Tonight (21:00, ERT), Greece’s national basketball team plays its biggest game of the last 20 years, facing Turkey in the EuroBasket 2025 semifinals, chasing a spot in the title match that would also “secure” a medal after 16 years.

Right after Greece’s big win against Lithuania on Tuesday, thousands of people looked for ways to stand by Vassilis Spanoulis’ team in Riga, Latvia, ahead of today’s clash with Turkey. Flights were added, tickets vanished, and from early Friday morning many began their journey to Riga.

Greek flags, banners, hope, and optimism: Thessaloniki’s “Macedonia” airport departures hall was painted blue and white by the 189 Greek fans heading to support the National Team in the crucial semifinal against Ergin Ataman’s squad.

EuroBasket: “Macedonia” Airport flooded with fans leaving for Riga

Coming from cities across Thessaly and Macedonia, most of them members of the well-known “Pelicans” fan group, the supporters arrived at the airport at dawn to go through security, before departing at 8:00 on a charter flight bound for the Latvian capital.

Likewise, hundreds of Greek fans left Athens on Friday morning from “Eleftherios Venizelos” Airport. In fact, a video from inside the plane shows the excitement couldn’t be contained, with chants and general uproar dominating the atmosphere as people look forward to tonight’s game.

Watch video from inside the plane:

@panosdimopoulos26 #pameelladara ♬ πρωτότυπος ήχος – Panos Dimopoulos263

About 1,000 Greek fans will be at the Riga Arena tonight. Two charter flights had already been arranged, while many others chose to travel independently, organizing their trip to Latvia even with layovers.

@kalliopikonst Ερχόμαστε για ενισχύσεις 💙🇬🇷 @AEGEAN @HellenicBasketballFederation #hellas #fyp #fy #fypviralシ #eurobasket ♬ πρωτότυπος ήχος – Kalliopi Konstantopoulou