Apoel Nikosia Team Copyright: imago images/Action Plus
APOEL Nicosia’s players initiated a work stoppage due to unresolved financial grievances, the club announced on Thursday.
The players who participated in Wednesday’s game against AEK Larnaca reportedly skipped their scheduled recovery sessions today, while the rest of the squad did not take part in training.
Upon arriving at the club’s training facilities, the players requested a meeting with a club representative to express their discontent regarding outstanding financial obligations.
The club released a statement acknowledging that the players had informed management of their decision to alter their regular training schedule because of a specific unresolved financial issue, choosing to undertake gym work and recovery instead. The club’s statement further indicated that the financial matter was promptly resolved by the management.
APOEL Nicosia is currently grappling with substantial financial difficulties. Eight officials from APOEL entered guilty pleas on March 26, 2025, in a prominent case concerning unpaid social security contributions amounting to €2.3 million from 2020 to 2022. Prosecutors allege that the club deducted these payments from employees’ wages but failed to remit them to the appropriate authorities.
The team is reportedly facing the largest debt (€1.8 million) among four major Cypriot clubs that need to settle a combined €5.3 million in tax arrears by a government-imposed deadline to maintain UEFA compliance. Their historical tax liabilities are stated to be €11.6 million.
As of June 2023, APOEL’s total debt was reported to be €34 million, with a recorded loss of €6.95 million in the fiscal year 2022.
