Limassol has significantly lowered its squad's average age to 24.1 years—the lowest in the league—after integrating ten new players with an average age of 20.9. Conversely, Pafos FC has seen a notable increase in its average squad age, rising from 25.6 to 28.1 years compared to the previous season. The CIES analysis highlights that these figures are weighted by actual minutes played during the championship matches rather than simply the average age of the entire roster.