New Panathinaikos Stadium is a football stadium with an additional multi-use sports complex in
Athens, Greece
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, that will host all departments of the
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...
sports club set for completion in 2026. The complex will be located in the historic
Votanikos
Votanikos ( el, Βοτανικός, ) is a neighborhood located 3 km west of the downtown part of the Greek capital of Athens. The area is named after a nearby botanical garden situated to the southwest (Athens Botanical Gardens). The easter ...
area, west of downtown Athens. The entire project includes the football stadium (seating 39,000), a volleyball, handball and basketball stadium (seating 3,100), swimming pool (seating 500), and gymnastics facilities.
The Votanikos area currently houses mostly vacant, dilapidated storage and industrial facilities.
The football stadium was to be ready for the 100 years of the club in 2008, with the rest of the complex completed by 2011. This construction was the idea of popular former president of
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...
Thanasis Giannakopoulos
Thanasis Giannakopoulos (Greek language, Greek: Θανάσης Γιαννακόπουλος; 1930/31 – 19 March 2019) was a Greek businessman, and a one-time pro sports club owner. The Giannakopoulos family has a combined estimated net worth a ...
.
By October 2013, and due to the club's and the country's financial troubles, the construction of the Votanikos Arena had stopped and consequently the plans for the demolition of the
Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium
Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium ( el, Γήπεδο Απόστολος Νικολαΐδης), commonly known as Leoforos Alexandras Stadium or Leoforos Stadium, is a football stadium and multi-sport center in Athens, Greece. It was inaugurated in 19 ...
were cancelled.
In 2022, mayor of Athens
Kostas Bakogiannis announced that the project is going to be implemented and its construction will last 3 years. The most significant part of the agreement between
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...
and the
Municipality of Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...
was the fact that the team had to offer
Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium
Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium ( el, Γήπεδο Απόστολος Νικολαΐδης), commonly known as Leoforos Alexandras Stadium or Leoforos Stadium, is a football stadium and multi-sport center in Athens, Greece. It was inaugurated in 19 ...
in exchange of its new stadium. After the construction of the arenas,
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...
will be the owner of the entire Votanikos Sport Complex for 99 years. The new football, basketball, volleyball arenas and other facilities will be ready at the start of 2026.
season «Αν δεν γίνει και τώρα ο Βοτανικός, δεν θα γίνει ποτέ» (vid)
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References
Multi-purpose stadiums
Football venues in Greece
Basketball venues in Greece
Volleyball venues in Greece
Sports venues in Athens
Proposed stadiums
Proposed buildings and structures in Greece
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