The curtain is rising on a season unlike any other for Olympiacos. The familiar roar of the Peace and Friendship Stadium is being traded for the rumble of construction machinery. The SEF is not just getting a facelift; it is being reborn from the roof to the floor. And for the next eighteen months, the club must survive on the road.

A Stadium Reborn

When the doors finally reopen in late 2026 or early 2027, the old SEF will be a memory. The renovation is total. The iconic roof, woven from special materials akin to yacht sails and Kevlar, is being replaced with a modern structure offering superior insulation. But the real drama is below ground. The playing surface is being lowered by up to 3.5 meters, a massive excavation that allows the capacity to swell to nearly 14,000 seats. The temporary stands near the court are gone, replaced by permanent fixtures. The blueprint? The Zalgirio Arena in Kaunas. No glass floor, but a premium hardwood similar to Valencia's Roche Arena. Even the presentation is getting an NBA-style upgrade, with four high-tech projectors in the corners to light up the spectacle.

The Nomadic Season

So where does a giant like Olympiacos play while its home sleeps? The club is already lobbying the EuroLeague to schedule as many early-round games away as possible, mirroring Bayern Munich’s recent strategy. But neutral grounds are inevitable. The first pick is the Botevgrad Arena in Sofia. The connection with the Vezencov family and the electric atmosphere from previous clashes make Bulgaria a natural fit. Next in line is the Theri Arena (Two Horns) in Heraklion, Crete, a venue proven to handle high-stakes basketball. If a third option is needed, the table is set in the unusual but logical choice of the Sunel Arena in Lioposia, home of AEK. Technically, the Lioposia facility belongs to the SEF property complex, a relic of the 2004 Athens Olympics distribution. AEK pays rent to SEF, meaning Olympiacos could theoretically step in. Cyprus remains a distant last resort. This is a season of travel, of adaptation, of grit. But the prize? A temple worthy of the club’s history.