AC Omonia was then accepted by the Cyprus Football Association to participate in the Cypriot First Division After joining the Cypriot First Division in 1953, Omonia only placed seventh out of nine teams in the 1953–54 season, barely avoiding relegation. During that decade, the club's best placing came during the 1956–57 season when the club finished in the third position. The team would make its closest push for the title during the 1959–60 season after finishing second, one point behind Anorthosis Famagusta. The following year, after seven seasons in the First Division, the club would win its first title in 1960–61 season.
Anorthosis Famagusta FC in European football Champions League, although they lost to Inter Milan 1–0 at San Siro, they drew 3–3 in GSP Stadium. In their 5th Champions League game, Anorthosis had a chance to make it to the knock-out stage if they would have won against Werder Bremen. Anorthosis went up 2–0, but in the second half Diego made the score 2–1, and minutes before the match ended, Hugo Almeida managed to equalise for Bremen, and the match finished 2–2. Anorthosis still had a chance to get into the knock-out stage in the final match against Panathinaikos if they would have won. However, during the