PAOK will host Cretan side OFI in a repeat of last season's Greek Cup final after the draw for the League Phase of the Superbet Greek Cup produced a string of notable pairings. The fixture opens the competition's opening round, the first matchday, which runs from September 1 to 3.
PAOK will also host AEK and Panathinaikos will host Aris on matchday four, scheduled for October 27 to 29. On matchday five, set for December 2, Olympiacos will host Panathinaikos at the Karaiskaki Stadium in Piraeus, in a fixture known in Greece as the derby of the eternal rivals, one of the fiercest rivalries in Greek football.
Other pairings and a pending objection
The League Phase also pits Marko against Olympiacos on matchday four. Forward Youssef El-Arabi, formerly of Olympiacos, is set to face his old club while playing for Marko, according to the draw.
Separately, an objection remains unresolved from an earlier round. Lower-league side Asteras AKTOR has challenged the validity of its match against Levadiakos over the possible irregular participation of a Levadiakos player, with a ruling from the Hellenic Football Federation's Disciplinary Committee still pending.
The Superbet Greek Cup is Greece's main domestic knockout competition, running alongside the Super League season. Its League Phase draws together clubs from across the top divisions before a playoff round and a knockout stage of quarterfinals, semifinals and a final.
Full League Phase schedule
Matchday 1, September 1-3:
- AEL - Olympiacos
- Panathinaikos - Niki Volou
- Panserraikos - Atromitos
- Volos - Kalamata
- PAOK - OFI
- Marko - Kifisia
- Nestos Chrysoupolis - AEK
Matchday 2, September 8-10:
- AEK - Panserraikos
- Levadiakos - Aris
- Olympiacos - Volos
- OFI - Nestos Chrysoupolis
Matchday 3, September 15-17:
- Aris - Marko
- Kalamata - AEL
- Kifisia - Panathinaikos
- Atromitos - PAOK
- Niki Volou - Levadiakos
Matchday 4, October 27-29:
- Levadiakos - Kifisia
- Panathinaikos - Aris
- PAOK - AEK
- AEL - OFI
- Volos - Atromitos
- Marko - Olympiacos
- Nestos Chrysoupolis - Kalamata
- Panserraikos - Niki Volou
Matchday 5, December 2, with all matches kicking off at the same time:
- AEK - Levadiakos
- Aris - Panserraikos
- Atromitos - Nestos Chrysoupolis
- Kalamata - PAOK
- Kifisia - AEL
- Niki Volou - Marko
- Olympiacos - Panathinaikos
- OFI - Volos
Playoffs and knockout rounds
Teams finishing between fifth and twelfth place in the League Phase will contest a playoff round on December 22-23 for the remaining places in the knockout stage.
The quarterfinals are set for January 12, 13 and 14. The semifinals will be played over two legs, with the first legs on February 2, 3 and 4 and the second legs on February 9, 10 and 11. The final is scheduled for May 22.
