Sporting Kansas City forward Marinos Tzionis will join the Cyprus Men’s National Team for the continuation of UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying in Europe.
Tzionis and Cyprus will resume their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with two matches during the next FIFA window, hosting Scotland on Sept. 8 before visiting world powerhouse Spain on Sept. 11. Tzionis, who will miss Sporting's trip to Inter Miami CF on Sept. 9, is scheduled to return to Kansas City ahead of the club's road match against Minnesota United FC on Sept. 16.
Cyprus Match Schedule: UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifying
- Friday, Sept. 8 | vs. Scotland | 1:45 p.m. CT | AEK Arena in Larnaca, Cyprus
- Monday, Sept. 11 | at Spain | 1:45 p.m. CT | El Sardinero in Santander, Spain
Tzionis has blossomed as a key contributor for the Cyprus national team, amassing 24 caps and scoring two goals for his home country while competing in the UEFA Nations League and FIFA World Cup qualifying. The 22-year-old earned his senior debut in 2020 and opened his Cypriot scoring account in March 2022, bagging the opener in a 2-0 Nations League win over Estonia. Tzionis added another goal in the competition as the difference maker in a 1-0 upset victory over regional rivals Greece last September.
Cyprus is aiming to qualify for the UEFA European Championship for the first time. Euro 2024 will involve 24 teams, including the top two finishers across 10 qualifying groups, hosts Germany and another three nations that will advance through a playoff round. Cyprus is in a formidable Group A alongside current leaders Scotland, reigning UEFA Nations League champion Spain, Georgia and a Norway side that features Manchester City striker Erling Haaland. Cyprus currently occupies last place in Group A with a 0-3-0 record and will conclude group stage play in November. The Euro 2024 qualifying playoff round will be held in March 2024.
Tzionis has logged 51 appearances for Sporting in all competitions since transferring to the club in early 2022. The versatile attacker has recorded three goals, including two in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and tallied his first MLS assist in Sporting's 4-1 victory over the Portland Timbers on May 28. He has a 4-2-2 record as a starter this season in all competitions.
Tzionis previously represented Cyprus at the U-17 and U-19 youth levels—featuring in qualifying competitions for the European U-17 Championship in 2018 and the European U-19 Championship in 2019—before breaking into the senior national team in September 2020. In the two months that followed, he made five starts and six total appearances in the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League as the Cypriots finished with a 1-4-1 record. Tzionis started four of six appearances in FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifying over the course of 2021, then scored twice in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League last year.
Tzionis joined Sporting after a strong stint at hometown club Omonia Nicosia, where he scored 15 goals in 88 appearances from 2018 until his departure for Kansas City. During his time with Omonia, he won a Cypriot First Division title and featured in 18 matches across Europe’s three most prestigious club tournaments: the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.
Hot off a 3-0 home win over the San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting will now prepare to host archrival St. Louis City SC for the first time on Saturday at Children's Mercy Park. Tickets for the game are available online at SeatGeek, including standing-room only tickets. The Western Conference clash will be broadcast live on Apple TV in English and Spanish for MLS Season Pass subscribers. Local radio coverage will air on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM with streams in the Sporting KC app, while pub partners in the Sporting Pub Network will also show all of the action.
