On November 23, 1966, the Local Committee of Cypriot Athletes was established by 15 sport clubs as a local federation of the Greek one. In 1971, the first championship took place and APOEL became the Champions. As Winners of a championship which was run by a local committee, APOEL were represented in the Greek National First Division in 1972/73 and in 1973/74 the Cypriot Champions Anorthosis Famagusta. However, Cypriot teams stop taking place in the Greek Championship after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.