If you visit the intimidating Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium then you understand why Athens is known as the Mecca of graffiti. Panathinaikos's wonderfully old home ground is Greece's oldest active stadium. But visit it soon, because the club will move into a new arena in a couple of years.
Panathinaikos is one of the most successful clubs in Greece. They won over 40 trophies and even went an entire season unbeaten in 1963/64 to lift the title. Led by Ferenc Puskás, Panathinaikos reached the European Cup final in 1971, which they lost against Ajax. The football club, founded in 1908, is originally a right-wing club for the socialites of Athens.
The Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, also known as the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium, opened in 1922. It was the first Greek stadium with a stand, floodlights and a grass pitch. The walls of the old and intimidating ground are fully covered in graffiti. Simply walking around the stadium is more than worth your time.
They don’t just play football in the stadium. Hidden under the stands of Gate 6 and 7 is an old basketball arena of Panathinaikos. It is nicknamed the ‘Indian Tomb’ because of the claustrophobic feeling the opponents felt when playing there. Nowadays, Panathinaikos’ basketball team plays in the Olympic Indoor Hall.
The Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium also has a boxing ring, a swimming pool, cafés and an official fan shop.
Gate 13 is the home and name of Panathinaikos’ ultras who support their club through thick and thin with songs, flares and fireworks. It is the oldest supporters group in Greece. Look out of the entrance to Gate 13 in the stadium which has an intimidating mural made by the ultras.
In their history, Panathinaikos played in the Olympic Stadium of Athens for many years. The old Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium had to be renovated frequently because it did not meet UEFA standards. The club played in the Olympic Stadium from 1984 to 2000, with the exception of one season. After five seasons in the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, however, the stadium had to be renovated again. So until 2013, the club played their home games in the Olympic Stadium, again with the exception of one season. In 2018 doom struck again, another renovation and having to play in the boring Olympic Stadium, which never really felt like home, until 2020.
In April 2023, Panathinaikos started building a new stadium in the old neighbourhood of Votanikos, near the Eleonas metro station. The new stadium was supposed to be ready in 2008, but in 2013 the club said it cancelled the plan to build the Votanikos Stadium due to financial problems. We will have to wait and see whether the new stadium will actually become a finished product, but if it does then the old Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium will be demolished. The Votanikos Stadium is supposed to be ready in 2026.
The Grigoris Lambrakis Stadium is perhaps the most special football stadium in Athens given its location within an old quarry. The home ground of second-tier side Athens Kallithea F.C. is an absolute must-see for any stadium lover. Usually, we are not the biggest fans of running tracks in a football stadium, but we make an exception for this one. Plus, it’s very close to the city centre, only a mere two kilometres south of the Acropolis of Athens.
Despite its name, the Panathenaic Stadium is not a former ground of Panathinaikos. It’s the old Olympic Stadium of Athens, which was used during the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. A beautiful old stadium in the beating heart of the Greek capital. In this magnificent piece of history, the Greek national football team celebrated their surprising European championship win in 2004.
Because only one team can qualify for the UEFA Champions League playoffs, there is a massive rivalry between all the top clubs in Greece. Not only do the fans expect a championship each year, but so does the board given the financial benefit of playing Champions League football.
Panathinaikos’ biggest rival is Olympiacos. The derby between the two is called ‘the derby between eternal enemies’ or ‘the mother of all battles’. It is the game between the two most successful clubs in the country. The club also has fierce rivalries with AEK Athens and PAOK.
Next to the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, you will find the Green Café on Panathinaikou 8. It’s a popular bar for the fans of Panathinaikos where you’ll find many club stickers on the green walls. You will find another popular bar on the other side of the stadium called STockhoLM Pub.
The Greeks have a lot of passion, hate and love for football. Unfortunately, this has also occasionally resulted in fan violence. The league is no foreigner to being temporarily halted due to the violence. In efforts to decrease the risk, away fans are not able to enter the stadiums of the top clubs of PAOK, AEK Athens, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. The fans of the big clubs in Athens also don’t tend to leave their neighbourhood for their safety. That’s why it is advised not to wear any football shirts in Greece.
You need an AMKA, basically a Greek social security number, to buy football tickets in Greece. However, it is possible to order tickets through Panathinaikos’ website as a foreigner. The club redirects you to Ticketmaster, where you can order your ticket and get information on what to fill in on the AMKA.
Since the economic crisis, it has become a rarity for stadiums in Greece to sell out, which means that even on match days you can usually still buy a ticket at the ticket office of the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium. Especially for the smaller games. Be aware that you do need your passport.
The Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium is easily accessible by the metro system. Metro station Ambelokipi, which can be reached by Metro 3 (Blue line), is only a 5-minute walk away from the stadium.
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