PASP remains steadfast in its stance on the role of women in Cypriot society and in sports. Female footballers deserve and are entitled to equal rights and equal opportunities.
Women’s football in Europe has seen remarkable growth over the past decade. Nevertheless, the Cyprus Women’s Championship is moving in the opposite direction. In 2025, the season concluded with only four teams, whereas around fifteen years ago the league hosted 14 teams. Over 27 teams have suspended operations throughout the 25-year history of the women’s championship in Cyprus.
A deeply rooted legacy of gender-based discrimination continues to negatively affect the sector. This inequality creates barriers and prevents women from accessing and advancing in the professional sphere on equal terms.
A powerful statement on gender equality was delivered by the players of the Cyprus Women’s National Team ahead of their match against Finland on November 7, 2019, in Helsinki, for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2021 qualifiers. The Cypriot players painted the equality symbol on the palms of their hands, sending a clear message that men and women share the same dreams, the same goals, in the same game!
One of the most pressing issues the national team players sought to highlight was fair pay. Notably, Cyprus’s female internationals were receiving less than 15% of the daily allowance granted to their male counterparts.
One of the most pressing issues the national team players sought to highlight was fair pay. Notably, Cyprus’s female internationals were receiving less than 15% of the daily allowance granted to their male counterparts.
The initiative by the women’s national team players sparked a major movement on social media, with male footballers and countless fans showing their support by painting the equality symbol on their palms. This action ignited a nationwide discussion, which ultimately led to talks between the Footballers’ Association and the Cypriot Parliament regarding the creation of legislation on gender equality in sports.
A tremendous honor for Cypriot football—and at the same time, an important message to the Cypriot state and society on the highly debated issue of gender equality in sports—was the recognition of the Cyprus Women’s National Football Team as the winner of the prestigious FIFPRO Merit Awards 2020!
The announcement of the team’s victory was made on Thursday, February 18, 2021, during FIFPRO’s annual World Congress: “They risked their careers, but they stood tall and, through their actions, fought for a better future for all female footballers.”
The announcement of the team’s victory was made on Thursday, February 18, 2021, during FIFPRO’s annual World Congress: “They risked their careers, but they stood tall and, through their actions, fought for a better future for all female footballers.”
On the evening of December 14, 2021, during a special ceremony, PASP honored the players of the Cyprus Women’s National Team who received the international FIFPRO Merit Award: Players’ Voice for their advocacy for gender equality. The awards were presented by the President of the House of Representatives, Ms. Annita Demetriou, and, on behalf of the Commissioner for Gender Equality, Ms. Andri Savva, Vice-Chair of the Gender Equality Commission of the Council of Europe.
The players of the Cyprus Women’s National Team decided to allocate the monetary prize from the FIFPRO Merit Award: Players’ Voice to a campaign promoting gender equality in society. Together with PASP, they launched the #EqualRights campaign. A related video spot was produced under the auspices of the Office of the Commissioner for Gender Equality. With the generous support of STOIXIMAN, the video was also distributed as a commercial spot on Cypriot television channels.
The players of the Cyprus Women’s National Team decided to allocate the remaining funds from the FIFPRO Merit Award: Players’ Voice to purchase portable physiotherapy beds featuring the equality logo. These were presented as gifts to all women’s football teams and the Cyprus Women’s National Team.
After years of tireless efforts, one of PASP’s greatest goals has been achieved! With 44 votes in favor and one abstention, the House of Representatives approved an amendment to Article 5 of the Cyprus Sports Organisation (CSO) Law, eliminating all forms of inequality in benefits between men and women in the National Teams.
According to the amendment, the CSO “ensures, safeguards, and promotes gender equality in sports, combats gender-based discrimination, and requires federations to provide equal opportunities and equal benefits for men and women in the national teams.”
According to the amendment, the CSO “ensures, safeguards, and promotes gender equality in sports, combats gender-based discrimination, and requires federations to provide equal opportunities and equal benefits for men and women in the national teams.”