MAIN SPONSOR Sponsor Sii

Poziom

Tickets Shop

MAIN SPONSOR Sponsor Sii

Poziom

History

GET TO KNOW THE HISTORY OF POLONIA WARSZAWA

Polonia Warszawa is not only the oldest football club in Warsaw but also a sports legend whose history captivates, inspires, surprises, and gives hope for the future. Full of ups and downs, the history of the team created by people with passion shows that the unbreakable fighting spirit of the Black Shirts and the fervent support of fans build the unique character of Polonia Warszawa.

Join the process of Polonia Warszawa’s revival and become a part of the new history of the Black Shirts that we’ll all be proud of!

A HISTORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PASSION

1911

Two gymnasium teams – Stella and Merkury – existing as part of the Warsaw Sports Club join forces and create Polonia (Latin for Poland).

November 1911

Polonia plays its first match with Korona. The meeting takes place at Agrykola and ends with the result of 4:3 for Korona.

Spring 1913

Polonia players play in black outfits for the first time and receive the “Black Shirts” nickname.

October 1915

Tadeusz Gebethner, Marian Strzelecki and Stefan Pronaszko initiate the first founding meeting. Polonia Warszawa is formally transformed into a sports club.

July 1917

Polonia plays its first match with a foreign team – Hungarian Magyar AC.

1921

The Black Shirts win the runner-up title in their first Polish championship game. Polonia dominates the Warsaw group with an impressive goal output – 21 goals scored versus 1 lost.

1923

The team receives land from city authorities to build a pitch near Warszawa Gdańska station.

1923

Polonia achieves a prestigious success by defeating a foreign team for the first time in its history – a strong Hungarian team Vasasok Sport Clubja.

1926

Polonia wins the Warsaw championship for the sixth time. During this time, brothers Stefan and Jan Loth, alongside Artur Marczewski, stand out on the field and are called up for the first-ever international football match for the Polish national team.

September 1928

The stadium of Polonia Warszawa at 6 Konwiktorska Street is officially opened. It remains the Club’s headquarters to this day.

Fall 1928

The team debuts 19-year-old Władysław Szczepaniak, who will become a symbol of the Club in the future.

1931

A Black Shirts player – Jerzy Bułanow – is voted the best Polish footballer by Przegląd Sportowy.

1939

ZPZS recognizes Polonia as the best Polish sports club in 1938.

1939–1945

Due to the war operations, football competitions are organized in a conspiracy – Polonia twice, in 1943 and 1943, wins the title of champion of Warsaw.

August 1944

During the Warsaw Uprising, insurgent units of Battalion Zośka, Battalion Pięść and Battalion Czata 49 lead a strike through the Polonia football field towards the Warszawa Gdańska station. The attack turns out to be unsuccessful.

March 1945

Polonia’s first match in the liberated capital takes place. The meeting with a local rival RKS Okęcie ends with a score of 3:3.

1946

The Black Shirts win the title of Polish champion, beating AKS Chorzów 3:2 in front of 25,000 spectators. Due to war damage at Polonia’s stadium, the match is played at Legia’s facility.

1949

Communist authorities rename Polonia Warszawa as Kolejarz Warszawa and assign it a departmental “sponsor”, PKP, leading to underfunding and marginalization of the Club.

December 1952

The Black Shirts defeat Legia 1:0 in the Polish Cup final. The goal that determines the triumph is scored in the 50th minute of the match by Zdzisław Wesołowski.

August 1956

Polonia travels to Hungary and plays a series of friendly matches against Törekvés Budapest, Szombathelyi Törekvés and Pésci Törekvés.

1957

In response to permission granted by the league authorities, Polonia is the first club in Warsaw and the second in Poland to return to its traditional name.

1964

Despite their relegation to the third division (III liga), Polonia is supported by huge crowds of fans. About 20,000 fans show up for the championship match.

1965

The 50th anniversary of the Club’s official registration is being celebrated. The founders and first athletes gather at Agrykola, while a series of sports events are held at Konwiktorska Street.

1974

Polonia Warszawa returns to the second division (II liga) as the unbeatable favorite with a dozen-point lead.

1975

Fans who are a part of the official Fan Club of the Black Shirts are voted the best cheering fan group in Poland by Przegląd Sportowy.

1981

The Black Shirt are taking part in the King’s Cup. The team is ranked 3rd in the tournament, winning 5 games, drawing 1 and losing 2.

1989

Upon the initiative of Michał Domański – a Polonia fan, businessman and historian – the 1st soccer and basketball teams are transformed into KS Polonia S.A. The transformation leads to a significant improvement in the performance of the Black Shirts.

1993

After nearly 40 years in the second and third divisions (II and III liga), Polonia is promoted to the first division (I liga).

1993

Polonia wins promotion to the Ekstraklasa, but is relegated to the second division (II liga) the following season due to a lack of funding and training facilities.

1996

After a two-year absence, the Black Shirts are back in the first division (I liga) together with Wisła Kraków.

1998

Polonia Warszawa wins the well-deserved title of Polish vice-champion.

1999

The Polonia team secures a place in the semi-finals of the Intertoto Cup.

Fall 1999

The team led by Jerzy Engel and Dariusz Wdowczyk becomes the leader of the Ekstraklasa.

2000

Polonia wins the League Cup and then secures its second-ever Polish championship, beating Legia Warszawa 3:0 at Łazienkowska Street.

July 2000

The Black Shirts win the Polish Super Cup after a 4:2 victory against Amica Wronki.

2001

Despite the Club’s dealing with a financial crisis, the Black Shirts manage to win the Polish Cup.

2002

The KSP Polonia Warszawa company is established, with Jan Raniecki as its chairman. His investments are expected to lead to Polonia receiving a license to play in the Ekstraklasa. In time, he decides to sell the Club.

2006

Polonia is repurchased by a construction and development tycoon J.W. Construction and its owner and founder Józef Wojciechowski.

2008

Thanks to a merge with Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski, next season Polonia begins playing in the Ekstraklasa.

November 2011

In the 13th round of the Ekstraklasa, Polonia hosts a game against Lech Poznan at its own stadium. The victorious meeting is also an opportunity to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary.

April 2012

After a series of setbacks in the 2011/2012 season, Wojciechowski decides to stop sponsoring the Club, which leads to the sale and departure of a group of players representing the colors of Warsaw Polonia so far.

July 2012

Wojciechowski sells 100% of the Club to the GKS Katowice team owner Ireneusz Król, and Piotr Stokowiec becomes the new coach.

2012/2013

Polonia’s players end the fall round in 3rd place and the entire season in 6th place, which is considered a big success.

Spring 2013

Polonia is not granted a license for the coming season 2013/2014.

June 2013

After his fruitless attempt to After a fruitless attempt to submit the team to the first division (I liga), Ireneusz Król files for bankruptcy of Polonia Warszawa S.A.

Summer 2013

The Polish Football Association accedes to the petition of an association formed by a group of Polonia’s most loyal fans, and the Club starts the competition from the fourth division (IV liga).

2013–2020

Since its relegation from the Ekstraklasa, Polonia Warszawa has experienced ups and downs, oscillating between the fourth and second divisions (IV i II liga), and continues to face financial problems.

March 2020

Gregoire Nitot becomes the owner of Polonia Warszawa, and decided to invest in its revival. Prior to the Club’s takeover, a #BonjourGregoire campaign is launched on social media as a reaction to Legia Warszawa fans’ hate towards the new investor. The campaign is supported by Polish nationwide media.

June 2022

Polonia Warszawa, in extremely exciting circumstances, wins promotion to the central level and after 5 years gets out of the third league. Coach Rafał Smalc’s players have beat Legionovia Legionowo at the end of the season, advancing to the leading position.

June 2023

Second promotion in a row! We are just one step from Ekstraklasa. Already in the first season after returning to the central level, our team won promotion to the 1st league. We were on first place in the table, guaranteeing promotion two games before the end of the season.

POLONIA WASZAWA HALL OF FAME

Grzegorz Wojdyga
Player of Polonia from 2006 to 2009 and from 2014 to 2021; despite the difficult situation of the Club, he decided to return and in 2016 won promotion to the second division (II liga) with the team; long-time captain of the Black Shirts who motivated them to fight at every game
Łukasz Piątek
Alumni of Polonia, since the age of 6 associated with the Club; player of Polonia from 2005 to 2013; in 2020 he rejoined the Club to help it fight for a return to greatness; he played more than 250 matches in the colors of the Black Shirts
Piotr Dziewicki
Player of Polonia from 1994 to 2002 and from 2009 to 2010; national championship, League Cup, Polish Super Cup and Polish Cup winner; coach of Polonia from 2013 to 2014
Emmanuel Olisadebe
Player of Polonia from 1997 to 2000; he made his debut in the colors of the Black Shirts in the Ekstraklasa and won the vice-championship (1997) and the national championship (2000); the most successful foreign player in the Club’s history
Wojciech Szymanek
In Polonia since he was 11 years old; played in the Ekstraklasa and European cups; did not leave the Club at a critical moment; returned to Polonia in 2014 after relegation to the fourth division (IV liga); coach of the Team I from 2015 to 2017
Arkadiusz Bąk
Player of Polonia from 1996 to 2002 and from 2002 to 2003; national championship, League Cup, Polish Super Cup and Polish Cup winner; so far, the only Polonia player with the title of top scorer of the Ekstraklasa (14 goals, 1997/1998 season)
Dariusz Wdowczyk
Coach of Polonia Warszawa from 1998 to 2000 and from 2007 to 2008; as the coach of the Black Shirts he led the team to the title of champion of Poland in 2000
Igor Gołaszewski
Player of Polonia from 1995 to 1997 and from 1997 to 2006; champion of Poland; League Cup, Polish Super Cup and Polish Cup winner; coach of Polonia from 2015 to 2017
Jerzy Piekarzewski
Honorary chairman of Polonia; associated with Polonia since 1948
Zdzisław Sosnowski
Player; champion of Poland of 1946; Polish Cup winner of 1952
Kazimierz Górski
An honored trainer and fan of the Black Shirts, who supported the Polonia team for many years regardless of its league level. In the 1968/1968 season he was a member of the Polonia training staff, acting as a coach – consultant. To this day, there is a unique chair with a plaque signed with his name on the VIP stand
Henryk Borucz
Player; champion of Poland of 1946; Polish Cup winner of 1952; played for the Poland national football team
Władysław Szczepaniak
Champion of Poland of 1946; played around 650 matches for Polonia, participant in the Olympic Games
Mieczysław Ałaszewski
The best shooter in Polonia’s history at the highest level of the competition
Jerzy Bułanow
Long-time captain of Polonia and the Polish national team
Jan Loth
Player for the Poland national football team; the only Polish football player to have played in the first national team in both goal and midfield
Tadeusz Gebethner
Co-founder of Polonia; first chairman; player of Polonia from 1915 to 1925
Stefan Loth
Captain and vice-president of Polonia; lieutenant colonel (Polish: podpułkownik) of infantry of the Polish Army
Wacław Gebethner
Co-founder of Polonia; Polish champion in athletics
Kazimierz Sosnkowski
Chairman of Polonia from 1928 to 1939; military general; independence fighter
August Loth
Honorary chairman of Polonia after 1924 (factual chairman since 1921)

MAIN SPONSOR

TECHNICAL PARTNER

OFFICIAL PARTNER

WE WORK WITH

MEDIA PARTNER

ul. Konwiktorska 6
00-206 Warszawa

+48 22 746 92 62

[email protected]

© 2025 Polonia Warszawa sp. z o.o. | All rights reserved

Powered by Sii