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Story: Greeks – the Hellenic community

The Olympic Football Club, Wellington, 1963

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The Olympic Football Club, Wellington, 1963

A lack of recreational opportunities for Greek youth led Greek Orthodox priest Father Ilias Economou to establish the Olympic Football Club (originally called the Christian Youth Football Club) in 1958. The team, which gradually built a formidable reputation, later included non-Greek players.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington and Suburbs Collection (PAColl 4924)

Reference: 1/2-1772931; F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Greeks – the Hellenic community – Settlement, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/149/the-olympic-football-club-wellington-1963 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 August 2024.