Olympic Stadium Athens Spiros Louis

The Olympic Stadium in Athens is the largest sports stadium in Greece with a capacity of 75,000. It was first built in 1982 ahead of the European Championship and has since been the home of several football clubs including AEK Athens, Panathinaikos and Olympiacos.

Although the stadium is known around the world as the Olympic Stadium, it’s official name is the ‘Spyros Louis’ after the Greek athlete who won the first-ever marathon Olympic gold medal at the 1896 Olympic  Games.

The two most striking elements of the Olympic Stadium are the four floodlights and the roof. The four exterior floodlights are situated at each corner of the stadium tower and bend over the pitch, making them the most recognisable design feature of the stadium.

The roof, meanwhile, was added in the early 2000s ahead of the 2004 Olympics and added another unique design element to the stadium. It cost around £250m to build and features two giant arcs that span across the entire stadium.

In terms of prestige, the stadium oozes class and aura but for football fans, its design isn’t ideal. The running track around the pitch has a negative impact on both the atmosphere and the view of the action. To compound matters, all four stands are far from steep which only amplifies the issue around the view.

The stadium was originally built ahead of the 1982 European Athletics Championships and was considered a marvel at the time. It went on to host the European Cup final a year later and both Panathinaikos and Olympiacos began sharing it as their home stadiums in 1984 while AEK Athens moved in in 1985.

AEK Athens moved out in 1987 while Olympiacos moved on two years later. Panathinaikos stayed put until 2000 but all three have since returned at different points for different reasons.

At present, Panathinaikos are using the stadium while their new one is being built.

The biggest event to take place at the stadium was the Olympic Games in 2004. In preparation for the event, renovation work took place to add the now-famous roof. It was the main hub for the games, being used for the opening and closing ceremonies and all track and field events.

The stadium had largely been untouched since the Olympics until a roof inspection in 2023 found significant issues. The stadium was immediately forced to shut down but the problems have now been fixed.

Away fans usually enjoy a trip to the Olympic Stadium in Athens as above all else, it is one of the most iconic stadiums in the world with a rich history attached.

However, in terms of atmosphere and feeling part of the match, it isn’t the best. The standard allocation for away fans is around 3,500 and they are placed in the upper south-west corner, entering via section 6 (map below).

The away section at the Olympic Stadium feels very far away from the pitch which often makes it difficult to generate any kind of atmosphere.

The Olympic Stadium is around 10km away from the city centre of Athens but there are still plenty of pubs in the surrounding area. Three options include:

• Red Lion Pub, 116 34, Niriidon 16, Athina 116 34, Greece.
• Athens Sports Bar, Veikou 3a, Athens 117 42, Greece.
• The James Joyce Irish Pub, Astiggos 12, Athens 105 55, Greece.

Since 1984, Panathinaikos have chopped and changed between playing matches at the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium and the Athens Olympic Stadium.

From 2026, they will finally have a stable home with the Votanikos Stadium set for completion. The stadium will have a capacity of 39,000 and should be ready for the start of the 26/27 season.

The Olympic Stadium is located in the northern part of Athens and is about 10km away from the city centre. One has to input the following address into the satnav:

37 Kifissias Ave. and Spirou Loui, Maroussi, Athens

As a result of being a little far away from the city centre, the stadium has the advantage in terms of parking spaces that can be found in abundance. Since the renovation, a lot of attention has also been given to parking facilities and there are now eight at the stadium.

The easiest way to get to the stadium is to use the Athens Metro service. The closest stations to the stadium are Irini and Neratziotissa which are on the M1 line. This line runs through the city centre so should be easy to navigate.

• Holiday Inn Athens
• Amalia Hotel
• Titania Hotel

The Olympic Stadium put on tours for groups of 15 or more visitors. To book a tour, the group must contact the stadium directly. Entrance is very cheap at just €3 per person.

Even though OAKA stadium was not so great in terms of support for disabled spectators in its initial years, the renovation work that took place within the last decade has brought about a sizeable change. Now, supporters with disability get a lot of help when they tried to get to their seats. The state-of-the-art facility now includes special access for people with wheelchairs, special parking, and more.