Sport in Warsaw
Encyclopedia
Warsaw
is home to 2 major professional football
clubs and a number of smaller clubs. Those currently playing in the first division (Pierwsza Liga) are Legia Warszawa
and Polonia Warszawa
.
, obtained from the mayor of Stuttgart
Wolfgang Schuster
a challenge award – a commemorative plaque
awarded to Warsaw as the European capital of Sport in 2008.
The National Stadium
, a planned 56,000 seat football (soccer) stadium
, is currently under construction on the site of Warsaw's recently demolished 10th-Anniversary Stadium. The national stadium is due to host the opening match (a group match), remaining 2 group matches, a quarterfinal, and a semifinal of the UEFA Euro 2012 hosted jointly by Poland and Ukraine
.
There are many sports centres in the city as well. Most of these facilities are swimming pool
s and sports halls, many of them built by the municipality in the past several years. The main indoor venue is Hala Torwar
, used for all kinds of indoor sports (mainly, indoor skating rink). There is also open-air skating rink (Stegny) and the horse racetrack (Służewiec).
The best of the city's swimming centres is at Wodny Park Warszawianka, 4 km south of the centre at Merliniego Street, where there's an Olympic-sized pool as well as water slides and children's areas.
From the Warsovian football teams, the most famous is Legia Warszawa
– the army club with a nationwide following play at Polish Army Stadium
, just southeast of the centre at Łazienkowska Street. Established in 1916, they have won the country’s championship 8 times (most recently in 2006) and won the Polish Cup 14 times. They have never been relegated divisions. In the Champions League season 1995/96 they reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to Panathinaikos Athens.
Their local rivals, Polonia Warsaw, have significantly fewer supporters, yet they managed to win Ekstraklasa Championship in 2000. They also won the country’s championship in 1946, and won the cup twice as well. Polonia's home venue is located at Konwiktorska Street, a ten-minute walk north from the Old Town
.
Like most of Polish sport clubs, those based in Warsaw have also branches that specialize in other disciplines. The following lists the major sport clubs and the discipline the club is famous for:
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
is home to 2 major professional football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
clubs and a number of smaller clubs. Those currently playing in the first division (Pierwsza Liga) are Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...
and Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
.
Overview
On 9 April 2008 the President of Warsaw, Hanna Gronkiewicz-WaltzHanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz
Hanna Beata Gronkiewicz-Waltz is a Polish liberal-conservative politician who has been the Mayor of Warsaw since 2 December 2006. She is the first woman to ever hold this position....
, obtained from the mayor of Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
Wolfgang Schuster
Wolfgang Schuster
Wolfgang Schuster has been the Lord Mayor of Stuttgart, Germany, since January 1997. He is the successor to Manfred Rommel and a member of the CDU.-Studies and early positions:...
a challenge award – a commemorative plaque
Commemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
awarded to Warsaw as the European capital of Sport in 2008.
The National Stadium
National Stadium (Warsaw)
The National Stadium football stadium under construction in Warsaw, Poland, on the site of the former stadium Stadion Dziesięciolecia.The new stadium will have a seating capacity of 58,145. Its construction started in 2008 and is to finish in November 2011...
, a planned 56,000 seat football (soccer) stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
, is currently under construction on the site of Warsaw's recently demolished 10th-Anniversary Stadium. The national stadium is due to host the opening match (a group match), remaining 2 group matches, a quarterfinal, and a semifinal of the UEFA Euro 2012 hosted jointly by Poland and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
There are many sports centres in the city as well. Most of these facilities are swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
s and sports halls, many of them built by the municipality in the past several years. The main indoor venue is Hala Torwar
Torwar Hall
Torwar Hall is an indoor arena in Warsaw, Poland. It opened in 1953, was modernized in 1999, and holds 4,838 people.It is located adjacent to Legia Stadium and is primarily used for popular music concerts, ice hockey and other indoor sports, and it is the home of the hockey team UHKS...
, used for all kinds of indoor sports (mainly, indoor skating rink). There is also open-air skating rink (Stegny) and the horse racetrack (Służewiec).
The best of the city's swimming centres is at Wodny Park Warszawianka, 4 km south of the centre at Merliniego Street, where there's an Olympic-sized pool as well as water slides and children's areas.
From the Warsovian football teams, the most famous is Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...
– the army club with a nationwide following play at Polish Army Stadium
Polish Army Stadium
Marshal Józef Piłsudski Polish Army Stadium is an all-seater football-specific stadium in Warsaw, Poland. It is the home of Legia Warsaw football club, which has been playing there since August 9, 1930. With space for 31,000 spectators it is the 5th biggest football stadium in Ekstraklasa...
, just southeast of the centre at Łazienkowska Street. Established in 1916, they have won the country’s championship 8 times (most recently in 2006) and won the Polish Cup 14 times. They have never been relegated divisions. In the Champions League season 1995/96 they reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to Panathinaikos Athens.
Their local rivals, Polonia Warsaw, have significantly fewer supporters, yet they managed to win Ekstraklasa Championship in 2000. They also won the country’s championship in 1946, and won the cup twice as well. Polonia's home venue is located at Konwiktorska Street, a ten-minute walk north from the Old Town
Warsaw Old Town
Warsaw's Old Town is the oldest historic district of the city. It is bounded by Wybrzeże Gdańskie, along the bank of the Vistula, and by Grodzka, Mostowa and Podwale Streets. It is one of Warsaw's most prominent tourist attractions....
.
Like most of Polish sport clubs, those based in Warsaw have also branches that specialize in other disciplines. The following lists the major sport clubs and the discipline the club is famous for:
Football clubs
- Legia WarszawaLegia WarszawaLegia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...
– men's footballFootball in PolandFootball is the most popular sport in Poland. Over 400,000 Poles play football regularly, with millions more playing occasionally. The first professional clubs were founded in the early 1900s, and the Polish national football team played its first international match in 1921.There are hundreds of...
team (Polish CupPolish CupThe Polish Cup in football or officially Remes Puchar Polski, is an elimination tournament for Polish football clubs, held continuously from 1950, and is the second most important national title in Polish football after the Ekstraklasa title...
titles 12: * 1955, 1956, 1966, 1964, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997; Polish SupercupPolish SuperCupThe Polish SuperCup in football is an annually held match between the champion of the Ekstraklasa and the Polish Cup winner. To this date the Polish SuperCup has been played out 21 times with the Polish Cup winner taking the trophy 13 times, while the Ekstraklasa champions had won the trophy 8 times...
winner 1989, 1994, 1997) - Polonia WarszawaPolonia WarszawaPolonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
– men's footballFootball in PolandFootball is the most popular sport in Poland. Over 400,000 Poles play football regularly, with millions more playing occasionally. The first professional clubs were founded in the early 1900s, and the Polish national football team played its first international match in 1921.There are hundreds of...
team (Polish CupPolish CupThe Polish Cup in football or officially Remes Puchar Polski, is an elimination tournament for Polish football clubs, held continuously from 1950, and is the second most important national title in Polish football after the Ekstraklasa title...
winner: 1952, 2001; Polish SuperCupPolish SuperCupThe Polish SuperCup in football is an annually held match between the champion of the Ekstraklasa and the Polish Cup winner. To this date the Polish SuperCup has been played out 21 times with the Polish Cup winner taking the trophy 13 times, while the Ekstraklasa champions had won the trophy 8 times...
winner: 2000) - Gwardia WarszawaGwardia WarszawaGwardia Warszawa is a Polish football club based in Warsaw, Poland. The club was founded in 1948 and is currently playing in the Polish A klasa . It participated in the Polish 1st League between 1953–1960 , 1962–1966 , 1967–1968, 1969–1975, 1978–1979 and 1981–1983...
– men's footballFootball in PolandFootball is the most popular sport in Poland. Over 400,000 Poles play football regularly, with millions more playing occasionally. The first professional clubs were founded in the early 1900s, and the Polish national football team played its first international match in 1921.There are hundreds of...
team (Polish CupPolish CupThe Polish Cup in football or officially Remes Puchar Polski, is an elimination tournament for Polish football clubs, held continuously from 1950, and is the second most important national title in Polish football after the Ekstraklasa title...
winner 1954) - Hutnik WarszawaHutnik WarszawaHutnik Warszawa, is a Polish professional football club based in the Bielany district of Warsaw, Poland. It was founded on April 21, 1957 as Hutniczy Klub Sportowy and renamed Bielański Klub Sportowy in 2001...
– men's footballFootball in PolandFootball is the most popular sport in Poland. Over 400,000 Poles play football regularly, with millions more playing occasionally. The first professional clubs were founded in the early 1900s, and the Polish national football team played its first international match in 1921.There are hundreds of...
team
Basketball teams
- Polonia Warbud WarszawaPolonia Warbud WarszawaSPEC Polonia Warszawa is a Polish basketball team, based in Warsaw, playing in Dominet Bank Ekstraliga.-Seasons:* 2007/2008** 10th place in Dominet Bank Ekstraliga* 2006/2007** 12th place in Dominet Bank Ekstraliga* 2005/2006...
– men's basketballBasketball in PolandBasketball in Poland.See also* Dominet Bank Ekstraliga – Polish Men Basketball League * Polska Liga Koszykówki Kobiet – Polish Women Basketball League* Polish Cup in men basketball...
team, 3rd in Era Basket Liga in 2003/2004 season. - Legia Warszawa (basketball) – basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team
Volleyball teams
- AZS Politechnika WarszawaAZS Politechnika WarszawaAZS Politechnika Warszawska is a Polish volleyball team, based in Warsaw, playing in Polish Volleyball League .-See also:* Volleyball in Poland* Sports in Poland...
– men's volleyballVolleyball in PolandVolleyball in Poland is a popular team sport. It is the second most popular sport after football. The Men's national team is ranked 5th and the Women's team is ranked 9th in the FIVB World Rankings...
team playing in Polish Volleyball LeaguePolish Volleyball LeagueThe Polish Volleyball League , is the highest level of men's volleyball in Poland, a professional league competition for volleyball clubs located in this country. It is overseen by Profesjonalna Liga Piłki Siatkowej S.A. . It is currently a 10 team league that plays a 18 game schedule from...
(Polska Liga Siatkówki, PLS), 5th place in season 2003/2004.
Handball teams
- WarszawiankaWarszawiankaWarszawianka may refer to:* Warszawianka , Polish patriotic song originally written in French as La Varsovienne in 1831* Warszawianka , Polish revolutionary song originally written in Polish in 1879, popularized in Poland in 1905 and later in other countries* Warszawianka, Masovian Voivodeship, a...
– handballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, swimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native... - AZS AWF Warszawa – handballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
American football
- Warsaw EaglesWarsaw EaglesThe Warsaw Eagles are an American football team in Warsaw, Poland. They play in the Polish American Football League.-History:The team was founded in June 1999 as the first American football team in Poland. In 2006 they won the first final of the Polish American Football League against Pomorze...
- Polish ChampionPolish American Football LeagueThe Polish American Football League or shortly PLFA is a structured system for the american football competitions in Poland founded in 2006 by Polish federation PZFA. Since 2008 season, PLFA is divided into two leagues between which there is promotion and relegation...
(2006, 2008) - Warsaw Spartans
Other
- Legia Warszawa (boxing) – boxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
team - Polonia GSM Warszawa – chessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
team - Warsaw MarathonWarsaw MarathonThe Warsaw Marathon is an annual marathon race, which takes place in the heart of Poland's capital, Warsaw. It's the oldest annual marathon in Poland. It has been held since September 30, 1979...
– annual marathonMarathonThe marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...