PAOK FC

PAOK FC
Clubname	PAOK FC
Fullname	P.A.O.K. Football Club
Nickname	Dikefalos tou Vorra
Founded	1926
Ground	Toumba Stadium
Capacity	29,000
Chairman	Ivan Savvidis
Manager	Răzvan Lucescu
League	Super League Greece
Website	http://www.paokfc.gr

PAOK FC is a professional association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece, founded in 1926 by refugees from Constantinople after the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922). The club has been a prominent competitor in the Super League Greece and has participated in multiple editions of UEFA club competitions including the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. PAOK has a storied rivalry with Olympiacos F.C., AEK Athens F.C. and Aris Thessaloniki F.C., and its identity is linked to the experiences of Asia Minor refugees and the cultural heritage of Thrace and Macedonia.

History

PAOK traces its roots to the refugee communities from Istanbul and the aftermath of the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey and the Treaty of Lausanne. Early presidents and founders such as Dimitrios Doukas and Georgios Hatzidakis helped establish a sporting society that expanded into football, basketball and volleyball, mirroring other multi-sport institutions like Olympiacos, Panathinaikos FC and AEK Athens F.C.. The club rose to national prominence with players like Giorgos Koudas and Christos Terzanidis, competing in landmark matches against rivals Olympiacos F.C. and Panathinaikos F.C. and playing influential roles during eras shaped by figures such as Walter Skocik and Les Shannon. PAOK navigated the post-war Greek football landscape, participating in the inaugural national competitions under the Hellenic Football Federation and enduring political challenges during the Greek military junta of 1967–1974. In the 1970s and 1980s PAOK secured domestic trophies and produced international fixtures against clubs like Liverpool F.C., AC Milan, and Tottenham Hotspur F.C.. The 21st century saw ownership changes involving Konstantinos Karakatsanis and Ivan Savvidis, managerial tenures including Fernando Santos and Răzvan Lucescu, and a breakthrough Super League title campaign culminating in silverware that positioned PAOK among Greece’s elite alongside AEK Athens F.C. and Panathinaikos FC.

Stadium and Facilities

The club’s home, Toumba Stadium, is located in the Toumba district of Thessaloniki and has hosted major domestic derbies against Aris Thessaloniki F.C. and Olympiacos F.C.. Toumba has undergone renovations overseen by municipal authorities and private investors to meet standards set by UEFA and the Hellenic Football Federation, sharing infrastructural narratives with venues like Stadio Georgios Kamaras and Karaiskakis Stadium. PAOK’s training center in Nea Mesimvria serves youth development for academies comparable to those of Real Madrid Castilla and Manchester United U23s, while club facilities accommodate medical staff, scouting departments and analytics teams influenced by contemporary sports science trends from institutions such as FIFA and UEFA Technical Observers.

Supporters and Culture

Supporter culture revolves around passionate attendances, ultras groups, chants and tifos inspired by regional identity, refugee history and symbols like the double-headed eagle from Byzantine and Byzantine Empire heritage. PAOK fan groups interact in the same vibrant scene as Gate 13 of Panathinaikos and the fanbases of Olympiacos F.C. and AEK Athens F.C., producing high-profile atmospheres during derbies and cup finals. The club’s outreach connects with diasporic communities in Thessaloniki, Istanbul, Alexandroupoli and elsewhere, and cultural events often reference poets, composers and artists linked to Asia Minor traditions and anniversaries recognized by institutions such as the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.

Players and Personnel

Historic figures include Giorgos Koudas, Stelios Koudas, Theodoros Zagorakis and Theodoros Zagorakis’s later career as a politician who engaged with the Hellenic Parliament. Managers of note range from Les Shannon and Walter Skocik to Fernando Santos and Răzvan Lucescu, who guided the club during significant domestic and European campaigns. The playing squad has featured domestic talents and internationals from Portugal, Brazil, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania, while the club’s scouting network reaches markets similar to those utilized by Olympiacos F.C. and PAOK B. Administrative leadership under Ivan Savvidis and sporting directors has interacted with the UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations and transfer dealings involving agents, academies and European clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen and Benfica.

Honours and Records

PAOK has won multiple national trophies including Greek Super League titles and Greek Football Cup victories, joining the roll of honour with competitors like AEK Athens F.C. and Olympiacos F.C.. Key domestic achievements were secured in seasons that featured managerial influence from Răzvan Lucescu and player performances that entered record books alongside top scorers from the Super League Greece Golden Boot lists. Club records include attendance milestones at Toumba Stadium, unbeaten runs and notable cup finals contested against teams such as Panathinaikos FC and Olympiacos F.C..

European and International Competitions

PAOK’s European history includes campaigns in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and qualifying rounds where the club faced opponents like AC Milan, Liverpool F.C., Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and Dinamo Zagreb. Matches in continental competition have involved UEFA regulations, disciplinary proceedings by UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body and encounters televised by broadcasters akin to Sky Sports and Cosmote Sport. The club’s European exploits contributed to Greece’s UEFA country coefficient and fostered transfers linking PAOK to the broader networks of European football and international tournaments such as the Mediterranean Games where Greek footballers have represented national teams.

Category:Football clubs in Thessaloniki Category:Super League Greece clubs