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Ekstraklasa ( Polish pronunciation: [ˌɛkstraˈklasa] ; meaning "Extra Class" in Polish), officially known as PKO Bank Polski Ekstraklasa due to its sponsorship by PKO Bank Polski , is the top Polish professional league for men's association football teams.

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105-730: Contested by 18 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the I liga , seasons start in July, and end in May or June the following year. Teams play a total of 34 games each. Games are played on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. The winner of the Ekstraklasa qualifies for the Polish Super Cup . Since 2005, the league is operated by the Ekstraklasa Spółka Akcyjna . The Ekstraklasa (former I liga)

210-476: A "ladder" that uses a promotion and relegation system, where individual players and pre-made teams can be promoted and relegated during the first few weeks of a league season, which generally lasts around 11 weeks, with promotion and relegation taking place based on a skill rating, which is in turn based on wins and losses. However, this form of matchmaking is not typically used for StarCraft II e-sports tournaments, which have various kinds of structures depending on

315-480: A deal worth 1.4 billion PLN . On 17 July 2024, TVP Sport announced they have acquired a sublicense to show one game per week until the end of the 2026–27 season. Promotion and relegation Promotion and relegation is used by sports leagues as a process where teams can move up and down among divisions in a League system , based on their performance over a season . Leagues that use promotion and relegation systems are sometimes called open leagues. In

420-730: A decade (concluded 1891). In 1903 it accepted parity with the American League and the formation of the organization that would become Major League Baseball . The peace agreement between the NL and the AL did not change the "closed shop" of top-level baseball but entrenched it by including the AL in the shop. This was further confirmed by the Supreme Court's 1922 ruling in Federal Baseball Club v. National League , giving MLB

525-512: 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 to a market economy, which had a profound impact on football, leading to both challenges and opportunities for

630-461: 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. There are 18 clubs in the Ekstraklasa. During the course of the season each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 34 games. From the 2013–14 till

735-457: 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,

840-585: A historical district of the city of Kraków . The club's name comes from the nearby tannery ( Polish : Garbarnia ) of the Dłużyński brothers, which was the original club sponsor. After withdrawing from the III liga before the start of the 2024–25 season, Garbarnia currently competes in the western group of the V liga Lesser Poland . Founded in 1921, Garbarnia's best years were the late 1920s and early 1930s. In 1928, after winning both regional and national qualifiers,

945-627: A legal monopoly over professional baseball in the US. The other major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada have followed the MLB model of a franchise based system. In contrast to baseball's NABBP , the first governing body in English football survived the onset of professionalism, which it formally accepted in 1885. Perhaps the great geographical concentration of population and

1050-499: A live television program. The addition of a semi-final in 2004 allowed for more than 26 songs, but in 2008 automatic qualification of the previous year's top 10 to the final was removed. In Brazilian carnival's samba school contest, a similar system is adopted, with the schools from lower divisions, or "groups", able to be promoted into the highest tier, being currently called the "Special Group" ( Grupo Especial ). Schools parade in order of groups and ranking from last year contest, with

1155-694: A lower level, like independent professional leagues in American baseball today). For decades, teams finishing near the bottom of The Football League's lowest division(s) faced re-election rather than automatic relegation. But the principle of promotion and relegation had been firmly established, and it eventually expanded to the football pyramid in place today. Meanwhile, The FA has remained English football's overall governing body, retaining amateur and professional clubs rather than breaking up. Promotion and relegation has been used in several eSports leagues. Blizzard Entertainment 's video game StarCraft II has

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1260-501: A number of seasons. Originally the previous two seasons, and later three or four seasons, clubs avoid relegation by having a high coefficient, which is obtained by dividing the points achieved in the last three seasons by the number of matches played in the same period. Teams with the lowest points coefficient at the end of the season are relegated to the Primera B Nacional . This system has both positive and negative aspects, since all of

1365-429: 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

1470-574: A place in the league year after year would permit the owners to monopolize fan bases in their exclusive territories and give them the confidence to invest in infrastructure, such as improved ballparks. In turn, those would guarantee the revenues to support traveling halfway across a continent for games. Indeed, after its first season, the new league banked on its still doubtful stability by expelling its members in New York and Philadelphia (the two largest cities), because they had breached agreements to visit

1575-497: A shift in the balance of power within the league. Meanwhile, Legia Warsaw, one of Poland's most successful clubs, experienced a resurgence in the late 1970s. They secured Ekstraklasa titles in the 1976–77 and 1978-79 seasons, adding to their already impressive trophy cabinet. Legia Warsaw also made notable achievements in European competitions during this period. On the international stage, Polish football gained global recognition with

1680-529: A similar system where in the top eight finishers of one of the bi-annual Majors are designated with the "Legends" seed and automatically qualified for the next Major tournament. The best six eliminated teams in the second stage (known as New Legends Stage ) of the Major would play a "qualifying" stage (known as New Challengers Stage ) with another ten teams from the Minors qualifying tournaments in order to compete at

1785-443: 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. The Ekstraklasa continued with ten teams participating in the competition, maintaining the same format as the previous season. Górnik Zabrze extended their dominance, securing their fifth league title in a decade. The league expanded its format once again, this time to 12 teams for

1890-418: A system of promotion and relegation, the best-ranked team(s) in a lower division are promoted to a higher division for the next season, and the worst-ranked team(s) in the higher division are relegated to the lower division for the next season. During the season, teams that are high enough in the league table that they would qualify for promotion are sometimes said to be in the promotion zone , and those at

1995-469: A win awarded 2 points and 1 point for a draw. In seasons 1986–87 – 1989–90 for win at least three goals difference additionally awarded 1 point, while a losses at least 3 goals difference subtracted one point. Since the season 1995–96 for win gives 3 points and 1 point for a draw. 3. Included additional qualification games between both teams and league championship and remain in the league (including 11 games in 1948 , 1986–87 , 1987–88 , 1988–89 ) and

2100-545: Is a fact that the relegated schools have more to lose nowadays, such as access to the Cidade do Samba ("Samba City") facilities. There have been reported several interferences on the contest's final result, especially when traditional schools are involved. From 1957 to 1966 and from 1983 to the present, the Argentine First Division has used a system called Promedios based on the average performance over

2205-419: The 1999 Conmebol Cup . The Uruguayan First Division adopted the same system in 2016. Paraguayan Primera División and Colombian Categoría Primera A also use this same system. Also, a similar system was used only in the 1999 edition of Campeonato Brasileiro Série A . Notes Bibliography Garbarnia Krak%C3%B3w Garbarnia Kraków is a Polish football and sports club from Ludwinów ,

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2310-431: The 2011 Copa Sudamericana . This system forces the newly promoted teams to fight relegation from the very beginning of the season. It also allows teams with a low budget with previous good campaigns to compete in international competitions without having to prioritize the championship to avoid relegation; examples of this are Club Atlético Lanús , winner of the 2013 Copa Sudamericana , or Club Atlético Talleres , winner of

2415-515: The Champion of Poland title to the winner of the Polish Cup, in order to increase the importance of the re-activated cup competition. Ruch Chorzów was 6th in the league, but won the cup, beating 2-0 Wisła Kraków in the final game. Wisła Kraków was announced the league champion. Note: This list is not synonymous with a list of Polish football champions . Bold indicates clubs playing in

2520-577: The English Football League ) was founded in 1888, it was not intended to be a rival of The Football Association but rather the top competition within it. The new league was not universally accepted as England's top-calibre competition right away. To help win fans of clubs outside The Football League, its circuit was not closed; rather, a system was established in which the worst teams at the end of each season would need to win re-election against any clubs wishing to join. A rival league,

2625-842: The Football Alliance , was formed in 1889. When the two merged in 1892, it was not on equal terms; rather, most of the Alliance clubs were put in the new Football League Second Division , whose best teams would move up to the First Division in place of its worst teams. Another merger, with the top division of the Southern League in 1920, helped form the Third Division in similar fashion. Since then no new league has been formed of non-league clubs to try to achieve parity with The Football League (only to play at

2730-532: The Italian Football Federation has relegated clubs found to have been involved in match fixing . This occurred most recently in 2006, when the season's initial champions Juventus were relegated to Serie B, and two other teams were initially relegated but then restored to Serie A after appeal (see 2006 Serie A scandal ). As of the 2020s, empirical evidence increasingly pointed to the conclusion that promotion and relegation, standing alone,

2835-612: The New Legends Stage . Starting in 2020, however, this was changed to a Regional Major Ranking system, at first a points-based system which was used for ESL One Rio 2020 and PGL Stockholm 2021 (The top rankings from the ESL One Rio 2020 RMRs were turned into PGL Stockholm 2021 points once IEM Rio was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic ) and then a series of offline qualifiers starting with PGL Antwerp 2022 , in which

2940-611: The Poland national team . In 1937, after 9 years in the top division, Garbarnia were relegated. They returned in 1939, in a season cut short by the outbreak of World War II. After the Second World War Garbarnia never regained its status, playing mainly in the Polish Second Division, occasionally managing to win promotion to the first division, only to be relegated after a year or two. The worst

3045-464: The major league and minor leagues . The number of teams exchanged between the divisions is almost always identical. Exceptions occur when the higher division wishes to change the size of its membership, or has lost one or more of clubs (to financial insolvency or expulsion, for example) and wishes to restore its previous membership size, in which case fewer teams are relegated from that division, or (less often) more teams are accepted for promotion from

3150-413: The 1958 season. Legia Warsaw regained its position at the top, clinching the league title in this year. The league contracted back to ten teams for the 1959 season. Górnik Zabrze returned to their winning ways, capturing the league title for the fourth time in the decade. Overall, the 1950s marked a period of consolidation and growth for the Ekstraklasa. Despite being a relatively young league, it experienced

3255-441: The 1961 season. Legia Warsaw reclaimed the top spot, winning the league title. Over these two seasons, the league maintained the same 12-team format. 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). Górnik Zabrze returned to their winning ways, clinching two more league titles in 1962 and 1963.. The Ekstraklasa reduced

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3360-420: The 1969 season. Ruch Chorzów returned to their winning form, capturing the league title. Overall, the 1960s saw the Ekstraklasa continue to evolve and grow, with various changes to the number of participating teams. Górnik Zabrze and Legia Warsaw remained dominant forces, but other clubs like Polonia Bytom and Ruch Chorzów also had their moments of success. The decade was marked by competitive football and showcased

3465-449: The 1973–74 and 1974-75 seasons. Górnik Zabrze, on the other hand, had already established themselves as a powerhouse, having won numerous league titles in the 1960s, and continued to be competitive throughout the 1970s. The mid-1970s saw the emergence of another strong contender, Widzew Łódź. They clinched their first Ekstraklasa title in the 1975-76 season, breaking the monopoly of Ruch Chorzów and Górnik Zabrze. Widzew Łódź's success signaled

3570-401: 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

3675-469: 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

3780-431: The 1998–99 and 1999-2000 seasons. 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

3885-405: The 2019–20 season, after the 30th round the table was divided into 'champion' (top eight teams) and 'relegation' (bottom eight teams) groups. Each team played seven more games (teams ranked 1–4 and 9–12 would host four games at home). The 2016–17 season was the last when teams started an extra round with half the points (rounded up) achieved during the first phase of 30 matches. The changes extended

3990-477: The Billie Jean King Cup) at the top and series of regional groups at a lower level. The World Groups in both use a knockout tournament format, with the first-round losers entering play-offs with winners from regional groups to avoid relegation. In international tournaments, this format allows teams from countries in which a sport is less well established to have competitive matches, while opening up

4095-517: The Ekstraklasa featured eight teams from various Polish cities, including Warsaw, Krakow, Gdynia, and others. Ruch Chorzów became the first champions of the newly formed league, winning the title in the 1950 season. Throughout these years, the league format remained relatively stable, with the same number of teams participating each season. Legia Warsaw asserted its dominance during this period, winning three consecutive Ekstraklasa titles in 1951, 1952, and 1953. The Ekstraklasa expanded its format, increasing

4200-427: 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

4305-705: The LCK moved away from the system in 2020. As of 2023, the Pacific Championship Series and Liga Latinoamérica are the only top-tier professional League of Legends leagues to have promotion and relegation; North America's second-tier league, the North American Challengers League, also has promotion and relegation, as do the various regional leagues in Europe, but not with the top divisions. The Counter-Strike Majors used

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4410-556: 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

4515-441: 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,

4620-539: 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

4725-532: The Torneo Apertura in 2009 and last place in the next championship, the Torneo Clausura 2010, without being relegated until the end of the Torneo Apertura 2010 with a second-to-last place finish. Similarly, River Plate finished last in the Torneo Apertura 2008 and after two bad campaigns and a mediocre one was relegated in the Torneo Clausura 2011 despite being in fifth place and qualifying for

4830-578: 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

4935-441: The better ranked inside a group and the higher-tier groups having the privilege of going latter (this means the team has the opportunity of fixing issues with costumes and allegorical floats as well as more rehearsal time). The number of promoted and relegated schools, four until 1997, has been diminishing as time passes, becoming two from 1998 to 2007 and being only one nowadays. There has never been an official reason for that, but it

5040-491: The bottom are in the relegation zone ( colloquially the drop zone or facing the drop ). An alternate system of league organization, used primarily in Australia, Canada, Singapore, and the United States, is a closed model based on licensing or franchises . This maintains the same teams from year to year, with occasional admission of expansion teams and relocation of existing teams , and with no team movement between

5145-429: The boundary between the feeder leagues may have to transfer from one feeder league to another to maintain numerical balance. The system is said to be the defining characteristic of the "European" form of professional sports league organization . Promotion and relegation have the effect of allowing the maintenance of a hierarchy of leagues and divisions, according to the relative strength of their teams. They also maintain

5250-493: 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

5355-444: The club can not move underperforming players on, or second, the club is gambling on being promoted back straight away and is prepared to take a financial loss for one or two seasons to do so. Some leagues (most notably English football's Premier League ) offer " parachute payments " to its relegated teams for the following year(s). The payouts are higher than the prize money received by some non-relegated teams and are designed to soften

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5460-472: The corresponding short distances between urban centres was crucial. Certainly it provided the opportunity for more clubs' developing large fan bases without incurring great travel costs. Professional football did not gain acceptance until after the turn of the 20th century in most of Southern England . The earliest league members travelled only through the Midlands and North . When The Football League (now

5565-441: 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

5670-411: 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

5775-553: The division below. Such variations usually cause a "knock-on" effect through the lower divisions. For example, in 1995 the Premier League voted to reduce its numbers by two and achieved the desired change by relegating four teams instead of the usual three, whilst allowing only two promotions from Football League Division One . Even in the absence of such extraordinary circumstances, the pyramid-like nature of most European sports league systems can still create knock-on effects at

5880-477: The earliest American sport to develop professional leagues, the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) was established in 1857 as a national governing body for the game. In many respects, it would resemble England's Football Association when founded in 1863. Both espoused strict amateurism in their early years and welcomed hundreds of clubs as members. Baseball's National Association

5985-432: 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. Ruch Chorzów secured back-to-back championships in

6090-483: The financial hit that clubs take whilst dropping out of the Premier League. However, in many cases, these parachute payments just serve to inflate the costs of competing for promotion among the lower division clubs as newly relegated teams retain a financial advantage. In some countries and at certain levels, teams in line for promotion may have to satisfy certain non-playing conditions in order to be accepted by

6195-478: The financial value of such games in terms of ticket sales and media rights . This explained why in the 2020s, association football leagues were collectively bringing in annually only about two times the revenue of the National Football League ( the wealthiest sports league in the world ), even though association football had eight times the number of fans worldwide as American football . It

6300-401: The first national non-league football championship took place in 1920. A total of 86 teams have played in the top division of Polish football since the founding of the league, 20 of which have won the title. The current champions are Jagiellonia Białystok , who won their 1st title in the 2023–24 season . On 4–5 December 1926 in Warsaw, representatives from several Polish clubs met to discuss

6405-456: The following months. They were later penalized: The following data indicates Polish coefficient rankings between European football leagues. UEFA League Ranking for the 2019–2024 period: UEFA 5-year Club Ranking for the 2019–2024 period: Since 1994, Ekstraklasa broadcast rights have been held by Canal+ Poland , with several other broadcasters presenting select games over the years. In 2022, Canal+ renewed their rights through 2027 in

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6510-458: 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. Legia not only dominated domestically but also made notable appearances in European competitions, reaching

6615-549: The four western clubs at the end of the season. The NL's dominance of baseball was challenged several times after its first few years, but only by entire leagues. Eight clubs, the established norm for a national league, was a prohibitively high threshold for a new venture. Two challengers succeeded beyond the short-term, with the National League fighting off a challenge from the American Association after

6720-441: 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

6825-406: The higher league, such as financial solvency, stadium capacity, and facilities. If these are not satisfied, a lower-ranked team may be promoted in their place, or a team in the league above may be saved from relegation. While the primary purpose of the promotion and relegation system is to maintain competitive balance, it may also be used as a disciplinary tool in special cases. On several occasions,

6930-678: The importance of games played by many low-ranked teams near the end of the season, which may be at risk of relegation. In contrast, the final games of a low-ranked US or Canadian team serve little purpose, and in fact losing may be beneficial to such teams because they offer a better position in the next year's draft . Although not intrinsic to the system, problems can occur due to the differing monetary payouts and revenue-generating potential that different divisions provide to their clubs. For example, financial hardship has sometimes occurred in leagues where clubs do not reduce their wage bill once relegated. This usually occurs for one of two reasons: first,

7035-500: 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

7140-402: The league between seasons of 1992 and 1998. The Ekstraklasa underwent significant changes during the 1950s, reflecting the turbulent political and social landscape of post-World War II Poland. The Ekstraklasa was officially established as the top division of Polish football. It replaced the previous Polish Football Championship, which had been in existence since the 1920s. The inaugural season of

7245-521: 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

7350-459: 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 the rise of several other clubs, including Lech Poznań, who secured

7455-537: 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 –

7560-470: 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

7665-522: 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

7770-421: The matches played for the championship in the last seasons are included in the coefficient for the clubs. Teams have an incentive to score points in every match of the season, meaning teams that are not challenging for the title or fighting relegation in the current season want to win even in the final matches to reduce the risk of relegation in the next season; examples are Club Atlético Banfield being champion of

7875-404: 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,

7980-455: 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

8085-508: The number of teams from 12 to 10 for the 1964 season. Górnik Zabrze continued their exceptional run, securing the league title yet again. The league featured ten teams throughout these seasons. Polonia Bytom enjoyed a successful period, winning back-to-back league titles in 1965 and 1966. The Ekstraklasa expanded to include 14 teams for both the 1967 and 1968 seasons. Legia Warsaw reestablished their dominance, clinching two league titles in consecutive years. The league contracted back to 12 teams for

8190-413: The number of teams from eight to ten for the 1954 season. Gwardia Warsaw won their first and only Ekstraklasa title during this season. The league continued with ten teams participating in the competition over the next three seasons. Górnik Zabrze emerged as the dominant force, securing three consecutive league titles in 1955, 1956, and 1957. The Ekstraklasa expanded once more, growing to include 12 teams for

8295-644: The organizer, the most important being the ESL Pro Tour as of 2021 . Most professional League of Legends leagues like the League of Legends Championship Series and League of Legends Champions Korea used a promotion and relegation system, although the LCS moved away from this in 2018 for North America LCS and 2019 for the European LCS (which was renamed to the League of Legends European Championship ), while

8400-422: 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,

8505-786: The possibility of competing against higher ranked nations as a sport grows. Other international tournaments which employ promotion and relegation include the Ice Hockey World Championships , Bandy World Championships , Floorball World Championships , the UEFA Nations League , the CONCACAF Nations League , the World Cricket League and the European Team Championships in athletics. In baseball,

8610-451: 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

8715-488: 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, and Wisła Kraków emerged as strong contenders for the league title. Wisła Kraków, in particular, had a successful run in the late 1990s, securing back-to-back Ekstraklasa championships in

8820-404: The regional level. For example, in a higher league with a large geographical footprint and multiple feeder leagues each representing smaller geographical regions, should most or all of the relegated teams in the higher division come from one particular region then the number of teams to be promoted or relegated from each of the feeder leagues may have to be adjusted, or one or more teams playing near

8925-464: The rise of new contenders like Widzew Łódź, and the resurgence of Legia Warsaw. 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

9030-510: The season to a total of 296 matches played. The 2021–22 season started with 18 teams, instead of 16. Clubs as of the 2024–25 season. ° Abandoned due to the preparations of the Poland national team to participate in the 1924 Olympic Football Tournament. °° Abandoned due to the outbreak of World War II . On 31 August 1939 Ruch Chorzów was the leader. °°° In 1951, the Polish Football Association decided to give

9135-564: The table, as of 31 August 1939: 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 Polonia Bytom , Odra Opole and Pogoń Szczecin (see: Recovered Territories ). Another important center, Wilno (with

9240-658: 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, with its capital Wrocław (home of double champion Śląsk Wrocław ) and towns 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 ). 18 teams played in

9345-639: The team was promoted to the Polish Football League. Then, in 1929, after an excellent campaign, they finished second to champions Warta Poznań , thus cementing their position as one of the top teams in Poland. In 1931 , Garbarnia went one better, becoming Polish Champions. Containing little home-grown talent, the Kraków starting lineup consisted of players brought in from other clubs. Among the top players were Otto Riesner and Karol Pazurek , both natives of Katowice , and both of whom played for

9450-627: The teams from the Legends Stage (Now known as the Elimination Stage ) from the previous Major automatically qualify for their RMRs and are joined by online qualifiers. From 1993 until 2003, the Eurovision Song Contest used various systems of relegation to reconcile the number of countries wishing to participate (approximately 30 at the time) with the number of performances allowed considering time constraints of

9555-435: The teams that once participated in the Ekstraklasa. Data from the 1927 – 2022–23 seasons. Source: Tabela wszech czasów 90minut.pl From 1927 to 2024 a total of 83 teams contested in the Ekstraklasa. Bold - indicates teams currently playing in the Ekstraklasa 2024–25 season . 1. An equal number of points on the basis of their goal difference, then greater number of goals scored. 2. In seasons 1927 – 1994–95 for

9660-521: The top division in the 2024–25 season. The following table lists the league champions by the Polish voivodeship regions (current, valid since 1999). The following table lists the league champions by city . After winning a Polish championship titles, a representative star is placed above the team's badge to indicate achieving the feat. The current (as of May 2024) officially sanctioned championship stars are: The all-time league table consists of all

9765-434: 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

9870-514: 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

9975-408: 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, Pogon 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

10080-557: 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 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

10185-408: Was insufficient to ensure adequate parity in any given game or the overall financial performance of a sport (as distinguished from individual players or teams). Most importantly, the failure of most association football leagues to adequately regulate individual player compensation (that is, by imposing salary caps ) had resulted in too many games ending in predictable blowouts , and thereby reduced

10290-419: Was not able to survive the onset of professionalism . It responded to the trend – clubs secretly paying or indirectly compensating players – by establishing a "professional" class for 1869. As quickly as 1871, most of those clubs broke away and formed the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP). That new, professional Association was open at a modest fee, but it proved to be unstable. It

10395-485: Was not included in the table play-off for the right to play in the league between teams of different class divisions. 4. Included matches with unfinished 1939 season . Includes penalties imposed by the Football Association: With the following mergers and acquisitions teams: Despite match-fixing becoming punishable by law in mid-2003, several clubs were still involved in the process in

10500-568: Was officially formed as Liga Polska on 4–5 December 1926 in Warsaw , since 1 March 1927 as Liga Piłki Nożnej ( Polish pronunciation: [ˈlʲiɡa ˈpiwki ˈnɔʐnɛj] ), but the Polish Football Association (Polish: Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej, PZPN) had been in existence since 20 December 1919, a year after the independence of Poland in 1918. The first games of the freshly created league took place on 3 April 1927, while

10605-403: 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

10710-496: Was replaced by the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs in 1876, which has endured to the present day. The founders of the new League judged that in order to prosper, they must make baseball's highest level of competition a franchise based system with exclusive membership, a strict limit on the number of teams, and each member having exclusive rights to their local market. The modest National League guarantee of

10815-589: Was reportedly because of such evidence that the EuroLeague adopted mandatory salary bands in September 2024. Promotion and relegation is used in international sports leagues such as in Europe , and many other parts of the world. It may be used in international sports tournaments. In tennis, the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup have promotion and relegation, with a 'World Group' (split into two divisions in

10920-401: 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 Polish part of Upper Silesia, which had belonged to Poland since 1921 (see: Silesian Uprisings ). In 1932 the champion

11025-467: 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

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