The city of Athens is abuzz as the Greek capital has become the focal point of European basketball, with the four finalists ready to face off in the two semifinals in the 2026 Euroleague final four at the OAKA stadium on Friday.
The excitement and energy are palpable as the thousands of Olympiacos BC faithful, adorned in their team jerseys have been making their way to the stadium since the morning. The red and white colors dominate the atmosphere while the smell of souvlaki permeates the air.
Team chants, loud fans arguing over technical matters in small groups outside the stadium, give off a vibe of energy mixed with excitement and anxiety, as the faithful hope their teams are victorious.
While playing in Greece, the Greek champions’ fans will be egging on their beloved team from the stands of the stadium of the eternal enemies, Panathinaikos, hoping the Reds can down Turkish Fenerbahce BC in the first match of the day, scheduled for 6 pm (local time), and advance to Sunday’s final.
In the other semi-final, two Spanish teams, Real Madrid – the most successful team in the history of the competiton with nine trophies – will square off against their compatriots Valencia BC, who reached the finals for the first time.
The Greek team, which has reached Europe’s top-tier league on nine occasions, is aiming to win its fourth Euroleague title.
Meanwhile, two Athens metro stations will be restricted to fan transport only on Friday afternoon due to the EuroLeague Final Four, transit operator STASY announced.
Thissio station from 13:00 and Faliro station from 14:00 will operate exclusively to carry fans to the Irini station serving the Olympic Athletic Center, running special non-stop services that will not call at intermediate stations. Regular Line 1 trains will pass through both stations without stopping for the general public during this period. Both stations will reopen to normal passenger service once fan transport operations are complete.
More than 4,000 police officers and drones have been deployed, while strict security checkpoints have been set up across Athens.
