 | ||||
| Full name | Towarzystwo Sportowe Wisła Kraków Spółka Akcyjna[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Biała Gwiazda (The White Star) | |||
| Founded | 1906; 120 years ago (1906) | |||
| Ground | Synerise Arena Kraków | |||
| Capacity | 33,326[2] | |||
| President | Jarosław Królewski | |||
| Manager | Mariusz Jop | |||
| League | I liga | |||
| 2024–25 | I liga, 4th of 18 | |||
| Website | www | |||
 Current season | ||||
Towarzystwo Sportowe Wisła KrakówSpółka Akcyjna, commonly referred to asWisła Kraków (Polish pronunciation:[ˈviswaˈkrakuf]), is a Polish professionalfootball club based inKraków. They currently compete in theI liga, the second level ofPolish football league system, following relegation from the2021–22 Ekstraklasa season. It ranks fourth in the number ofnational titles won (13), behindGórnik Zabrze,Ruch Chorzów (both on 14), andLegia Warsaw (15), and second in all-time victories. Wisła was founded in 1906 under the name TS Wisła (Polish: Towarzystwo Sportowe Wisła). The team plays its home matches at theSynerise Arena Kraków.
The club's coat of arms is a white star on a red background crossed by a blue ribbon.
Wisła Kraków was one of the most successful Polish football clubs of 2000s, winning eight league championships since 1999. Along with league titles, Wisła also won thePolish Cup on five occasions, including the first-ever edition in 1926, and are thecurrent cup holders. Wisła also enjoyed some success in European competitions in the 1970s, reaching the quarter-finals in the1978–79 European Cup.
Wisła Kraków was founded in 1906 when students of the Second Practical School in Kraków, inspired by their professor Tadeusz Łopuszański, formed a football club.[3]
In this first, historic season of the League, the fight for the championship was decided between two teams: Wisła Kraków and1. FC Kattowitz. 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 the German minority, while Wisła, at the end of this historic season, represented ambitions of all Poles.
Some time in the fall of 1927 inKatowice, 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 wasWarta Poznań.
During theGerman occupation of Poland (World War II), the club operated secretly. Co-founderFranciszek Brożek and pre-war playerAdam Obrubański were among Poles murdered by the Russians in the largeKatyn massacre in April–May 1940.[4]
In 1949, the club was renamed to Gwardia-Wisła Kraków. In 1955 the club returned to its original name,TS Wisła. In 1967, the club was once again renamed, toGTS Wisła, a name which held until 1990 when the club reverted to its original name,TS Wisła. In the late 1990s, the football section of the club was incorporated and was renamedWisła Kraków SSA.
The club has had its ups and downs, winning national championships and earning European qualification. It was also relegated to the second division on three occasions. Since the football section has been bought by Tele-Fonika Kable S.A. in 1998, the team has been far and away the most successful club in Poland, winning seven national championships and finishing in second place three times, totalling ten top two finishes in 12 years.
At international level, Wisła has competed in all three of the European competitions. The club's greatest success came in the1978–79 season, when Wisła was able to reach the quarter-finals of theEuropean Cup, eventually to be knocked out byMalmö FF 3–5 on aggregate. Most recently, Wisła narrowly missed out on a chance to compete in the2005–06 UEFA Champions League group stage, being defeated 4–5 byPanathinaikos after extra time.[5]
Wisła also twice reached the second round of theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup in 1967–68 and 1984–85, falling 0–5 and 2–3 byHamburger SV andFortuna Sittard, respectively. TheWhite Star has competed in theUEFA Cup ten times.
On 15 May 2022, Wisła was relegated to theI liga for the first time since 1996, after losing 4–2 againstRadomiak Radom.[6]
On 2 May 2024, they won their fifthPolish Cup title after defeatingPogoń Szczecin 1–2 in extra time, becoming the fifth second division team to win this competition, and the first sinceRuch Chorzów in 1996.[7] TheWhite Star itself finished the 2023–24 season ranked 10th in thesecond tier.[8]
Henryk Reyman Stadium, currently known as Synerise Arena Kraków for sponsorship reasons, is located at 22 Reymonta Street in Kraków. The stadium was originally built in 1953 and currently has a capacity of 33,326. The stadium was renovated in 2010, being upgraded to UEFA elite standards. The Wisła Stadium was also chosen as a reserve venue for theUEFA Euro 2012 tournament, jointly held in Poland and Ukraine. The record attendance of 45,000 at Wisła Stadium came on 29 September 1976 when Wisła defeatedCeltic 2–0. The venue has been a fortress for Wisła, where the team is especially difficult to defeat. Wisła holds the all-time Polish football record for consecutive league home games without a loss. The streak began following a loss on 16 September 2001 toKSZO Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, and ended more than five years later on 11 November 2006, whenGKS Bełchatów defeated Wisła 4–2. The number of matches without a loss was then settled at 73, overcoming the former Polish record of 48 which belonged toLegia Warsaw. During the 2008–09 season, Wisła lost points at home only twice, drawing withŁKS Łódź and being defeated byLech Poznań.
Wisła fans formerly had long friendships relations withLechia Gdańsk andŚląsk Wrocław, known as the "Three Kings of Great Cities" alliance until 2016, when their alliance fell apart.[citation needed] They formed a new group withRuch Chorzów andWidzew Łódź (and by extensionElana Toruń,Slovan Bratislava andKKS Kalisz), which divided Wisła fans.
The fans have an amicable relationship withPolonia Przemyśl. AlthoughGarbarnia Kraków,Puszcza Niepołomice andKmita Zabierzów have no organised fan movements they are known to have local Wisła fans attend their games. Kmita was founded initially asWisła Zabierzów as a local branch of the Wisła sports club.
The club also has close relations with Italian sideLazio since theirRome derby match in 2016, as well private contacts withCSKA Moscow andVfL Bochum.
The fans formerly held relations withUnia Tarnów,Jagiellonia Białystok,Siarka Tarnobrzeg,Resovia Rzeszów andZagłębie Wałbrzych.
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The term "Holy War" refers to the intense rivalry between the two Kraków-based teams; Wisła andKS Cracovia. In 1906, the establishment of the two first Polish football clubs, Cracovia and Wisła, created a rivalry that now dates back more than 100 years. The term "Holy War" was first used to describe the rivalry of Kraków's Jewish teams, Makkabi andJutrzenka. A Jutrzenka defender,Ludwik Gintel, who later joined the Cracovia side referred to the derby match against Wisła as the "Holy War". The phrase was incorporated into a song and has since been popular amongst both Wisła and Cracovia fans.
The first recorded Kraków Derby was contested on 20 September 1908, a 1–1 draw. A historic derby match between Cracovia and Wisła occurred on 8 May 1913. It was the first time Polish teams played a championship game officially sanctioned byFIFA; Cracovia won 2–1. The most famous derby took place in 1948 when after the first post-war season, both Cracovia and Wisła accumulated an even number of points and the championship had to be decided by an additional game played at a neutral venue. On 5 December 1948, Cracovia defeated Wisła 3–1 and was crowned national champions. As of May 2011, the Kraków derby game between Wisła and Cracovia has been contested 183 times, with Wisła winning 82 times, tying 42 times and Cracovia winning 59 times.
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The match contested between Wisła Kraków andLegia Warsaw, dubbed "The Derby of Poland", is commonly recognized as one of the greatest rivalries in Polish club football. Historically the two sides have been the most successful clubs in Poland, both in the top two in the all-time table. The rivalry between two of Poland's premier cities of Kraków andWarsaw sparks the rivalry even more. The regional differences of Kraków (south) and Warsaw (north), and the fact that Kraków used to be the capital of Poland before Warsaw (in the years 1038–1079 and 1138–1596) and the full official name of Kraków is Stołeczne Królewskie Miasto Kraków, or "Royal Capital City of Kraków" in English, also add a greater meaning to the match.
The other Kraków derby is contested againstHutnik, historically the third team in Kraków representingNowa Huta. Owing to Hutnik's lack of recent sporting success, the rivalry is mostly off-pitch and with Wisla's reserve team or in other sports sections of both clubs.
Other rivalries are withLech Poznań,Arka Gdynia andTarnovia Tarnów, an extension of the fierce rivalry with Cracovia as all three maintain good friendships with them.
Fans ofZagłębie Sosnowiec,Korona Kielce,GKS Katowice, andPolonia Warsaw are also inter-regional fierce rivals.
In addition to the professional team, Wisła Kraków also runs a reserve team, currently playing ingroup IV of theIII liga,[9] and youth teams competing in theCentral Junior League.[10]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| Manager |  Mariusz Jop |
| Assistant coaches | Bartosz BąkKazimierz Kmiecik Michał Siwierski |
| Fitness coach | Kazimierz Piechnik |
| Strength and conditioning coach | Karol Baran |
| Goalkeeping coach | Łukasz Załuska |
| Head of Analytics | Mariusz Kondak |
| Analyst | Krzysztof Siłka |
| Physiotherapists | Bartłomiej Grzegorczyk Marcin Sapalski |
| Team doctor | Mariusz Urban |
| Team manager | Kamil Binda |
| Kit manager | Daniel Bigaj |
Team records
Celtic (UEFA Cup), 29 September 1976.
WIT Georgia Tbilisi 2:8 Wisła Kraków, in Georgia, 27 July 2004. Wisła Kraków 7–0
Newtown, in Kraków, 29 July 1998.Records individual
Kazimierz Kmiecik – 153 goals in 304 matchesGrzegorz Kaliciak – 32 goalsKazimierz Kmiecik – 181 goals in 350 matchesMaciej Żurawski – 23 goalsMarcin Baszczyński – 52 gamesArkadiusz Głowacki – 461 gamesStefan Śliwa – 14 years, 268 daysMarcin Wasilewski – 40 years 39 daysAntoni Szymanowski – 65 games (a total of 82 games in the national team)Maciej Żurawski – 14 goalsMieczysław Gracz andMaciej Żurawski – 38 goals (all meetings),Henryk Reyman – 37 goals (league only)| Season | Achievement | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Cup/UEFA Champions League | |||
| 1978–79 | Quarter-final | lost to Malmö 2–1 in Kraków, 1–4 inMalmö | |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | |||
| 1967–68 | Round of 16 | lost to Hamburger SV 0–1 in Kraków, 0–4 inHamburg | |
| 1984–85 | Round of 16 | lost to Fortuna Sittard 0–2 inSittard, 2–1 in Kraków | |
| UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League | |||
| 2002–03 | Round of 16 | lost to Lazio 3–3 inRome, 1–2 in Kraków | |
| UEFA Conference League | |||
| 2024–25 | Play-off | lost to Cercle Brugge 1–6 in Kraków, 4–1 inBruges | |
Had international caps for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed inbold represented their countries while playing for Wisła.
Caretaker managers listed in italics.
Imre Schlosser (1924–29)
František Koželuh (1929–34)Vilmos Nyúl (1934–39)Otto Mazal-Skvajn (1939–46)Jan Kotlarczyk (1946–47)Artur Walter (1947–48)Josef Kuchynka (1948–50)Michał Matyas (1950–54)Mieczysław Gracz (1954–55)Artur Woźniak (1956–57)Josef Kuchynka (1958–59)
Károly Kósa (1959–60)Karel Finek (1960–61)Mieczysław Gracz (1961–62)Karel Kolsky (1963–64)Czesław Skoraczyński (1964–67)Mieczysław Gracz (1967–69)Gyula Teleky (1969–70)Michał Matyas (1970–71)Marian Kurdziel (1971–72)Jerzy Steckiw (1972–74)Henryk Stroniarz (1974–75)Aleksander Brożyniak (1975–77)Orest Lenczyk (1977–79)Lucjan Franczak (1979–81)Wiesław Lendzion (1981–82)Roman Durniok (1982–83)Edmund Zientara (1983–84)Orest Lenczyk (1984–85)Stanisław Chemicz (1985)Lucjan Franczak (1985–86)Stanisław Cygan (1986–87)Aleksander Brożyniak (1987–89)Stanisław Chemicz (1989)Adam Musiał (1989)Bogusław Hajdas (1989)Adam Musiał (1990–92)Kazimierz Kmiecik (1992)
Karol Pecze (1992–93)Marek Kusto (1993–94)Orest Lenczyk (1994)Marek Kusto (1994)Lucjan Franczak (1994–96)Kazimierz Kmiecik (1996)Henryk Apostel (1996–97)Kazimierz Kmiecik (1997)Wojciech Łazarek (1997–98)Jerzy Kowalik (1998)Franciszek Smuda (1998–99)Jerzy Kowalik (1999)Marek Kusto (1999–2000)Wojciech Łazarek (2000)Adam Nawałka (2000)Orest Lenczyk (2000–01)Adam Nawałka (2001)Franciszek Smuda (2001–02)Henryk Kasperczak (2002–04)Verner Lička (2004–05)Jerzy Engel (2005)Tomasz Kulawik (2005)
Dan Petrescu (2005–06)
Dragomir Okuka (2006)Adam Nawałka (2007)Kazimierz Moskal (2007)Maciej Skorża (2007–10)Henryk Kasperczak (2010)Tomasz Kulawik (2010)Robert Maaskant (2010–11)Kazimierz Moskal (2011–12)Michał Probierz (2012)Tomasz Kulawik (2012–13)Franciszek Smuda (2013–15)Kazimierz Moskal (2015)Marcin Broniszewski (2015–16)Tadeusz Pawłowski (2015–16)Marcin Broniszewski (2016)Dariusz Wdowczyk (2016)Kazimierz Kmiecik (2016)
Kiko Ramírez (2017)Radosław Sobolewski (2017)Joan Carrillo (2018)Maciej Stolarczyk (2018–19)Artur Skowronek (2019–20)Peter Hyballa (2020–21)Kazimierz Kmiecik (2021)Adrián Guľa (2021–22)Jerzy Brzęczek (2022)[12]Radosław Sobolewski (2022–23)Mariusz Jop (2023)Albert Rudé (2023–24)Kazimierz Moskal (2024)Mariusz Jop (2024–present)Wisła Kraków also had anesports division, with teams inCounter-Strike: Global Offensive andFIFA 20.[13]
The women's basketball section are one of the most successful clubs in the country, winning 25national championships, 12 vice-championships, 13 Polish Cups andcontinental runners-up in 1970.
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