Populous designs PAOK's new stadium: an urban icon in the heart of Thessaloniki.

PAOK FC has announced plans for its new stadium: a Populous-designed facility that aims to redefine the sporting experience in Greece. Located in Thessaloniki, it will rise on the ashes of the legendary Toumba, paying homage to its memory while looking to the future. Scheduled to open in the coming years, it represents the most ambitious infrastructure project in the club's history.

The new PAOK stadium

Born from the collaboration between the international studio Populous and the Greek company SALFO , the new PAOK stadium, like all the projects of the Anglo-Italian studio, will be much more than a football arena.

The project aims to merge sport, city, and community, positioning itself as an urban and cultural landmark. At the heart of the project is a cutting-edge architecture inspired by the "eagle's embrace," the club's symbol, conveying movement and strength through dynamic lines and open forms, in dialogue with the urban context.

The design includes an impressive PAOK Plaza that will house a museum, official store, and retail spaces, as well as a ring of plazas and multi-level pedestrian walkways created by filling in Kleanthous Street. The facility will be nestled within an urban green corridor, with parks and social areas, fully integrating the stadium into the city's daily life.

The stands between cheering and free time

Particular attention was paid to the grandstand and the stadium atmosphere, a hallmark of Populous projects. The internal configuration features a single, compact wall of fans, with stands close to the pitch and stacked levels to maximize acoustics. This strategy has already been successfully tested in stadiums like the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the 17,000-seat single-tier stand has become a symbol of intensity and immersion.

At PAOK's new stadium, the North Kop Stand will be the beating heart of the crowd, a contemporary version of the historic Gate 4, designed to enhance the visual and aural power of the fans. Meanwhile, the West Stand will house all the premium services: skyboxes, lounges, hospitality and media areas, in a configuration that concentrates the commercial offering while maintaining the cohesion of the stands and proximity to the pitch. A balance between popular passion and economic sustainability, already seen in the Etihad Stadium Expansion project and the Como Stadium .

This “fan-first” design aims to transform every match into a total experience, but also to guarantee functionality and daily livability , making the facility active 365 days a year.

The words of the architects

The project for the new stadium directly involved the global Populous team, with the aim of giving PAOK and the city of Thessaloniki a facility that combines soul and function.

said Barbara Vasilatou, Associate Principal at Populous, said:

“Designing PAOK's new stadium was an intense journey, an immersion in the emotional landscape of Toumba and the vibrant life of Thessaloniki. We wanted to honor the club's history by creating a civic and identity-building space.”

Declan Sharkey , Global Director of Populous, added:

“For us, the goal always transcends the architecture. This project speaks of pride, belonging, and passion: a new standard for stadiums in Greece.”

Populous, between stadiums and cities

The new PAOK stadium adds to the growing European portfolio of Populous , a global leader in sports architecture. The studio recently designed the King Salman Stadium in Riyadh, the new Sinigaglia stadium for Como 1907, and the Wrexham AFC stadium project, as well as the futuristic Casablanca Arena in Morocco.

With Thessaloniki, Populous strengthens its presence in the Mediterranean, bringing its vision to Greece: creating stadiums that are immersive experiences , but also living places for communities, 365 days a year.