Cypriot clubs prepare for UEFA competition openers this Thursday

Cypriot football clubs Omonia and Pafos FC are set to compete in European tournaments on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Omonia will travel to Slovenia to face Celje in the second round of the Europa League League Phase, while Pafos FC will head to Italy for their Conference League opener against Atalanta at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo. The match in Bergamo is scheduled for 22:00 local time.

UEFA has confirmed the officiating teams for these encounters. The Omonia match will be refereed by Elchin Masiyev from Azerbaijan with Luca Pairetto of Italy handling VAR. For the Pafos FC game, Swedish referee Adam Ladeback will officiate, supported by Belgian VAR official Jan Boterberg. Pafos FC traveled to Italy on Wednesday with a squad that includes approximately 300 traveling supporters, though they will be missing injured players David Goldar and Mame Ngamaleu for this challenging debut.

The clubs are entering these matches with the ambition of progressing through the League Phase to secure extended European participation beyond Christmas. Both teams completed final tactical preparations on Wednesday, with Pafos coach Ricardo Sa Pinto and his staff emphasizing the difficulty of facing a high-level opponent like Atalanta.