Omonia Nicosia was founded on 4 June 1948 in the capital of Cyprus. On 4 June 2027 the Shamrock turns 79. According to the club itself, no other side in Cyprus has won more trophies.

A turbulent summer in 1948

Omonia's founding is linked to the political tension of the time, when Greece was in the middle of its civil war. On 23 May 1948 the APOEL board sent a telegram to SEGAS, the Hellenic amateur athletics association, on the occasion of the Panhellenic athletics championships, expressing the wish that "the rebellion" would end.

Several left-wing athletes and members saw it as a political statement. Sources describe some distancing themselves and others being expelled, while Omonia's website says athletes were asked to sign declarations renouncing their political views, which many refused to do.

On 4 June 1948 Dr Mattheos Papapetrou organised a meeting in Nicosia that led to the new club. In the same year, in a similar climate, Nea Salamis, Alki and Orfeas had also been founded.

A name that means unity

The word "Omonia" means concord, unity, harmony. The colours are green and white: according to English Wikipedia, green stands for hope and white for happiness.

The crest is a green shamrock in a white circle, which gave the club its nickname, "the Shamrock". The sources we found do not explain why this symbol was chosen. Fans also call the club "the Queen".

From KEPO to the CFA

In its early years Omonia did not play in the Cyprus Football Association league. Together with Nea Salamis, Alki, Orfeas, AMOL Limassol and Nea Asteras Morphou it founded KEPO, which ran its own championship for five years.

The first official match was played on 31 October 1948, a 5-1 win over AMOL. In KEPO the Shamrock won 4 championships and 5 cups.

In 1953 it was decided to unify Cypriot football, and Omonia joined the CFA, starting in the First Division. The first league title came in 1961, under Bulgarian coach Nasko Tsakmakov.

Grounds and great seasons

The team started out at the Goal ground, moved to the old GSP in 1953 and to the Makario in 1978. Since 1999 it has played at the new GSP, which it shares with APOEL.

The first European campaign came in 1965, in the Cup Winners' Cup against Olympiacos, the year of the first Cypriot Cup. In 1972 came the first double, with a 3-1 win over Pezoporikos in the cup final.

The 1970s were golden, with six straight titles from 1974 to 1979. In 1979, in the European Cup, Omonia lost 10-0 to Ajax in Amsterdam, but won the return leg 4-0.

In 2020-21 Omonia reached a European group stage for the first time, in the Europa League, after knocking out Red Star Belgrade on penalties. The 2025-26 season brought the 22nd league title, with a record 87 points.

In that 2020-21 campaign Jordi Gómez scored against PSV Eindhoven from 56 metres, the longest-range goal in Europa League history.

Kaiafas and the legends

The club's greatest legend is Sotiris Kaiafas. With 39 goals in 1975-76 he won Europe's Golden Shoe, and with 321 goals he is the club's all-time top scorer.

Alongside him stand Andreas Kanaris, with 503 appearances and 190 goals, and the German Rainer Rauffmann, who scored 233 times in 204 matches. Kostas Kaiafas also made 498 appearances, from 1991 to 2009.

Celebrate with us

From a difficult summer in 1948 to league titles and European nights, Omonia has written its own great story in Cypriot football. Happy 79th birthday to the Shamrock!

See our collectible jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: Omonia players in the 2010 match against Salzburg – Werner100359, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 3.0.