Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus

Georgios Karaiskakis Football Stadium, located in Piraeus, has a picturesque look that reflects the charm of old neighborhoods. The stadium is home to the Olympiakos friends club, offering visitors a glimpse into Piraeus' athletic history and the locals' unwavering devotion to their football team.

Did you know that the Olympiacos F.C. is the most successful club in Greek football history? You can learn all about this accomplished team at the Museum of Olympiacos. There are special collections and exhibits that detail the team, its athletes, and the history of football and the other sports supported by the club. In addition, there are often lectures, seminars, and temporary exhibitions.

The Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, commonly referred to as the Karaiskakis Stadium, is a football stadium in Piraeus, Attica, Greece, and the home ground of the Piraeus football club Olympiacos. It is named after Georgios Karaiskakis, a military commander and national hero of the Greek War of Independence, who was mortally wounded in the area. With a capacity of 33,334 it is the largest football-specific stadium and the second largest football stadium in Greece overall. The stadium hosted the 2023 UEFA Super Cup, since the original venue in Kazan had to be moved due to Russia's suspension from UEFA. It was used during the Athens 1896 Summer Olympics, as the Neo Phaliron Velodrome, where Frenchman Paul Masson took the three track cycling gold medals. Karaiskakis Stadium is classified as a 4-star football stadium by the UEFA organisation, allowing it to host the UEFA Europa League Final if chosen. It hosts 40 VIP lounges and suites, that can hold up to 474 persons, a press conference hall, that can hold up to 130 seats, 200 seats for press and media coverage, an entire shopping mall, with restaurants, cafés, retail and clothing stores and a gym. The stadium also hosts Olympiacos Museum, dedicated not only to the history of the football club, but to the history of all the departments of the multiple European title-winning multi-sport club Olympiacos CFP. There are 10 automated ticket selling machines around the stadium enabling reservations through the internet or by phone. There is no extra charge for the parking area, which takes up to 1,000 cars. Due to its design, the stadium's tribunes have the ability to empty within 7 minutes. The stadium also has restaurants and stores opened during concerts and games and sometimes open with the daily general timetable of most Greek stores and shops. The stadium is easily accessed through by public transport, at Faliro, which is less than five minutes from Piraeus, and about 15 minutes from Athens city centre, at Omonia, and also through Athens driving routes, which is 8 km, about 15 minutes from downtown Athens.

The “Georgios Karaiskakis” stadium was originally built as a velodrome in 1895 to be used during the 1896 Olympic Games. It was donated to the Olympic Games Committee by the then property owner Railway Company. It was in the 1920s when the velodrome was also first used as a football pitch; 40 years later, in 1960, it was fully renovated and retrofitted to be used as a stadium (including a pitch and track and field). Since then, it was renamed into “Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium” to honor a major Greek hero, Georgios Karaiskakis, who was killed close to the stadium during the 1821 Greek Revolution. OLYMPIACOS, a pioneer as always, has accomplished a great deal, with Championships, Cups, and distinctions, and has contributed to the upgrading of Hellenic sports. However, its most significant triumph is the love and support of the people at every moment of its long course. On 14th May of 2006, OLYMPIACOS founded its museum. It is a way to give its fans and all football supporters and other citizens a chance to realise that history is a pleasant and secure way to “travel” to the past, present and future. The museum of OLYMPIACOS is a place where one can learn all about OLYMPIACOS: the teams, the athletes and the fans, Piraeus, Hellenic sports, as well as the history of football and the other sports supported by the club. The museum of OLYMPIACOS collects and presents exhibitions, records and researches information and knowledge, which is then presented in fresh exhibitions in such a way as to make every visit unique and interesting. Furthermore, visitors can attend lectures and seminars, enjoy temporary exhibitions and participate in other events. The educational programme meets the needs of students wishing to combine their love for football and sports in general with knowledge about the past. ***PH***