I liga

History

State Class in Austrian Galicia

In 1913 and 1914, the football championship of Austrian Galicia took place. At that time it was called the A Class Championship, with four top teams of the province (Cracovia, Wisła Kraków, Pogoń Lwów and Czarni Lwów). Since there were many more football teams in Galicia, the B Class Championship was made for them. Also, in 1921, already in the Second Polish Republic, there were two levels: winners of regional A Classes played in the national championship, while winners of the B Classes (Cracovia II, Pogoń Lwów II, AZS Warszawa and Union Łódź) had their own tournament. For financial reasons, this idea was abandoned after one year.

Second Polish Republic

In the Second Polish Republic, there were regional leagues, or A Classes, which were the second level of Polish football system, behind the Ekstraklasa, which was formed in 1927, see Lower Level Football Leagues in Interwar Poland. Since in the late 1930s only two teams were promoted to the Ekstraklasa, and there were as many as fourteen regional champions, there was a complicated system of playoffs. Firstly, winners of neighbouring A Classes played each other, and in the final stage, four teams competed, with two top sides winning the promotion.

Formation

Second-level league was first created for the 1949 season, and was split into northern and southern sections, each comprising 10 teams. First plans to create this league appeared in 1947. On 14 and 15 February 1948, a meeting of officials of Polish Football Association took place in Warsaw. Officials from Gdańsk promoted the creation of the league, but this idea was opposed by the delegates from the most powerful regions of Polish football: Kraków, Łódź, Upper Silesia and Warsaw. On 30 May 1948, however, the second division was officially approved, with 18 teams in one group. On 19 February 1949, Polish Football Association decided to expand the league to 20 teams, divided into northern and southern groups.

First games of the new, second division, took place on 20 March 1949, with the first goal scored by Jozef Kokot of Naprzód Lipiny, in a game between Naprzód and Błękitni Kielce. First winners of the second division were Garbarnia Kraków (northern group) and Górnik Radlin (southern group): both sides were promoted to the Ekstraklasa. To determine a winner of the 1949 season of the second division, Górnik had to play Garbarnia in three extra games (4–2, 0–2 and 4–3). The top scorer of the first season was Mieczysław Nowak of Garbarnia, with 24 goals. Relegated were the teams of Ognisko Siedlce and PTC Pabianice (northern group), and Błękitni Kielce and Pafawag Wrocław (southern group).

1950s

For the 1951 season, the format was changed to four groups, with eight teams in each group.

1970s–2008

For the 1973–74 season, the second level was changed to comprise two sections, split into north and south.

For the 1989–90 season, the league reverted to a single group.

In 2000, the number of teams was limited to 20 sides, then to 18. Champions and runners-up received automatic promotion, while third place teams competed in playoffs. The bottom four teams were relegated.

New name

From the 2008–09 season, the league was renamed as I liga. The number of teams competing remained at 18. Teams placed 15-18 were automatically relegated to II liga (West or East), while the top two finishers were promoted to the Ekstraklasa. In 2014, II liga merged into one group and these rules were changed – the three worst-ranked teams are relegated, and the 15th I liga club compete in playoffs with the fourth placed II liga team. In 2018, the relegation playoff was removed. Since the 2019–20 season, the top two teams are automatically promoted, whilst teams placed 3–6 compete in a playoff for the final third spot.

Clubs

The following 18 clubs are competing in the I liga during the 2025–26 season.

:Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.

1. Due to accomodationg Municipal Sports Stadium to I liga regulations, Pogoń Grodzisk Mazowiecki will host their matches in Pruszków starting from matchday 3.
2. Since 28 October 2023, Ruch Chorzów host their games at the Silesian Stadium. It remains unclear if they will stay there or they will move to Ruch Chorzów Stadium.
3. Due to the fact Wieczysta Stadium doesn't meet the I liga regulations, Wieczysta Kraków will play their first half of matches in Sosnowiec and will return to Kraków to play at Wisła Kraków's stadium after winter break.

Champions of the Polish second level

• 1949: Górnik Radlin, Garbarnia Kraków
• 1950: Gwardia Szczecin, Ogniwo Bytom
• 1951: Budowlani Gdańsk, OWKS Kraków
• 1952: Gwardia Warsaw, Budowlani Opole
• 1953: Gwardia Bydgoszcz
• 1954: Stal Sosnowiec
• 1955: Budowlani Opole
• 1956: Polonia Bytom
• 1957: Polonia Bydgoszcz, Cracovia
• 1958: Pogoń Szczecin, Górnik Radlin
• 1959: Odra Opole, Stal Sosnowiec
• 1960: Lech Poznań, Stal Mielec
• 1961: Gwardia Warsaw
• 1962: Stal Rzeszów, Pogoń Szczecin
• 1962–63: Szombierki Bytom
• 1963–64: Śląsk Wrocław
• 1964–65: Wisła Kraków
• 1965–66: Cracovia
• 1966–67: Gwardia Warsaw
• 1967–68: Zagłębie Wałbrzych
• 1968–69: Gwardia Warsaw
• 1969–70: ROW Rybnik
• 1970–71: Odra Opole
• 1971–72: ROW Rybnik
• 1972–73: Szombierki Bytom
• 1973–74: Arka Gdynia, GKS Tychy
• 1974–75: Widzew Łódź, Stal Rzeszów
• 1975–76: Arka Gdynia, Odra Opole
• 1976–77: Zawisza Bydgoszcz, Polonia Bytom
• 1977–78: Gwardia Warsaw, GKS Katowice
• 1978–79: Zawisza Bydgoszcz, Górnik Zabrze
• 1979–80: Bałtyk Gdynia, Motor Lublin
• 1980–81: Pogoń Szczecin, Gwardia Warsaw
• 1981–82: GKS Katowice, Cracovia
• 1982–83: Górnik Wałbrzych, Motor Lublin
• 1983–84: Lechia Gdańsk, Radomiak Radom
• 1984–85: Zagłębie Lubin, Stal Mielec
• 1985–86: Olimpia Poznań, Polonia Bytom
• 1986–87: Szombierki Bytom, Jagiellonia Białystok
• 1987–88: Ruch Chorzów, Stal Mielec
• 1988–89: Zagłębie Lubin, Zagłębie Sosnowiec
• 1989–90: Hutnik Kraków
• 1990–91: Stal Stalowa Wola
• 1991–92: Pogoń Szczecin, Siarka Tarnobrzeg
• 1992–93: Warta Poznań, Polonia Warsaw
• 1993–94: Raków Częstochowa, Stomil Olsztyn
• 1994–95: Śląsk Wrocław, GKS Bełchatów
• 1995–96: Odra Wodzisław, Polonia Warsaw
• 1996–97: Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wlkp., Petrochemia Płock
• 1997–98: Ruch Radzionków, GKS Bełchatów
• 1998–99: Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wlkp., Petrochemia Płock
• 1999–00: Śląsk Wrocław
• 2000–01: RKS Radomsko
• 2001–02: Lech Poznań
• 2002–03: Górnik Polkowice
• 2003–04: Pogoń Szczecin
• 2004–05: Korona Kielce
• 2005–06: Widzew Łódź
• 2006–07: Ruch Chorzów
• 2007–08: Lechia Gdańsk
• 2008–09: Widzew Łódź
• 2009–10: Widzew Łódź
• 2010–11: ŁKS Łódź
• 2011–12: Piast Gliwice
• 2012–13: Zawisza Bydgoszcz
• 2013–14: GKS Bełchatów
• 2014–15: Zagłębie Lubin
• 2015–16: Arka Gdynia
• 2016–17: Sandecja Nowy Sącz
• 2017–18: Miedź Legnica
• 2018–19: Raków Częstochowa
• 2019–20: Stal Mielec
• 2020–21: Radomiak Radom
• 2021–22: Miedź Legnica
• 2022–23: ŁKS Łódź
• 2023–24: Lechia Gdańsk
• 2024–25: Arka Gdynia

References

References

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2. (2003-08-28). "Foul Play". [[Warsaw Voice]].
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4. Pawel Mogielnicki. (26 July 1998). "History, part 1 1949-1959". RSSSF.
5. Piotr Dąbrowski, Paweł Mogielnicki and Gwidon Naskrent. (20 June 2007). "Poland 1973/74". RSSSF.
6. Piotr Dąbrowski, Paweł Mogielnicki and Gwidon Naskrent. (7 March 2013). "Poland 1989/90". RSSSF.
7. (27 May 2025). "Nowy stadion w 1 lidze. Pogoń Grodzisk Mazowiecki pokazała, jak ma wyglądać po przebudowie".
8. (7 July 2025). "Betclic I liga: Mecz Pogoń Grodzisk Maz. - Stal Rz. w Grodzisku Mazowieckim".
9. (25 June 2023). "Ekstraklasa: Ruch Chorzów od października będzie grał na Stadionie Śląskim". Przegląd Sportowy.
10. (17 June 2025). "Wieczysta Kraków wybrała stadion na I ligę".
11. (25 June 2025). "Wisła i Wieczysta wydały wspólne oświadczenie! Podpisali się pod nim Jarosław Królewski i Wojciech Kwiecień. Porozumienie w sprawie stadionu".
12. Gwidon Naskrent. (9 June 2003). "Poland 2nd Division Champions".