The Cyprus Championship will have a notable presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with 10 players connected to seven local clubs included in national squads for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The World Cup, which begins on June 11 and runs until July 19, will feature representatives from Omonia, AEK Larnaca, Apollon Limassol, Pafos FC, APOEL, Aris Limassol and AEL Limassol.
Pafos FC lead the way with three players, while AEL Limassol have two. Omonia, AEK Larnaca, Apollon Limassol, APOEL and Aris Limassol each have one player heading to the finals.
Guillermo Ochoa, AEL Limassol and Mexico
The most high-profile Cyprus Championship name on the list is Guillermo Ochoa, the veteran Mexico goalkeeper who played for AEL Limassol.
Ochoa, 40, has long been one of the most recognisable goalkeepers in international football and is set for another landmark appearance with Mexico. His selection puts him in line to become the first Mexican player to feature at six World Cups, adding another chapter to a career closely associated with the tournament.
Mexico have been drawn in Group A with South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic.
Thapelo Maseko, AEL Limassol and South Africa
AEL Limassol will also be represented by Thapelo Maseko, who has been included in South Africa’s squad.
The forward is part of a South Africa team returning to the World Cup stage for the first time in 16 years. His presence gives AEL a second player in Group A, where South Africa will face Mexico, South Korea and the Czech Republic.
That draw also creates the possibility of an early meeting between two players linked to the Limassol club, with Maseko’s South Africa facing Ochoa’s Mexico in the group stage.
Ivan Sunjic, Pafos FC and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Pafos FC’s first representative is Ivan Sunjic, who has been named in the Bosnia and Herzegovina squad.
The midfielder is part of a team led by veteran striker Edin Dzeko, with Bosnia and Herzegovina drawn in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
For Pafos FC, Sunjic’s selection adds to a growing international profile for a club that has become one of the most prominent teams in the Cyprus Championship in recent seasons.
Milos Degenek, APOEL and Australia
APOEL will have a World Cup representative through Milos Degenek, who has been included in Australia’s squad.
The experienced defender is part of the Socceroos squad for Group D, where Australia will face the United States, Paraguay and Turkey.
Degenek’s inclusion gives APOEL a place on the World Cup map and continues the defender’s long association with international football, with Australia again competing on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Ken Sema, Pafos FC and Sweden
Ken Sema is the second Pafos FC player on the list, having been included in Sweden’s squad.
Sweden have been drawn in Group F with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia, a competitive section that will test Graham Potter’s side from the start.
Sema’s selection gives Pafos FC another representative in a European national team squad and strengthens the club’s presence at the tournament.
Willy Semedo, Omonia and Cape Verde
Omonia will be represented by Willy Semedo, who has been included in Cape Verde’s squad.
Cape Verde are preparing for a historic first appearance at the World Cup, making Semedo’s involvement particularly significant. The forward is one of two Cyprus Championship players in the Cape Verde squad, underlining the strong local connection to one of the tournament’s debutant nations.
Cape Verde will compete in Group H against Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
Garry Rodrigues, Apollon Limassol and Cape Verde
Garry Rodrigues gives Apollon Limassol their representative at the World Cup, also as part of Cape Verde’s squad.
The forward brings considerable international experience to a team preparing for its first appearance at the finals. Together with Omonia’s Willy Semedo, Rodrigues ensures that Cape Verde’s historic campaign will carry a clear Cyprus Championship link.
Cape Verde’s Group H fixtures against Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay will be among the most closely followed by fans of the local league.
Youssef Amyn, AEK Larnaca and Iraq
AEK Larnaca will be represented by Youssef Amyn, who has been included in Iraq’s squad.
The midfielder is part of an Iraq team drawn in Group I with France, Senegal and Norway, one of the more demanding groups of the tournament.
Amyn’s inclusion gives AEK Larnaca a direct connection to the World Cup and places another Cyprus-based player on the international stage.
Gedeon Kalulu, Aris Limassol and DR Congo
Aris Limassol defender Gedeon Kalulu has been named in DR Congo’s World Cup squad.
DR Congo have been drawn in Group K with Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia. Kalulu’s selection gives Aris representation at the tournament and adds another defender from the Cyprus Championship to the list of players heading to North America.
Derrick Luckassen, Pafos FC and Ghana
Derrick Luckassen completes the Pafos FC trio after being included in Ghana’s squad.
The defender is part of a Ghana team drawn in Group L with England, Croatia and Panama. His selection means Pafos FC will have players representing three different national teams at the tournament, more than any other Cypriot club on the list.
Luckassen’s inclusion also gives the Cyprus Championship a presence in one of the final groups of the expanded 48-team World Cup.
A wider stage for the local league
The presence of 10 Cyprus Championship players underlines the increasingly international profile of the domestic league.
For the clubs involved, the World Cup offers visibility beyond Cyprus, while the players themselves will have the chance to compete in front of a global audience.
Whether all 10 remain in Cyprus after the summer is another question. For now, however, the local league will have a wider footprint than usual when the tournament kicks off across North America.
