Cyprus First Division: Match Analysis, Probabilities, Stats
The Cypriot First Division (the Cyprus League) is the top tier of professional football in Cyprus. This page explains its two-phase format, gives a few general statistics from 2025-26 and shows how Prediction AI analyses a match in the competition. It deliberately contains no table or fixture list: that data changes every matchday, so check the official sources.
Competition format, 2026-27 season
- Clubs: 14 clubs in 2026-27, 11 of them staying up from the previous season and 3 promoted from the Second Division.
- First phase: 26 matchdays, with each club playing the other 13 at home and away.
- Championship group: after the first phase, the top 6 play the championship group, with 10 further matches (36 in total in 2025-26).
- Relegation group: the other 8 clubs play a relegation group, with 7 further matches (33 in total in 2025-26). The bottom three go down to the Second Division.
- Points: in 2025-26 all points and tie-break criteria from the first phase were kept at the split.
- European places (from the 2025-26 season): the champion in the Champions League, the cup winner in the Europa League and two clubs in the Conference League.
The 2026-27 season pages confirm 14 clubs and the separation between the championship group (top 6) and the relegation group from 7th place; the details of the matches in each group, the points kept and the relegations are those of 2025-26 and are not confirmed for 2026-27. The number of European places can vary with the UEFA coefficient, so check the official sources for the current season.
What makes these matches distinctive to analyse
In 2025-26 the Cypriot First Division averaged about 2.6 goals per match. It is a benchmark for estimating the expected goals in a match, to be set against the context of the two teams: playing style, form, absences and what is at stake.
Home advantage exists: in the same season about 109 of 240 matches (45%) ended in a home win, 48 (20%) in a draw and 83 (35%) in an away win. Draws were comparatively rare. It is a league-wide average for a single season, and it varies from one ground and one club to the next.
The big particularity is the split after 26 matchdays: the top 6 play for the title, the other 8 against relegation. A championship-group match and a relegation-group match carry neither the same stakes nor the same pressure, which matters when reading motivation and team selection. After the split few matches remain (10 for some, 7 for the others), leaving little room for error.
| Indicator | 2025-26 season |
|---|---|
| Matches played | about 240 |
| Average goals per match | about 2.6 |
| Home wins | 109 (45%) |
| Draws | 48 (20%) |
| Away wins | 83 (35%) |
Source: English Wikipedia season pages for 2025-26; the home / draw / away split is calculated from the published scores. Figures are from a completed season and are a guide only.
How Prediction AI analyses a match in the Cyprus First Division
For every match in this league, the analysis rests on the same core elements:
- Recent form: results, goals scored and conceded, at home and away.
- Absences and returns: injuries, suspensions and likely starters, separating what is confirmed from what is probable.
- Head-to-head record: the history between the two sides, put in context (former squads, earlier seasons).
- Referee: the profile of the official when one has been appointed; if not, it is shown as unknown, with no invented statistics.
- 1X2 probabilities: an estimate for a home win, a draw and an away win.
- Goals: an estimate of expected goals and of how likely a low- or high-scoring match is.
- Likely scorers: the players most likely to score, based on their role and playing time.
These probabilities are uncertain estimates: a favourite can lose and a model can be wrong. They help you read a match; they guarantee no result.
FAQ: three factual questions
How many clubs and matchdays are there in the Cyprus First Division?
In 2026-27 the league has 14 clubs. The first phase has 26 matchdays, after which the league splits into a championship group (6 clubs) and a relegation group (8 clubs).
How does the championship group work in Cyprus?
The top 6 from the first phase play each other home and away for 10 further matches. In 2025-26 they kept all of their first-phase points.
How many clubs are relegated in Cyprus?
In 2025-26 the bottom three of the relegation group (made up of the clubs ranked 7th to 14th) went down to the Second Division.
About Prediction AI
Prediction AI is a predictive sports analysis platform powered by artificial intelligence. To see how it works and what subscriptions are available, take a look at the Prediction AI plans. Analyses are provided for information only, with no promise of any result.
Further reading
- Expected Goals (xG), Over/Under 2.5 Goals and Both Teams to Score: Understanding the Indicators
- The Factors That Influence a Football Match and How to Weigh Them Cautiously
- The Prediction AI Method: How a Match Analysis Is Produced, in Full Transparency
- How to Read a Win, Draw or Loss Probability (1X2)