A century. That is what APOEL completes today, having been founded on 8 November 1926 in Nicosia. The Cypriot club's 100th birthday has something special for shirt lovers: the team is celebrating it with an anniversary kit that looks back to its one season in the Greek league. But let's start at the beginning, in a confectioner's shop on Ledra Street.

Forty people in a confectioner's shop

Around forty people gathered in Charalambos Hadjioannou's confectioner's shop on Ledra Street and decided to found a club for the Greeks of the capital. The first president was Giorgos Poulias. The original name was POEL, the Football Club of Greeks of Nicosia. The "A" for "Athletic" was added after the 1928 general assembly, when a track and field section was created. That gave the name we know today.

Blue for Greece, yellow for Byzantium

APOEL's colours have a clear symbolism. Blue refers to Greece and yellow to Byzantium. The crest is a yellow and blue shield with the club's name written diagonally. It has stayed essentially the same for decades. The only real addition was two stars after the 20th league title in 2009, one for every ten titles. On the shirts the combination has taken many forms: a yellow base with blue details, wide horizontal bands, and vertical stripes too. A good example is Macron's 2024-25 home kit, yellow with a wide blue band across the chest, based on the shirt of the 1970-72 seasons.

The first titles and 1934

APOEL was there at the birth of organised football in Cyprus. The agreement to create the Cyprus Football Association was reached on 23 September 1934, in the club's own premises. The first official league title came in 1936, followed by four more in a row up to 1940. In 1948 the club went through a split, when a telegram sent by the board to the Hellenic Association of Amateur Athletics (SEGAS) led to members leaving. Omonia was born from that departure, and the Nicosia derby has been played since 1953.

One season in the Alpha Ethniki

As 1973 Cypriot champions, APOEL competed in the Greek Alpha Ethniki in 1973-74. They finished 14th and were the only Cypriot team to avoid relegation. It was also the last time a Cypriot champion played in the Greek league, because of the events of 1974 on the island. For the centenary, Macron created an anniversary shirt for 2026-27 inspired by exactly that kit. The yellow and blue vertical stripes are back, together with a gold "1926-2026" at the hem and Greek lettering inside. Fans of classic shirts will also find ideas in our retro collection.

The night against Lyon

APOEL was the first Cypriot club to progress in a European competition, in the 1963-64 Cup Winners' Cup. Its greatest moment, though, came in 2012. With Ivan Jovanović as coach, it topped a Champions League group with Zenit, Porto and Shakhtar. In the last 16 it knocked out Lyon 4-3 on penalties, on 7 March 2012 at the GSP. Goalkeeper Dionysis Chiotis saved the kicks of Lacazette and Bastos. The run ended in the quarter-finals against Real Madrid, but no Cypriot team had ever gone that far.

The home of the Legend

Before 1978 the team played at the old GSP, and until 1999 at the Makario. Since 23 October 1999 its home has been the new GSP, which holds around 22,800 spectators and is the largest stadium in Cyprus. There "Thrylos", the Legend, as its fans call it, has celebrated many of its 29 league titles. The most recent came in 2024, with a 1-1 draw against AEK Larnaca on the final matchday.

A hundred years after the meeting on Ledra Street, yellow and blue keep bringing generations of fans together. Happy birthday, APOEL, and here's to a second century!

Browse our retro football shirts at sportarena.gr.

Photo: GSP – Peter Collins, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.