Olympiacos and Fenerbahce for the final in Athens
Olympiacos and Fenerbahce Beko enter the EuroLeague semifinal as two teams that have already shown throughout the season why they belong in the final stage. Olympiacos finished the regular season first with a 26-12 record, the best point differential in the league and an 8-2 run in the last 10 games of the regular season. Fenerbahce was fourth with a 24-14 record, but arrives in Athens as the reigning champion and a team that knows how to survive high-pressure games. The stakes are clear: the winner goes to the final on May 24, while the loser ends its campaign because from 2026 the third-place game is no longer played.
This is not just a neutral semifinal. It is played at the OAKA Olympic Hall in Athens, in a city where Olympiacos will have much stronger fan support than in a classic away game on neutral ground. Fenerbahce is used to hot arenas, but a meeting against the Greek giant in Athens requires calm offensive organization, good rebounding control and a cool head in the final five minutes. Tickets for this match are in demand among fans because, in the same evening, home emotion, the European champion and the team that performed most consistently in the regular season all come together.
- Competition: EuroLeague, semifinal of the 2025/2026 season
- Game: Olympiacos vs Fenerbahce Beko
- Date and time: 22.05.2026 at 17:00
- Arena: OAKA Olympic Hall, Athens
- Stakes: qualification for the final on 24.05.2026
How they reached the Final Four
Olympiacos sent the loudest message in the playoffs against AS Monaco. It closed the series 3-0, and BasketNews states that the total margin in that series was 74 points. That is not a detail for statisticians, but a signal for fans: the Greek team did not just advance, it advanced without extending the series, without losing home control and with enough time to prepare for the semifinal. It won the first game of the series 91-70, and in one of the later games it also celebrated a 105-82 away win.
Fenerbahce had a tougher path. Against Zalgiris Kaunas, it had to play the fourth game away and settled it only after overtime, 94-90. That completed the series 3-1. Khem Birch played one of the most important games of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Nicolò Melli and Talen Horton-Tucker were among the players who kept the rhythm in moments when the shot was not flowing smoothly. Such a passage was not easy, but it gave Fenerbahce what Šarūnas Jasikevičius teams often have - the feeling that a game can be won even when the offense is not perfect.
Form and standings before the semifinal
The regular season gives Olympiacos the role of a slight results-based favorite. First place, 26 wins and 12 losses, 3406 points scored and 3144 allowed show that Georgios Bartzokas's team did not depend on only one type of game. It could score a lot, but also bring the opponent below a comfortable rhythm. Fenerbahce finished 24-14, the same record as Real Madrid, but behind it because of ranking criteria. Its point differential was more modest, +53, but the team from Istanbul carries the experience of last year's title into the final stage.
- Olympiacos: 1st place, 38 games, 26 wins, 12 losses
- Olympiacos: 3406 points scored and 3144 points allowed in the regular season
- Fenerbahce Beko: 4th place, 38 games, 24 wins, 14 losses
- Fenerbahce Beko: 3114 points scored and 3061 points allowed in the regular season
- Form in the last 10 regular-season games: Olympiacos 8-2, Fenerbahce 3-7
That difference at the end of the regular season does not mean the semifinal is decided before the jump ball. Fenerbahce showed in the playoffs that it can withstand the pressure of an away arena and long finishes. Olympiacos, on the other hand, showed that it can break an opponent earlier and not allow it to get into the game. That is why the first half is especially important: if Olympiacos catches the energy of the stands and Sasha Vezenkov's early rhythm, Fenerbahce will have to play from behind. If Fenerbahce calms the start, the game can turn into the kind of tactical battle Jasikevičius likes.
Key Olympiacos players
Sasha Vezenkov is Olympiacos's leading name and the player around whom the geometry of the defense changes. His value is not only in points, but in the fact that he constantly searches for space without the ball, punishes late reactions and forces big men to leave their comfort zone. Alongside him, Nikola Milutinov brings rebounding, contact and play around the rim, while Alec Peters stretches the paint and opens additional passing lanes. Tyler Dorsey and Thomas Walkup provide different profiles in the backcourt positions: Dorsey is more dangerous as a streak scorer, Walkup as an organizer and defensive stabilizer.
Bartzokas will pay special attention to the rotation rhythm. Olympiacos has enough bodies for a physical game, but against Fenerbahce it is not enough just to have depth. It is necessary to find the lineup that can, at the same moment, defend the pick-and-roll, close the rebound and not lose ball movement. In a game in which one 8-0 run can tilt the arena, the Olympiacos bench must bring calm, not only energy.
Key Fenerbahce players
Fenerbahce has a different danger profile. Talen Horton-Tucker brings individual strength and the ability to create an advantage by himself when the offense stalls. Khem Birch showed against Zalgiris how much he can mean in a game that demands physical work in the paint: 21 points, 13 rebounds and a 31 performance index in the decisive playoff appearance were no coincidence. Nicolò Melli is important because of his experience, reading of the game and defensive rotations, while Devon Hall and Tarik Biberovic provide width on the perimeter.
Šarūnas Jasikevičius leads a team that does not have to look pretty to be dangerous. Fenerbahce can survive a weaker shooting day if it wins the rebound, if it reduces turnovers and if it turns the game into a series of short, nervous possessions. That is especially important against Olympiacos, which likes to catch rhythm through defense and then use that to fill the arena with fast attacks and open threes.
Tactical framework of the game
The first duel will be the paint. Olympiacos will look for Milutinov and rebounding control, but also constant space creation for Vezenkov. Fenerbahce must decide how much help it will send from the wings and how much risk it may take on the shot. If it closes the paint too much, Olympiacos can get open positions. If it stays too wide, the Greek team can attack the rim and draw fouls.
The second duel is tempo. Olympiacos will want minutes in which the crowd feels pressure on every defensive possession. Fenerbahce will try to slow down, attack targeted mismatch situations and force Olympiacos to play against a set defense. In that scenario, a lot depends on the first line of pressure: how much Fenerbahce's guards will protect the ball, and how much Olympiacos will manage to turn defense into easy points.
- Olympiacos must use its advantage in rhythm and roster depth, especially through Vezenkov and Milutinov's rebounding.
- Fenerbahce must reduce turnovers because every mistake in Athens can trigger a wave from the stands.
- Three-point shooting can change both teams' plans already in the first quarter.
- Fouls by big men will be important because both teams need physical presence in the paint.
- The final five minutes will probably require experience, not only talent.
A head-to-head clash with added weight
Olympiacos and Fenerbahce know each other well from European seasons, and their meetings often have an additional layer because of style. Olympiacos generally builds the game through discipline, defense and patiently searching for the best shot. Fenerbahce under Jasikevičius likes control of details, offense through clear decisions and defense that forces the opponent into uncomfortable positions. In March 2026 they played in the regular season, and the official EuroLeague box score for the Olympiacos - Fenerbahce meeting shows how important the details were in shooting, rebounding and turnovers.
For a fan in the stands, that means the game does not have to be fast all the time to be tense. This is the type of meeting in which every bench reaction, every referee decision and every defensive rebound is heard. If Olympiacos goes on a run of threes, OAKA can become a very difficult place for Fenerbahce. If the Turkish team keeps the game within one or two possessions until the finish, the pressure shifts to the Greek side.
OAKA Olympic Hall and Athens as host
OAKA Olympic Hall, today also known as Telekom Center Athens in the context of the Final Four, is located in Marousi, in the northern part of Athens. EuroLeague listed a capacity of more than 18,000 spectators for the 2026 hosting, and the arena was originally opened in 1995 and is strongly connected with major basketball events. Logistics are also important for the Final Four: this is not a small city arena in a narrow central zone, but a large Olympic complex that requires planned arrival.
For basketball fans, Athens is a city where a game is rarely reduced only to 40 minutes. Cafés around metro stations, fan groups in club colors and dense traffic around major events make arrival part of the experience. For fans traveling from outside Greece, it is worth leaving enough time for the transfer from accommodation to the arena, especially if they are coming from the city center or from the direction of the airport.
- Location: OAKA Olympic Complex, Marousi, Athens
- Capacity for the Final Four: more than 18,000 spectators according to the EuroLeague announcement
- The arena was inaugurated in June 1995.
- The venue is part of a large sports complex, so arrival differs from entering a smaller city arena.
- For visitors, it is most practical to plan arrival by public transport or taxi in advance because of crowds around the event.
Arrival, parking and entrances
For a game of this profile, the most important thing is not to leave at the last moment. OAKA is well known to Athens fans, but the Final Four attracts a large number of guests, journalists and neutral spectators. That means greater pressure around access roads, security checks and entrances to the complex. The exact door-opening time should be checked on game day through organizer and arena information, because at events of this level the entry regime can change according to the security plan.
Parking near the Olympic complex can be limited and slow after the game. For fans who do not know Athens, it is more practical to combine metro, taxi or organized transport from the direction of their accommodation. If arriving by car, they should count on earlier arrival, possible closed access routes and longer waiting on exit. Seats in the stands disappear quickly, but the comfort of arrival disappears just as quickly if the journey to the arena is left for the final hour.
The atmosphere to expect
Olympiacos will have the feeling of proximity to home court in Athens, even though the final tournament is formally being played. The red-and-white fan base will easily fill a large part of the arena, and every good defensive play can sound like a basket. For Fenerbahce, that is a challenge, but not unknown territory. The Turkish club has played games in loud European arenas for years and has a core that knows how to slow down opponents' emotional surges.
A game is expected in which the atmosphere will be built through defense, not only through attractive baskets. A block, a steal, an offensive rebound or a corner three can change the sound of the arena. Fans coming live should expect a high level of control at the entrances, a full arena and an evening in which every detail counts. It is worth securing tickets on time, especially for those who want to sit in sectors closer to fan groups.
What could decide the winner
Olympiacos has a clearer season behind it: a better regular season, a more convincing playoff and the advantage of the host city. Fenerbahce has the title defense, a coach who lives for details and an overtime playoff win that often builds a team's character. If Olympiacos imposes its rhythm, spreads the floor and gets energy from rebounding, Fenerbahce will be under constant pressure. If Fenerbahce reduces the number of possessions, wins the physical battle through Birch and Melli and keeps Vezenkov without easy shots, the game can go into an uncertain finish.
For the neutral spectator, this is a semifinal with a clear basketball contrast: the top team of the regular season against the reigning champion, Greek emotion against Turkish discipline, Vezenkov against Jasikevičius's defensive adjustments. Ticket sales for this game are in progress, and interest is expectedly high because the winner goes directly into the title game.
Sources:
- EuroLeague Basketball - data were used on the 2026 Final Four schedule, Telekom Center Athens arena, capacity of more than 18,000 spectators, abolition of the third-place game, regular-season standings and official team rosters.
- BasketNews - data were used on Olympiacos's playoff series against AS Monaco, the 3-0 passage, total margin in the series, health notes from the first game and Fenerbahce's passage against Zalgiris.
- AS - current reports were used on the outcome of the 2026 Final Four, the Olympiacos - Fenerbahce semifinal pair, Fenerbahce's status as reigning champion and the 94-90 win against Zalgiris after overtime.
- OAKA - data were used on the arena, inauguration in June 1995, structure of the venue and function of the Olympic Hall in the Athens sports complex.
- Eurobasket/RealGM - supplementary information was used on coaches and prominent roster players for the 2025/2026 season.