Fenerbahce and Olympiacos announce a basketball spectacle at the beginning of 2026
The sixth of January 2026 at 20:45 is reserved for one of the most high-profile clashes of the beginning of the basketball year: the duel between Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Olympiacos Piraeus as part of the 20th round of the EuroLeague 2025/2026. The current European champion Fenerbahce returns in front of its fans at the Ülker Sports and Event Hall in the Asian part of Istanbul, in the Barbaros neighborhood in the Ataşehir district, where they will try to confirm the status of one of the leading powers of the continent against the Greek giant who traditionally aims for the season finale in the EuroLeague. With a record of 11-6 and 7th place in the standings, Fenerbahce welcomes Olympiacos (10-7, currently 9th place) in a duel that can significantly influence the outcome of the fight for the playoffs and home court advantage. The stands of the modern hall with a capacity of about 13,000 seats for basketball are almost never empty when the defending champion takes the floor, and interest in tickets is additionally boosted by the fact that this is a clash of clubs that have shared both finals and quarterfinal series of the EuroLeague. Fans who want to feel what the Istanbul basketball fever sounds like live should secure their tickets in time – ticket sales for this event are traditionally very lively, and clicking the button below is the fastest way to buy tickets and plan an unforgettable evening in Barbaros.
Stakes of the 20th round: standings, numbers, and the fight for playoff positions
After 19 played rounds of the regular season, the EuroLeague enters a key phase where every victory is worth double, and the duel between Fenerbahce and Olympiacos perfectly illustrates that tension. Fenerbahce enters the 20th round with a record of 11 wins and 6 losses, with a point difference of 1363:1331 (+32), which places them in the upper house of the table and holds them firmly in the zone of direct placement in the playoffs. Olympiacos is right behind, with 10 wins and 7 losses and an impressive point difference of 1504:1438 (+66), which speaks to how offensively potent the Greeks are, but also tough enough in defense to punish every mistake of the opponent. Fenerbahce is additionally encouraged by a home record of 7-3, while Olympiacos is at a solid 4-4 on away games, so it is clear that the Ülker Sports and Event Hall and loud Turkish fans can be an important factor. In this distribution of forces, where between the third and tenth position often one victory decides, this game carries the weight of a potential tie-breaker, because the mutual ratio at the end of the regular season often decides the order. For fans in the hall, this means that every ball won, every rebound, and every point has additional value, and tickets for this meeting become a sort of pass for watching basketball on the edge of nerves at the moment when the EuroLeague enters its most interesting section.
Rivalry written by European history: from the 2017 final to the fight for a new crown
The relations between Fenerbahce and Olympiacos on the basketball map of Europe have long been outside the framework of an ordinary regular season game, and fans of both clubs remember well how everything culminated in 2017. Then, Fenerbahce defeated Olympiacos 80:64 in the Istanbul Sinan Erdem Dome in the EuroLeague final and brought the first title of European champion to Turkey, writing itself into history as the club that opened a new era of Turkish club basketball. In the meantime, the rivalry has further deepened with a series of dramatic duels, including tight finishes with a difference of one or two possessions – like victories of 87:84 or 79:77 – due to which every new meeting is experienced as a continuation of a long-running series. In the last five mutual EuroLeague clashes, Fenerbahce has a 3-2 record, but the differences in points are minimal, which clearly shows that these are opponents who know each other extremely well and whom it is very difficult to surprise. An additional dimension to the story is brought by the 2024/2025 season, in which Fenerbahce again won the EuroLeague by beating Monaco in the final, confirmed its status as a continental giant and entered the new season with the label of defending champion, while Olympiacos left behind its own Final Four appearances and reputation as a team that almost never gives up. For fans who will fill the stands in Ataşehir, this meeting will therefore be much more than "just another game" – it will be a new chapter of a story that has lasted for decades and which is best experienced live, with tickets in pocket and the scarf of the favorite club around the neck.
Statistics and style of play: Olympiacos' offensive machinery against Fenerbahce's controlled rhythm
Ahead of the duel in Istanbul, the numbers suggest a very interesting clash of styles: Olympiacos is among the most efficient attacks of the EuroLeague, with an average of about 88.5 points per game, while Fenerbahce scores approximately 80.2 points, but often dictates the rhythm and breaks opponents with a combination of physical defense and patient attacks. The Greek squad is characterized by a high percentage of shooting for two points, around 58.5%, and a very good team performance measurable through the performance index rating (PIR) which climbs above 100 per game, where center Nikola Milutinov leads as a dominant figure under the hoop and the external shooting arsenal in which Tyler Dorsey and Aleksandar Vezenkov are a constant threat. Fenerbahce, on the other hand, relies on a somewhat slower tempo, but also an extremely balanced rotation led by explosive playmaker Wade Baldwin IV, Final Four MVP Nigel Hayes-Davis, experienced shooter and creator Marko Gudurić, and reliable power forward Nicolo Melli, while players like Devon Hall, Tarik Biberović, and Talen Horton-Tucker bring energy, defense, and bench depth. Statistics say that Fenerbahce catches just a shade more rebounds in total than Olympiacos, but is very dangerous in offensive rebounding, which allows them fast transitions after stop actions, while the Greeks lead in assists and outside shooting, which will bring fans in the hall a real little chess battle of three-pointers and pick-and-roll situations. Precisely because of this, it is expected that those who secure their tickets will be able to watch a game in which every possession will carry a tactical story – whether Fenerbahce will manage to slow down the Greek attack or if Olympiacos will impose a rhythm that suits them and silence the Istanbul audience, is a question that makes this evening especially attractive to all lovers of top basketball.
Jasikevičius against Bartzokas: a duel of basketball philosophies on the bench
One of the strongest assets of this meeting is hidden on the bench, where two extremely respected experts of European basketball meet – Šarūnas Jasikevičius on the side of Fenerbahce and Georgios Bartzokas on the side of Olympiacos. Jasikevičius, who in 2025 finally crowned his coaching career with the second EuroLeague title in the club's history and the first as a coach, had already previously entered the history books as one of the few who won the EuroLeague both as a player and as a strategist, and his style is recognizable by emphasized discipline, reading mismatch situations, and rotations that often extract the maximum from every member of the roster. Bartzokas, on the other hand, builds Olympiacos on solid defense, recognizable aggression on passing lines, and very clear roles within the attack, in which he uses movements without the ball and pick-and-roll play to create open shots for his scorers. In this game, we can expect numerous adjustments: Fenerbahce will certainly try to lower the ball to Hayes-Davis and Melli in situations where they can attack slower defenders, while Bartzokas will strive to isolate Milutinov against lower tall players and use Walkup as the "brain" of the team who times the rhythm. Fans who will sit in the stands of Ülker Sports and Event Hall will thus not only follow the fight of players on the floor, but also the subtle duel of coaching decisions – timeouts, changes of defenses, adjustments to small-ball lineups or plays with two centers are just part of what makes this game a tactical treat. There is another reason why tickets for this duel attract even the most demanding basketball fans: live, one can see much better how coaches "read" the course of the match, which is an experience that television broadcast cannot completely convey.
Ülker Sports and Event Hall: modern home of the European champion
Ülker Sports and Event Hall, located on Ihlamur Bulvarı street in the Barbaros neighborhood in the Ataşehir district, is a modern multi-purpose complex that has become synonymous with Fenerbahce home games and one of the noisiest basketball gathering places in Europe since its opening. The hall accommodates about 13,059 spectators at basketball games, and thanks to the steep slope of the stands and the relatively small distance of the first rows from the court, fans have the feeling that they literally "hang" above the floor, which creates pressure on opponents rarely seen. The architectural solution follows contemporary standards, with a large central scoreboard, modern LED screens, and infrastructure that enables top production of light and sound, so every entry of the team onto the court is accompanied by a real little show. Fans with tickets can also count on numerous contents within the complex – from catering points to the fan shop – which turns the stay in the hall into an all-evening experience, and not just watching the game. Considering that Ülker Sports and Event Hall is located in the fast-growing business-residential area of Asian Istanbul, many fans plan their arrival along with an earlier visit to shopping centers and restaurants, and part of them combine the game with a stay in hotels nearby, for which accommodation offers near the venue can help them, which easily fit into planning the entire weekend.
Istanbul and the Ataşehir district: basketball at the junction of continents
Istanbul is a city that spans two continents and which in the last ten years has hosted a series of the biggest basketball events – from the EuroLeague Final Four to major national team competitions – so it is not surprising that this game between Fenerbahce and Olympiacos is included among the prominent sporting events of the beginning of the year. The Ataşehir district, where the Ülker Sports and Event Hall is located, has developed into a modern business-residential center with numerous skyscrapers, shopping centers, and restaurants, but also excellent transport connections to the rest of the city, which allows fans easy arrival from hotels in the center or from tourist districts like Taksim and Sultanahmet. Many visitors from abroad experience this game as a perfect opportunity for a "city-break": a day spent sightseeing historical landmarks, an evening reserved for the EuroLeague, and a night in one of the hotels near the hall or in the center of the city, where accommodation offers in Istanbul will help them find an option according to their own budget and habits. In such a context, a ticket for the game becomes part of a wider travel plan, and fans who buy tickets in time can afford flexible planning of arrival, without stress about sold-out sectors. One should not forget the local Fenerbahce fans either, who are known for turning the hall into a real "cauldron", so guests from Greece and other countries will have the opportunity to feel the atmosphere that has already twice in history pushed Fenerbahce towards the European trophy.
Practical information for arriving at the game and planning the evening
The game between Fenerbahce and Olympiacos starts at 20:45 local time in Istanbul, which leaves fans enough space to round off a working day or tourist tour of the city with an evening visit to the Ülker Sports and Event Hall. The hall is well connected by public transport – from the European part of the city it is possible to cross the Bosphorus by boat or bridge, and then continue by bus or taxi lines towards Ataşehir – while fans coming from other parts of Asian Istanbul often choose a combination of metro and a short taxi ride. Due to the expected crowd around the hall, the recommendation is to arrive at least an hour before the start of the game to avoid delays at security checks and find time for refreshment, taking photos inside the hall, and buying fan props. Tickets for this event are generally sold out as the match day approaches, therefore it is smart to secure them as early as possible and avoid the risk that the desired sector is no longer available. If you click on the button below, you can start the ticket purchase process, and then dedicate yourself to planning the rest of the evening – from returning to the hotel to a late dinner in one of the numerous Istanbul restaurants.
What to expect on the floor: a duel of identities and tempo of play
The meeting itself on the floor promises a very clear struggle of identities: Fenerbahce will seek control of the tempo, great discipline in defense, and patient attacks in which the ball circulates until the best option opens up, while Olympiacos will strive to impose a faster rhythm, continuous pressure on the ball, and early transition. Statistics from the course of the season so far reveal that Olympiacos achieves convincingly more points per meeting, but Fenerbahce, thanks to the balance between inside and outside play, often manages to reduce opponent attacks to a series of difficult shots in the final seconds of the attack. On the home side, Wade Baldwin IV takes over the role of main creator, a player who can create a surplus by just changing the rhythm, while Hayes-Davis and Gudurić spread the defense with their shooting range and open space for penetrations and plays with back to the basket. Olympiacos will, on the other hand, try to use the dominance of Milutinov in the paint, where pick-and-roll plays with Thomas Walkup and the rest of the outside line are especially dangerous, while the outside shooting of Dorsey and Vezenkov punishes every too-late closing out. Fans who will settle in the stands will have the opportunity to follow from close range the fight for every rebound, physical duels in the paint, and moves that will certainly be replayed in television highlights – and precisely the feeling that you are part of that story is the reason why tickets for such EuroLeague derbies are so sought after.
Fan experience: yellow and red wave, songs and emotions
The atmosphere at Fenerbahce games in the Ülker Sports and Event Hall has been one of the liveliest in the EuroLeague for years, and the arrival of Olympiacos traditionally additionally raises tensions due to the Greek-Turkish sports rivalry. Stands painted in the yellow-blue colors of the hosts are often accompanied by choreographies and songs that start long before the first tip-off, and continue during timeouts, while visiting fans, although numerically in the minority, create a contrast and their own wall of sound with their red-white block. Given the configuration of the hall, the noise descends directly onto the court, so players often point out that the support of fans in key moments literally "pushes" balls into the hoop and gives additional energy in defense. That is exactly why fans who secure their tickets do not buy just a seat, but participation in a collective experience that includes song, cheering, joint celebration of points, and spontaneous creation of stories that will be retold for years. If you are among those who like to feel sport "on the skin", while drums echo, and fans chant players' names in unison, a click on the button below and buying tickets are one of the simplest ways to afford yourself an evening that will surpass even the best TV broadcast.
Perfect opportunity for a basketball city-break and extended weekend in Istanbul
For many EuroLeague lovers, the Fenerbahce and Olympiacos game in Istanbul is an ideal opportunity to combine travel and top basketball, especially because it is played at the beginning of January, when the city has a special winter charm. The combination of visiting historical locations like Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, or the Grand Bazaar with an evening visit to the Ülker Sports and Event Hall offers a rich experience in which the day belongs to sightseeing, and the night to the fight for every point on the floor. Planning such a trip is facilitated by the fact that Istanbul offers a wide range of accommodation options – from boutique hotels in the old city to modern chains near business districts – which can be adjusted to the desired budget and length of stay, wherein accommodation for fans on the match day will be a great starting point for the search. When we add to that gastronomic experiences, from Turkish mezzes to teas and coffee with a view of the Bosphorus, it becomes clear why many fans experience this game as more than a sporting event – as a small winter adventure. Tickets for the duel itself thereby become the central element of the entire travel mosaic: once you secure them and know that on January 6th at 20:45 a place awaits you in Barbaros, the rest of the trip becomes a pleasant arrangement of details around the already safely reserved basketball highlight.
Sources:
- Euroleaguebasketball.net – statistics, standings, schedule, and analysis of EuroLeague 2025/2026 matches
- Wikipedia and specialized basketball portals – history of EuroLeague, Final Four 2017, and successes of Fenerbahce and Olympiacos
- Travel and informative portals (Tripomatic, Sygic Travel, Mir Arena, stadium/arena blogs) – data about Ülker Sports and Event Hall, capacity, and location in Istanbul
- Sports portals (Eurohoops, RealGM, national media) – reports and analyses of the EuroLeague 2025 final in Abu Dhabi and roles of Fenerbahce players
- Visitor reviews and tourist guides – fan experience, impression of atmosphere, and practical information about arrival at Ülker Sports and Event Hall