PAOK Saloniki

PAOK of Thessaloniki (PAOK de Salónica) is the Latinised transliteration of the professional football section of Panthessaloníkeios Athlitikós Ómilos Konstantinoupolitón (in Greek, Πανθεσσαλονίκειος Αθλητικός Όμιλος Κωνσταντινοπυολιτών; literally translated as Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans), a multi-sports entity located in the city of Salonica/Thessaloniki, Greece. Like all professional sports clubs in the country, it must prefix its name with a reference to its sporting and fiscal activity using the initials Π. Α. Ε. (in Greek, Ποδοσφαιρικές Ανώνυμη Εταιρεία; transliterated Podosfairikés Anónymi Etaireía; literally translated as Football Public Limited Company), although the club's clear and varied references mean that the Π. Α. Ε. designation is not necessary in PAOK, or rendered literally as a whole as Football Public Limited Company PAOK, in its popular name, even though it does use a similar, translated one for legal purposes and to distinguish it from the general entity, PAOK Football Club, under its corporate name. (Hereafter it will be referred to only by its transliterations.)

Called PAOK F. C., or more recognisable under its simple transliterated forms PAOK of Salonica/Thessaloniki or simply PAOK, it was founded on 20 April 1926 as a section within a multi-sports entity. The name was given by its founders, citizens of Greek origin expelled from Turkey in the early 1920s from the former city of Constantinople, today Istanbul.

Together with Panathinaïkós and Olympiakós it belongs to the trio of the only teams that have never been relegated from the top tier. Because of this record and its titles it is one of the main football teams in the country, and one of its main producers of footballers. It has taken part in every edition of the National Category "A" championship since its creation in 1927 and has won those of 1976, 1985, 2019 and 2024, known since 2006 as Σούπερ Λίγκα (Super League; Superliga). It also has eight Greek Cups (1972, 1974, 2001, 2003, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021) and achieved the double in the 2018-19 season. It has also achieved several successes and memorable victories in European competitions.

It plays its home matches at the Gípedo Toúmpas (or Stádio PAOK), known as "the black abyss" because of the team's colours and the hostile atmosphere created by its passionate supporters in Toumba (translated, "tumulus"), and one of the reasons why the team is internationally renowned.

Also notable is its rivalry with Athlitikós Sýllogos Áris (or Aris of Salonica), its local rival in the "Thessaloniki/Salonica derby", and its rivalry with Olympiakos, which is described as the most intense inter-city rivalry in the country.