Olympiacos F.C.

Athens is no stranger to sports competitions held in grand stadiums, as the Greeks were responsible for inventing the Olympic Games. While the first Games were held thousands of years ago, today Athenians can enjoy the celebration of sport through their home football team, Olympiacos F.C.

Founded in 1925, Olympiacos F.C. is the most successful football club in Greek history. The club is ranked ninth in the world in total titles, and carry 75 national trophies,. Their dominance in the sport is reflected in their 44 League titles, 27 Cups (17 Doubles) and 4 Super Cups.

The Club plays at the Karaiskakis Stadium located in Piraeus, Athens. It is the largest football stadium in Greece, ith a capacity of 32,115 spectators. Built in 1895, it was originally designed to host cycling events for the 1896 Summer Olympics. When Olympiacos was founded, the Club started using the stadium and named it after Georgios Karaiskakis, a military commander during the Greek War of Independence.

Since its inception, the Club has seen triumphs, losses, and rivalries. Beyond their victories on the field, the Club has overcome world wars – many players joined the Hellenic Army to fight off Axis invaders in WW2 – and even unexpected tragedy. The Gate 7 Tragedy in 1981 resulted in the loss of 21 fans when hundreds of people rushed to the Gate following a victory. Each year, the Club honors those lost with a memorial service.

The legacy of Olympiacos goes beyond just a football team. As the most popular Club in Greece, it is a facet of modern Greek culture and a place for fans to gather and enjoy competition. As of 2014, the Club has 98,000 members, and is one of the largest in the world.