ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base
2023–24 Cypriot First Division
The 2023/24 Cypriot First Division
The 2023/24 Cypriot First Division, also known as the Cyta Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the 85th season of the top-level football league in Cyprus. It began on August 18, 2023, with a match between Paphos FC and Karmiotissa FC.
In this season, 14 clubs compete in an Italian group format, playing each other twice over 26 days. The first six teams to finish at the top of their respective groups advance to the championship round, where they will play each other again in a single-elimination format for another 10 days. This stage determines the champion and qualifies them for the UEFA Champions League 2024/25, as well as the second-placed team.
The teams ranked from seventh to fourteenth place participate in the relegation round, also known as the "reversing poule," where they will play each other again over 14 days. The last three teams to finish at the bottom of their group are relegated to Division Two for the 2024/25 season.
The defending champions from the previous season were Aris Limassol, who won their first title in the 2022/23 season. However, they have been replaced by Othellos Athienou, AEZ Zakakiou, and Ethnikos Achna, who were promoted to the top flight for the first time in their histories.
The championship was filled with notable teams such as Az Zakakaya and Eutanos. The season concluded on May 19, 2024, with Othellos Athienou emerging as the champion of Cyprus and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 alongside the second-placed team.