PAOK Thessaloniki PAOK FC has been one of the defining sporting institutions of Northern Greece since its founding on 20 April 1926, established by Greek refugees who had fled Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War. The club's black-and-white colours were chosen deliberately: black for the mourning of a lost homeland, white for the hope of a new beginning in Thessaloniki. Its crest, a Byzantine double-headed eagle with closed wings, carries the same symbolism of loss and resilience.
PAOK have won the Greek championship four times, in 1976, 1985, 2019 and 2024, and have lifted the Greek Cup on eight occasions. The 2018/19 season stands as the club's landmark campaign: PAOK went the entire league season unbeaten, with 26 wins and 4 draws, to complete the only domestic double in Greek football history achieved without a single defeat. Together with Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, PAOK is one of only three clubs that have never been relegated from the Greek top flight.
The club's traditional home, Toumba Stadium, holds around 29,000 spectators and is regarded as one of the most intimidating grounds in Greek football, driven by the constant support of the Gate 4 supporters' group. For a club whose identity was forged in displacement, Toumba has become a symbol of permanence and belonging for generations of Thessaloniki's refugee-descended community.
