Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Cyprus. The Republic of Cyprus is a relatively large island country located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Cyprus loves football which was introduced to the country by the British in the 20th century which later on initiated the establishment of the Cyprus Football Association.

They also love basketball, volleyball, motorsports, badminton, cricket and rugby. They have established a separate governing body for each of course. The first Cypriot football team that made it to the UEFA Champions League was Anorthosis Famagusta FC in the 2008-09 season. Another team, APOEL FC qualified in the UEFA Champions League group stage who reached the top 8 level in the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League after taking out the French team, Olympique de Lyonnais.

Cyprus also holds another international record holding team. Their national rugby union team, called The Mouffions, has the most number of consecutive international wins which is made more remarkable by the fact that they were only formed in 2006. Tennis is also one of the strong point of Cyprus with players like Marcos Baghdatis who is currently ranked 8th in the whole world, an Australian open finalist as well as a Wimbledon semi-finalist.

an archer from Cyprus an archer from Cyprus

Cyprus has produced a lot more athletes that has made a mark in the international sporting events like high jumper Kyriakos Ioannou who jumped 2.35m in the IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Osaka, Japan (2007) earning him the bronze, Tio Ellinas is a great driver for the Marussia Manor Motorsport in the GP3 Series. Brother and sister Christopher and Sophia Papamichalopoulou represented the country in the 2010 Winter Olympics but the very first Olympic medal for Cyprus was a silver won by Pavlos Kontides in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

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Popular sports of Cyprus

  • Football (Soccer), basketball, volleyball, motorsports, badminton, cricket and rugby

Cyprus Sporting Success

  • The very first Olympic medal for Cyprus was a silver won by Pavlos Kontides in sailing at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
  • Cyprus won one silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics
  • Kyriakos Ioannou won bronze at the 2007 World Athletics Championships in Osaka

Great athletes from Cyprus

  • Marcos Baghdatis (Tennis)
  • Kyriakos Ioannou (Atheletics)
  • Pavlos Kontides (Sailing)

Cyprus Sports trivia

  • The Cyprus national rugby union team has the record for the most number of consecutive international wins

Cyprus at major events

Past sporting events hosted in Cyprus

  • Beach Water Polo Tournament: This event will be held at Municipal Baths in Paphos from July 3–5, 2026

Upcoming sporting events in Cyprus

  • OlympusMan Triathlon 2026: This event will be held in Troodos Mountains on November 7, 2026

Annual sporting events held in Cyprus

  • The Cyprus Rally
  • The Cyprus Marathon
  • The Cyprus Open

Sporting Facilities in Cyprus

  • Ayia Napa Sports Center
  • GSP Stadium (Nicosia)