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Peace and Friendship Stadium

Capacity: 13.030 seats
Address: Ethnarchou Makariou St., 185 47, Neo Faliro, Greece
Telephone: +30 210 4893 000
Year of construction: 1985

The Peace and Friendship Stadium, widely known as S.E.F., is one of the most iconic and modern indoor sports arenas in Europe. It is in Neo Faliro, in a seaside area of Piraeus, just 2 km from the city center, 10 km from downtown Athens, and 32 km from Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos.”

The stadium was designed by the architectural firm Thymios Papagiannis & Associates, with a total construction cost of 8 billion drachmas (1983 prices). In 1991, S.E.F. was awarded the Gold Award at the international competition organized by the IAKS (International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities), confirming its outstanding architectural and functional value on a global level.

The official inauguration took place in February 1985. For basketball games, the arena’s capacity reached 11,640 spectators with the use of retractable stands. Notably, the full evacuation time of the stadium has been measured at just three minutes, highlighting its advanced safety and design standards.

S.E.F. features fully equipped, state-of-the-art facilities, including auxiliary courts, warm-up areas, locker rooms, medical rooms, multi-purpose halls, a telephone center, electronic scoreboards, as well as press and broadcast booths.

The stadium is easily accessible via all major public transportation networks of Athens and Piraeus. It is located approximately 7 km from the Western Airport, 5.7 km from the Port of Piraeus, and 7–8 km from the Metropolitan and Ledra Marriott hotels.

During the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, S.E.F. hosted all volleyball matches, both preliminary rounds and finals. For this purpose, the stadium remained closed from April 2002 until early 2004, undergoing extensive modernization works with a total budget of €7,300,000, carried out by TERNA.

Since the early 1990s, the Peace and Friendship Stadium has been the historic home of Olympiacos, where the club’s great basketball dynasty was built. During the renovation period, Olympiacos temporarily played for two seasons at the Korydallos Indoor Hall, before returning permanently to their natural home for the 2004–05 season.

Major Sports Events Hosted at S.E.F.

Olympic Games

  • Volleyball Tournament (2004)

Basketball

  • FIBA World Championship (1998)
  • EuroBasket (1987)
  • European Champions Cup Final (1985)
  • European Champions Cup Final Four (1993)
  • European Cup Winners’ Cup Final (1989)

Volleyball

  • FIVB World Championship (1994)
  • European Championship (1995)
  • European Champions Cup Final Four (1992 & 1993)
  • European Cup Winners’ Cup Final Four (1996)
  • Top Teams Cup (2005)

Athletics

  • European Indoor Athletics Championships (1985)

Wrestling

  • World Cup (1988)
  • World Championship (1999)
  • European Championship (1986)

Gymnastics

  • World Championship (1991)
  • European Championship (1990)

Weightlifting

  • World Championship (1999)