Greece to swap Athens for Crete

Limited support for the Greek National Team from Athenians in recent matches has forced the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) to abandon Athens for Greece’s World Cup Qualifier with Israel on April 1^st, 2009.

While the EPO had originally planned to schedule Greece’s final two qualifying fixtures in Crete, the lack of support shown in Greece’s last home qualifier against Switzerland and most recent encounter with World Champions Italy has forced Greece’s governing body to intervene.

While Greece’s first action of the New Year, a friendly against Denmark in February, was relocated from its original location of Olympiacos’ Giorgos Karaisakis Stadium to Panthessaliko Stadium in Volos, the ‘Galanoleuki’s’ first competitive home encounter also follows the path of relocation from Piraeus to the Pangkritio Stadium in Heraklion.

While the latter half of Greece’s back-to-back set of fixtures against Israel has now been settled, the EPO also has intentions of the possible relocation of Greece’s first fixture against Israel as violence in Gaza continues. Currently the fixture is scheduled in Ramat Gan, a mere 45 miles away from the Gaza Strip.

It is expected the EPO will contact FIFA through an appeal to reschedule, or more likely relocate the fixture to a less conflicted location.