Poland Ekstraklasa

• 1927–1948: Liga
• 1949–2004: I liga
• 2004: Idea Ekstraklasa
• 2005–2009: Orange Ekstraklasa
• 2011–2015: T-Mobile Ekstraklasa
• 2016–2018: Lotto Ekstraklasa
• 2019–: PKO Bank Polski Ekstraklasa

On 4–5 December 1926 in Warsaw, representatives from several Polish clubs met to discuss the creation of a league. It is unknown where the idea of a Polish league originated from, however a national league was thought to be a much more practical solution than hitherto practiced two-stage system of regional matches followed by a national match.

To the dismay of clubs' officials, the PZPN was not receptive to the idea of a national league and therefore sought to thwart it. However, it turned out that virtually all but one of the Polish clubs supported the idea. The decision to create it was made regardless what PZPN's representatives thought of it. In late February 1927, at the PZPN's meeting in Warsaw, its officials openly opposed the formation of a league, but the clubs, allegedly egged on by some generals from the Polish Army (which, after May Coup of 1926, played a key role in all aspects of public life), proceeded anyway. The creation of the League was announced on 1 March 1927.

The only opponent of the league's formation was Cracovia – a very influential and strong organization in Polish football of the 1920s. Cracovia's boycott was because its chairman, Dr. Edward Cetnarowski, at the same time held the post of the director of the PZPN. Cetnarowski was a personality known not only in Poland, but also in other countries. It was due to his efforts that in September 1923, Cracovia toured Spain, drawing 1–1 with Barcelona and losing 0–1 to Real Madrid. In October, also thanks to Cetnarowski, Sevilla travelled to Kraków, losing 2–3 to Cracovia.

Games of the first league championships started on 3 April 1927. All major teams (except for Cracovia) took part in it. This is the list of the teams (in the order they finished in November 1927):

In this first season of the league, fight for championship was decided between two powerful teams – Wisła Kraków and 1.FC Katowice. This rivalry was treated very seriously, not only by the two sides involved, but also by the whole nation. 1.FC was regarded as the team supported by German minority, while Wisła, at the end of this historic season, represented ambitions of all Poles.

Some time in the fall of 1927 in Katowice, an ill-fated game between 1.FC and Wisła took place. Stakes were very high – the winner would become the champion. Kraków's side won 2–0 and became the champion. 1.FC finished second, third was Warta Poznań.

In 1928, Cracovia finally decided to enter the league, which was gladly accepted by all fans of football. However, championships were once again won by Wisła, with such excellent players as Henryk Reyman, Mieczysław Balcer and Jan Kotlarczyk. Warta Poznań was second and Legia Warsaw third. This was also the last year of 1.FC's glory. The team finished fifth, to be relegated forever at the end of 1929 season.

In 1929, another team (after Cracovia, Pogoń Lwów and Wisła) was added to the list of champions of Poland. This time it was Warta Poznań, which finished one point ahead of Garbarnia Kraków.

However, after the last game, on 1 December 1929, it was Garbarnia Kraków that was celebrating the championship. Two weeks later, in mid-December, PZPN's officials changed the result of the Warta – Klub Turystow Łódź game. Originally, Warta lost 1–2, but due to walkover (it was decided that one of Łódź's players did not have all necessary documents), this was changed to 3–0 in favor of Poznań's side. As a result of the decision, Warta (with 33 points) became the champion, Garbarnia finished second with 32 points and Klub Turystow was relegated.

In 1930, Cracovia regained the championship, (to repeat this success in 1932) and a year later another Kraków's side, Garbarnia, won the league. It is clear that the 1927–1932 period was marked by dominance of teams from Kraków. During this time, only once (Warta Poznań, 1929) the championship was won by a side from a different city. The 1931 champion, Garbarnia, was unique as this was the first time that the league had been won by a side whose all players had been bought from other teams.

As has been said, the early 1930s marked a decline of the dominance of Kraków and Lwów as centers of Polish football. The point of gravity slowly moved towards west – to Upper Silesia. In 1932 the champion was Cracovia, but starting in 1933, Ruch Chorzów (then: Ruch Wielkie Hajduki) completely dominated the league, being the champion for four times in a row.

Ruch, with such excellent players as Teodor Peterek, Ernest Wilimowski and Gerard Wodarz was by far the best team in those years. For example, in 1934 it finished seven points ahead of second Cracovia. Other important teams of these years were: Cracovia, Wisła Kraków, Pogoń Lwów and Warta Poznań.

In 1933 and 1934 there were 12 teams in the League. In 1935 this number was cut to 11 and in 1936 – to 10. Football officials did it on purpose – with fewer teams, the competition was supposed to be harder, which would attract fans to the stadiums. However, supporters' turnout was not impressive, with Ruch Chorzów as the most popular team, both at home and away.

In late 1935 (the league held its games in the spring-summer-fall system) fans were shocked to find that Cracovia, the legend of this sport, was relegated to the A-class. Kraków's side absence lasted for a year – it returned in 1937, to become the champion.

Ruch Chorzów was still the dominant team, winning the Championships in 1936 and 1938. In 1937 Ruch's streak of four consecutive champions was broken by Cracovia, and in 1939 the championships were not finished. By 31 August 1939, after some 12 games, Ruch was the leader of the 10-team League. Last games of this summer occurred on 20 August. Then, a break was planned, because the National Team was going to play a few international friendlies. Games were to be re-introduced on 10 September.

This is the list of the ten teams that participated in last, historic games for championships of interwar Poland. Teams are presented according to their position on the table, as of 31 August 1939:

1. Ruch Chorzów
2. Wisła Kraków
3. Pogoń Lwów
4. AKS Chorzów
5. Warta Poznań
6. Cracovia
7. Polonia Warsaw
8. Garbarnia Kraków
9. Warszawianka Warsaw
10. Union Touring Łódź

As a result of the Second World War, the borders of Poland changed significantly. Lwów, one of the centers of Polish football (with such teams as Pogoń Lwów, Czarni Lwów and Lechia Lwów) was annexed by Soviet Union and all these teams ceased to exist. Lwów's football officials and players moved westwards, creating such clubs as Odra Opole and Pogoń Szczecin, and reviving Polonia Bytom (see: Recovered Territories). Another important center, Wilno (with the team Śmigły Wilno), was also annexed by the Soviets (see: Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union). In exchange, Poland gained a large swath of formerly German territory in particular in Silesia (which also formed part of Poland centuries prior), with its capital Wrocław (home of double champion Śląsk Wrocław) and cities such as Zabrze (home of 14-times champion Górnik Zabrze), Bytom (home of champions Polonia Bytom and Szombierki Bytom) and Lubin (home of double champion Zagłębie Lubin).

The two first post-war Championships, in 1946 and 1947, were played in a non-league formula, won by Polonia Warsaw and Warta Poznań, respectively. In 1948, the league was revamped with 14 teams, however, from 1949 the number of teams was reduced again to 12. In 1948 and 1949, the championship was decided between the Kraków clubs Cracovia and Wisła Kraków. At the time, the league consisted mostly of clubs already playing in the league before the war, but there were also debutants, of which, however, only Lech Poznań achieved good results, finishing 6th and 3rd, others finished 10th and lower.

Throughout these years, the league format remained relatively stable, with the same number of teams participating each season. The early 1950s were marked by the dominance of Wisła Kraków and Ruch Chorzów, however, new contenders soon emerged with Polonia Bytom, Legia Warsaw, Górnik Zabrze and ŁKS Łódź all winning their first championships that decade. A number of teams made their debut in the league in the 1950s, including from cities previously unrepresented in the top league, i.e. Radlin, Szczecin, Opole, Bydgoszcz, Sosnowiec and Zabrze. Górnik Radlin, Wawel Kraków, Gwardia Warsaw and Zagłębie Sosnowiec managed to occasionally join the competition for the top spots, and since 1957, Górnik Zabrze emerged as the dominant force.

Overall, the 1950s marked a period of consolidation and growth for the Ekstraklasa. It experienced a stable format and saw some clubs begin to assert their dominance. This era laid the groundwork for further developments and successes in the coming decades.

Since 1961, the league was expanded to 14 teams. As of 1962, the league began to hold its games in the fall-spring system (1962 season was limited to the spring only, and the fall saw the start of 1963 championship).

The decade was dominated by clubs from the Katowice urban area, especially Górnik Zabrze, which won six championships, including the record five consecutive titles in the 1962–63 to 1966–67 seasons, with Ruch Chorzów and Polonia Bytom also winning further championship titles, and Zagłębie Sosnowiec and Szombierki Bytom finishing in the top three. Only clubs from outside the Katowice urban area to finish in the top three were Odra Opole in 1963–64, Wisła Kraków in 1965–66, and Legia Warsaw in 1960, 1961 and 1967–68, before it reclaimed the title in 1968–69 and 1969–70. Clubs from large cities outside the Katowice urban area rarely even cracked the top half of the league. The decade was marked by competitive football and showcased the emergence of new talents in the Polish football landscape.

The 1970s were a significant period in the history of the Ekstraklasa. During this decade, Polish football experienced both domestic and international success, with several teams and players leaving their mark on the league. In the early 1970s, Ruch Chorzów and Górnik Zabrze were dominant forces in the Ekstraklasa. Górnik secured back-to-back championships in the 1970–71 and 1971–72, and Ruch Chorzów in the 1973–74 and 1974-75 seasons. The mid-1970s saw the emergence of new strong contenders, Stal Mielec, Śląsk Wrocław, Wisła Kraków and Widzew Łódź. Stal and Śląsk clinched their first league titles in the 1972–73 and 1976–77 seasons, respectively, breaking the monopoly of Ruch Chorzów and Górnik Zabrze. Śląsk Wrocław's and Widzew Łódź's success signaled a shift in the balance of power within the league.

The growth of Polish clubs and exceptional new talents was reflected in results in UEFA competitions. Górnik Zabrze reached the final and quarterfinals of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1969–70 and 1970–71, respectively, losing both to Manchester City. Legia Warsaw reached the semifinals and quarterfinals of the European Cup (predecessor of the UEFA Champions League) in 1969–70 and 1970–71, losing to Feyenoord and Atlético Madrid, respectively. Ruch Chorzów reached the quarterfinals of the 1973–74 UEFA Cup and 1974–75 European Cup, losing to Feyenoord and AS Saint-Étienne. On the international stage, Polish football gained global recognition with the national team's success in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Several players from Ekstraklasa clubs were key contributors to the national team's historic third-place finish, further enhancing the league's reputation. In summary, the 1970s were a dynamic and competitive era in the history of the Ekstraklasa. The decade witnessed the continued success of established clubs like Górnik Zabrze and Ruch Chorzów, the rise of new contenders. Additionally, the international achievements of the Polish national team added to the prestige of the Ekstraklasa during this period.

The 1980s were a tumultuous and challenging period for the Ekstraklasa. The decade was marked by political unrest, economic difficulties, and a decline in the overall performance of Polish football on both domestic and international fronts. One of the defining moments of the 1980s was the imposition of martial law in Poland in 1981. This had a profound impact on the country's football landscape, disrupting the regular functioning of the Ekstraklasa and leading to the suspension of the league for a brief period. Amidst the political turmoil, certain football clubs managed to assert their dominance in the league. Widzew Łódź continued their success from the late 1970s into the early 1980s, clinching Ekstraklasa titles in the 1980–81 and 1981-82 seasons. Their consistency during this period showcased their resilience in challenging circumstances. Górnik Zabrze and Legia Warsaw remained competitive but faced increased challenges, both domestically and in European competitions. The economic difficulties in Poland had an impact on the financial stability of football clubs, affecting their ability to attract and retain top talent. The latter part of the 1980s witnessed a shift in power, with Lech Poznań emerging as a dominant force in the Ekstraklasa. Lech Poznań secured consecutive league titles in the 1982–83 and 1983-84 seasons. Their success brought a new chapter to the league, with fresh faces making an impact on the domestic football scene. Despite the challenges at the club level, the Polish national team achieved a notable milestone in the 1980s. They finished in 3rd place at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, showcasing the resilience of Polish football despite the adverse conditions. In summary, the 1980s were a challenging period for the Ekstraklasa, marked by political and economic difficulties that impacted the overall state of Polish football. While certain clubs like Widzew Łódź and Lech Poznań enjoyed success, the era was characterized by a decline in the league's competitive stature compared to previous decades. The challenges faced by clubs in the 1980s set the stage for efforts to revitalize and modernize Polish football in the subsequent years.

The 1990s marked a period of transition and transformation for the Ekstraklasa. The decade witnessed the country's transition back to a market economy, which had a profound impact on football, leading to both challenges and opportunities for the league. Lech Poznań continued their success from the late 1980s into the early 1990s, winning the Ekstraklasa title in the 1991–92 season. The club's achievements reflected a certain stability in performance, even as other clubs adapted to the changing economic and football landscape. Widzew Łódź and Legia Warsaw remained competitive during the early 1990s, with Legia achieving success in both domestic and international competitions. Legia Warsaw notably reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup during the 1990-91 season, showcasing the club's resilience on the European stage. The latter part of the decade saw a shift in the balance of power within the Ekstraklasa. Clubs like GKS Katowice, Widzew Łódź, ŁKS Łódź, Wisła Kraków and Polonia Warsaw emerged as strong contenders for the league title, whereas the previously strong teams of Górnik Zabrze, Lech Poznań and Ruch Chorzów declined since the mid-1990s.

The 1990s also saw the emergence of talented players who would go on to make significant contributions to both the Ekstraklasa and the national team. Despite the challenges posed by economic factors and changes in the football landscape, Polish football experienced a sense of renewal and dynamism in the 1990s. The increased competitiveness within the league and the emergence of new talent laid the groundwork for a more vibrant and evolving Ekstraklasa in the years to come. In summary, the 1990s were a transformative period for the Ekstraklasa, characterized by a changing economic landscape, the emergence of new contenders, and the continued success of established clubs. The decade set the stage for further developments in Polish football, with increased competition and a focus on nurturing young talent.

The 2000s represented a period of continued evolution and competitiveness for the Ekstraklasa. This decade featured a mix of established clubs maintaining their dominance, the emergence of new contenders, and increased efforts to modernize and elevate the overall standard of Polish football. Wisła Kraków continued their success from the late 1990s into the early 2000s, securing multiple Ekstraklasa titles during this period. The club's triumphs in the league, along with their participation in European competitions, contributed to their status as a major force in Polish football. Legia Warsaw also experienced a resurgence, winning the Ekstraklasa title in the 2001–02 and 2005-06 seasons. Their achievements not only showcased their domestic prowess but also marked a return to competitiveness on the European stage. The 2000s witnessed a particularly unusual rise of several clubs from small and mid-sized towns, with teams from Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Wronki, Lubin and Bełchatów all finishing in the top three, and Zagłębie Lubin even winning the 2006–07 title. A number of clubs from other similar towns enjoyed one to several seasons in the Ekstraklasa during this period. At the same time, previously strong teams from Łódź (ŁKS and Widzew), GKS Katowice and Polonia Warsaw declined, with all four even relegated from the league, similarly to the former powerhouses of Lech Poznań, Ruch Chorzów and Górnik Zabrze. Lech Poznań re-emerged as a major power in the late 2000s and secured the Ekstraklasa title in the 2009-10 season. Lech Poznań's success reflected a broader trend of increased parity and competition within the league.

Efforts to modernize and professionalize Polish football gained momentum during this decade. The league underwent structural changes, and there were initiatives to improve training facilities, youth development programs, and overall infrastructure. These efforts aimed to enhance the quality of the Ekstraklasa and raise the level of competitiveness. The 2000s also saw the emergence of notable players who left a lasting impact on the league and, in some cases, went on to have successful careers in international football. While the 2000s brought positive developments for Polish football, there were also challenges, including financial struggles for some clubs and occasional incidents of fan violence. These issues highlighted the need for continued efforts to address the various aspects of the football ecosystem. In summary, the 2000s were a period of transition and growth for the Ekstraklasa, marked by the continued success of established clubs, the emergence of new contenders, and efforts to modernize and professionalize Polish football. The decade set the stage for further advancements in the subsequent years, as the league continued to adapt to changing dynamics within the football landscape.

The 2010s brought further changes and developments to the Ekstraklasa. This decade witnessed a continuation of the league's efforts to modernize, increase competitiveness, and enhance the overall quality of Polish football. Legia Warsaw emerged as a dominant force, securing multiple Ekstraklasa titles throughout the decade, whereas the previously dominant Wisła Kraków declined. Legia not only dominated domestically but also made notable appearances in European competitions, reaching the UEFA Europa League group stages and the UEFA Champions League play-offs. Lech Poznań continued to be a strong contender, winning the Ekstraklasa title in the 2009-10 season and consistently finishing among the top teams in subsequent years. The competition for the championship became more intense, with several clubs vying for the top spot, including Wisła Kraków, Śląsk Wrocław, and Jagiellonia Białystok.

The 2010s were marked by a growing emphasis on youth development and the nurturing of homegrown talent within the league. Clubs invested in their academies, and the emergence of young, talented players became a noticeable trend. This focus on youth development aimed to strengthen the national team and contribute to the long-term success of Polish football. Financial stability remained a challenge for some clubs, leading to occasional struggles and changes in ownership. However, the league continued to attract international attention, and the quality of play improved, making the Ekstraklasa a more competitive and entertaining competition. The implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in the later years of the decade aimed to enhance the fairness and accuracy of officiating in the league. This technological advancement reflected the broader trend of incorporating modern tools and practices to improve the overall football experience. On the international stage, Polish football continued to produce talented players who made their mark in European leagues. The national team also achieved notable success, making it to the quarterfinals at UEFA Euro 2016. In summary, the 2010s were a period of continued growth and development for the Ekstraklasa, marked by the dominance of clubs like Legia Warsaw, increased competition, a focus on youth development, and efforts to modernize various aspects of the league. The decade laid the groundwork for further advancements in Polish football as it moved into the 2020s.

In the 2020s, the then strongest clubs, Lech Poznań and Legia Warsaw, were joined by new strong contenders, Raków Częstochowa and, after several lackluster seasons, Jagiellonia Białystok again, and both clubs won their first championship titles in the 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons, respectively. The period was marked by the league's rise in the UEFA coefficient, boosted by the good results of Polish clubs in European competitions with Lech Poznań reaching the quarterfinals of the UEFA Conference League in the 2022–23 season and Jagiellonia Białystok and Legia Warsaw in the 2024–25 season.