Polonia Warsaw

Polonia Warsaw, founded on 19 November 1911, is the oldest existing sports club in Warsaw, the capital of Poland. It is best known for its football and basketball teams, but it also has sections for track and field, swimming, chess, mountain biking, and contract bridge. Over the years, it has included sections for ice hockey, fencing, tennis, volleyball, hazena, cycling, and boxing as well.

Today, the football team plays in the I liga, which is the second level of the Polish football league system. For basketball fans, there are separate sections for the men’s and women’s teams, which can be found under Polonia Warsaw (basketball) and Polonia Warsaw (women's basketball). The club has a long and proud history, making it an important part of Warsaw’s sports culture.

History

20th century

Beginnings

Polonia Warsaw was formed in 1911 from several school teams. Wacław Gebethner, Stefan Pronaszko, and Tadeusz Gebethner helped create the club and chose its name. "Polonia" means "Poland" in Latin and was a brave choice because Poland was not an independent country at the time. The players originally wore black-and-white striped shirts but switched to all black shirts in 1912. Their first match was against Korona on November 19, 1911, ending in a 3-4 loss. In 1915, during World War I, the club was officially registered.

The first match against its rival Legia Warsaw was played in 1917, ending in a 1-1 draw. This began a long rivalry between the two teams.

Interwar period

In 1921, Polonia came second in the first Polish football championship. By the late 1930s, it became a top team in Polish football. The club had many sections, including hockey, athletics, football, fencing, tennis, volleyball, basketball, swimming, hazena, cycling, and boxing. Construction of Polonia's own stadium began in 1925 and finished in 1928. In 1938, it was named the best Polish sports club.

World War II

After World War II began, Poland was divided between Nazi Germany and the USSR. Warsaw was under Nazi control. The German authorities banned Poles from practicing sports, but Polonia continued secretly. Many players joined the resistance against the Nazis. Some died in concentration camps, others were executed, but some survived. The club's stadium was damaged during the war but was rebuilt by the 1950s.

The first Championship, the first Polish Cup, and relegation

See also: 1946 Polish Football Championship and Polish Cup

In 1946, Polonia won the Polish Championship. In 1952, despite changes in the club's name and colors due to political reasons, Polonia won its first Polish Cup. The club returned to its original name in 1956.

Back to the top flight

In the 1992–1993 season, Polonia was promoted to the first division after 40 years. However, it was relegated again after one season but returned in 1995–1996. In 1998, it finished runner-up in the top flight and reached the semi-finals of the Intertoto Cup.

21st century

The second Championship, the second Polish Cup, and another relegation

In the 1999–2000 season, Polonia unexpectedly led the league and won the Polish Championship. They also won a League Cup and the Super Cup. However, in the following seasons, the team struggled and finished near the bottom of the table. In 2006, the club faced financial troubles when a key sponsor died.

Start of the JW era

In 2006, a new owner took over, but the club was relegated. In 2008, Polonia merged with another team and returned to the top division. They finished fourth in the 2008–2009 season and reached the Europa League qualifiers.

100th birthday and end of JW

In 2011, Polonia celebrated its 100th anniversary. However, the club's owner made poor decisions, leading to the departure of many players and the club almost collapsing.

Back from the dead, only to fall with the "King"

On 24 July 2012, a new owner acquired the club, but financial troubles continued. In 2013, Polonia lost its place in the top league and dropped to a lower division.

Another year, another resurrection

In 2013, a group of supporters revived the club. The new team started in a lower league but quickly won promotion.

Jerzy Engel & Co.

In 2015, the club was taken over and began to rebuild. Plans were made to modernise the stadium and return to the top league.

"Bonjour Grégoire"

In 2020, a new owner took over Polonia. Despite challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, the club had ambitious plans to return to the top league by 2029. The women's football section was also restarted in 2021, and the club celebrated its 110th anniversary with various events. The men's basketball team achieved a remarkable undefeated season, and the football team returned to a higher league in 2022. In the 2024/2025 season, the U-17 team won the Polish championship.

Supporters and rivalries

The friendship between Polonia Warsaw and KS Cracovia used to be one of the oldest in Poland, starting in the 1930s. Even though it officially ended in 2017, friendly relations between the clubs and their fans still exist. Polonia fans also have friendships with fans of Sandecja Nowy Sącz and the Ligallo Fondo Norte group of Real Zaragoza. The club's antifa supporters, called "Black Rebels," have links with antifascist supporters of Partizan Minsk and Arsenal Kyiv.

The shirt number 12 is reserved for the club's supporters. Famous fans include Jan Englert, Michał Listkiewicz, Stanisław Tym, Kazimierz Górski, Krzysztof Ibisz, Marek Jurek, Hanna Śleszyńska, Henryk Chmielewski, and others. Author Adam Bahdaj wrote a well-known book about local children playing football, inspired by Polonia's team.

In the 1990s, when some fans in Polish football began causing trouble, some Polonia fans formed an antifascist movement called "Polonia Fans Against Fascism." Later, they became known as "Black Rebels." In 2013, they faced attacks from far-right fans of another club, but received support from fans across Europe.

In 2004, Polonia fans adopted a black jaguar named Beata from the Warsaw Zoo, renaming her Beata Konwiktorska VI. She became a symbol for the club and its fans. Beata lived at the zoo with her partner and had several cubs and grand-cubs. She was chosen as the most beautiful cat at the zoo in 2019 but passed away in 2020 at the age of 16.

The main rival of Polonia Warsaw is Legia Warsaw, and they play in what is called the Warsaw derby. For many years, both teams played in the top division. After Polonia was moved down in 2013, they played against Legia Warsaw II as a substitute for these matches.

Honours

Domestic

Polonia Warsaw has won many important titles in Polish football. They have been champions of the top league, called the Ekstraklasa, and have also won the Polish Cup and the Polish Super Cup.

Youth teams

The club's youth teams have also achieved success, winning and placing high in the Polish U19 Championship and the Polish U17 Championship.

Polonia in European Cups

Managers (1992–present)

The list shows the managers who have led Polonia Warsaw from 1992 to today. Each name includes the country they come from and the time they managed the team.

Players

For a list of all former and current Polonia Warsaw players with a Wikipedia article, see Category:Polonia Warsaw players.

As of 13 February 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Internationally capped players