Ilisiakos F.C.
Ilisiakos Football Club is an Athens-based football club that was founded in 1927 by Michalis Xydis, Lambropoulos, Evgenopoulos, Nikolaos Plessas, et al.. They played in Delta Ethiniki until 2003. Ilisiakos spent the majority of its later history in the Greek second division; however, the footballing arm of the club merged with Egaleo F.C. in August 2009 and was renamed as Egaleo. This merger was cancelled by Greek courts.
Ilysiakos has participated 17 times in the Beta Ethniki, but has never competed in the Alpha Ethniki. In the Greek Cup, the club has reached as far as the quarter-finals. Ilysiakos has won the Athens FCA Championship six times and the Athens FCA Cup twice. Additionally, the club won the Delta Ethniki championship in 2003.
In July 2020, following the team’s relegation to the local leagues, a committee was established to save the football department, with the goal of returning to the national divisions.
In the 2022–23 season, Ilysiakos finished in 1st place in the 3rd Group of the Athens Football Clubs Association Championship and was subsequently crowned overall champion of E.P.S. Athens. In the special promotion championship, which involved the champion teams of the regional associations, Ilysiakos again finished in 1st place, securing the top privileged spot that leads to the Gamma Ethniki, achieving three consecutive first-place finishes in three different championships.
The following year, in the Gamma Ethniki Championship, in a group featuring historic teams, Ilysiakos achieved its goal of swift survival, even finishing among the top five in the standings.
In the 2024–2025 season, although it initially appeared in the first half that the team would compete for promotion, it ultimately collapsed in the second half and secured its survival only in the final matches.
For the 2025–2026 season, Ilysiakos A.O. is participating in the Gamma Ethniki of Greek football, competing in Group 6.
General Info
Ilisiakos is one of the oldest known sports clubs in Greece. It was founded in the last century, in 1927, with registration number in the HFF No. 15.Prior to the founding of Ilisiakos, Dafni Ilisia pre-existed in 1924, as an independent association which competed in an open space, located east of the Hilton Hotel, between Hatzigianni Mexi, Iridanou and Vasilissis Sofias streets.
In this team, which was the leaven for the establishment of Ilisiakos, Spyros Kollimenos played as a goalkeeper, Thanassis Kavouras, Lefteris Nautis, Athanasios Portelanos and others, who then formed the core of the newly formed team of El.
So in 1927 Ilisiakos was born, by some romantic and dreamy young people of that time with only a part of football, initially included in the Third Athens EPSA, of which he was also Founding member, playing in various stadiums such as the Panhellenic, the Gymnastics Academy in Daphne and Panathinaikos.
Michalis Xydis, a well-known climber and pioneer of the association's founding, is said to have been the godfather of the name "Ilisiakos".
Rumors have it that the name was given by its founder, in honor of the "Elysian Fields", the place where the brave went when they fell in battle.. According to official data, Elysiakos was based in the Coupons and not the Ilisia, since the borders of the Coupons were the Ilisos River and covered the fans of a wider area of Athens and not only a certain district.
The original emblem for the club was the footballer in action, to be soon replaced by a laurel-crowned Ita, which has since been established and remains unchanged to this day. The spelling of the word Elysiakos at that time was written in two sigmas, "Ilisiakos", with colors yellow and black.
The first stadium, where they played until 1951, was located in Ilisia, east of the Ilissos River, between Alkmanos, Potamianou and Antimachou streets, where the Crowne Plaza Hotel is now located. They played in this stadium until 1951, participating in the local championships of EPSA.
Historic achievements:
The football section has recorded historic achievements, including a nationwide record of zero goals conceded at home during the 1973–74 season. The club has also competed in the second tier of Greek football, holding notable attendance records, such as 21,343 tickets sold at matches in Leoforos Alexandras Stadium.
Culture and Values:
Ilysiakos is recognized not only for its sporting achievements but also for its emphasis on sportsmanship, respect for opponents, and community engagement. The club has been historically supported by the local community of Zografou and maintains a reputation as a club that values integrity, fair play, and the development of young athletes.
Future Aspirations:
The club is approaching a remarkable milestone, celebrating nearly 100 years of history, tradition, and community impact.
With a strong local foundation, Ilysiakos continues to pursue growth, aiming to compete at higher levels in Greek and European competitions. Inspired by small clubs abroad that have achieved extraordinary success, the club seeks to combine strategic planning, investment in youth talent, and infrastructure development to reach new heights in all its sporting departments.