The Greek Community Cup (organised by the Greek Community of Melbourne) commenced in a splendid manner Friday night at the home of Aris Springvale.

The strong crowd that followed the opening 2 matches would have thought they were in a town in Greece. Bill Papastergiadis expressed his pride on how the event was managed. He stated “With the blaring Greek music of artists like Kazantzidis, through to the nourishing souvlaki, the Hellenic beers along with the Greek language dominating the stands, the evening symbolised an important part of the historic cultural impact of Hellenism on sports in Australia. Football played a critical role in how our community came together and our organisation is a proud custodian of this tradition through this tournament. Many thanks go to Jorge Menidis, Michael Karamitos, Michael Profiris, Rolando and Jim Simos of the Aris Springvale Football Club for this year’s event”.

On the first night Port Melbourne Hellas defeated Heidelberg 3 goals to 2. In the other match, Bentleigh Greens won 4 nil against Keon Park.

Jim Simos, President of Aris Springvale noted ”As a proud member of the Greek/Australian Community, nothing makes me happier than seeing the Greek Community come together to enjoy this great sport. To see a dozen clubs from all levels compete for this year’s Greek Community of Melbourne competition shows the impact that the Greek Community has had on this sport, and with Victorian Football in general. As someone who grew up watching the Hellenic Cup, it fills me with immense joy, that Aris Springvale have been chosen to host this event. We promise everyone that comes down, will have a great experience and this will hopefully be the catalyst for the Greek Community of Melbourne to grow from strength to strength.”

George Katsakis after his win against Keon Park said “It’s great to see the traditional Hellenic cup reinvented. As a community it symbolizes our strength in Victorian football. The club and I feel proud to be competing in this tournament and gives us an avenue to further develop our youth, in particular those of Greek heritage with an understanding the significance to be competitive like true Greek warriors. We will be taking every measure to field the strongest possible team, giving us every opportunity to win as many games as possible. Our appreciation for putting this event together goes to the Greek Community of Melbourne and in particular Michael Karamitos”.

Full fixtures, scores, and updates can be found at: www.greekcup.com.au

The Greek Community Cup is brought to you by the Greek Community of Melbourne in association with Australian Football School. The 2025 Senior Men’s Program is hosted by South Springvale Aris and supported by LV Furniture, Accountancy Group, and Active Orthopaedic Center.

Friday, 10 January: First Round Kick-Off
7:30 PM | Port Melbourne Sharks vs. Heidelberg United
The Port Melbourne Sharks make their Cup debut in a blockbuster matchup against longtime rivals Heidelberg United.

7:30 PM | Keon Park vs. Bentleigh Greens
The ambitious Keon Park FC will take on NPL heavyweights Bentleigh Greens in their Cup debut.

Saturday, 11 January
5:00 PM | East Kew FC vs. Oakleigh Cannons
The energetic East Kew FC takes on NPL powerhouse Oakleigh Cannons.

5:00 PM | Malvern City FC vs. South Springvale FC
Tournament hosts South Springvale FC face off against ambitious rivals Malvern City FC in the final game of a blockbuster opening weekend.

For competition details, full fixture and results check out www.greekcup.com.au

Presented by the Greek Community of Melbourne in Association with Australian Football Schools and supported by LV FURNITURE, ACCOUNTANCY GROUP and ACTIVE ORTHOPAEDIC CENTER

ABOUT THE GREEK COMMUNITY CUP
The Greek Community Cup is more than just football—it’s about bringing people together to enjoy the game, connect with each other, and support local clubs for whom football is the great connector with heritage and culture. Greeks have played a significant part in football in this state and country and football has been an important cultural conduit for Australian Greeks.

ABOUT THE GREEK COMMUNITY OF MELBOURNE
The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) is a community organisation founded in 1897. It represents the large and vibrant Greek community in Victoria presenting education programs to over 2000 students, cultural programs that include the landmark Antipodes Festival and conducts advocacy across a broad range of issues.

For more information about the GCM go to www.greekcommunity.com.au

FURTHER ENQUIRIES
Call on +61 3 9662 2722 or
Email: [email protected]