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I liga

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This article is about the second tier of Polish football. For the current first tier league previously known as I liga, see Ekstraklasa. For articles with similar names, see 1. Liga (disambiguation).
I liga
Organising bodyPZPN
Founded30 May 1948; 76 years ago (30 May 1948)
1949–2008 (as II liga)
since 2009 (as I liga)
CountryPoland
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams18
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toEkstraklasa
Relegation toII liga
Domestic cup(s)Polish Cup
Polish Super Cup
International cup(s)UEFA Europa Conference League
(via Polish Cup)
Current championsLechia Gdańsk (4th title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsGwardia Warsaw (6 titles)
TV partnersTVP Sport
Sponsor(s)Betclic
Website1liga.org
Current: 2024–25 I liga

I liga (Polish: Pierwsza liga, Polish pronunciation: [ˈpjɛrfʂa ˈliɡa]), currently named Betclic I liga due to its sponsorship by Betclic,[1] is the men's second professional association football division of the Polish football league system, below the Ekstraklasa and above the II liga via promotion/relegation systems. It is run by the Polish Football Association (PZPN) since its inception on 30 May 1948. The league was renamed from Second League (II liga) to First League (I liga) in 2008. It is currently contested by 18 teams; from 2002, all clubs onwards must have a licence, issued by the Association.[2]

Before 1939, there were several plans to create a second, national level of Polish football system, but all failed. Instead, there were regional leagues of most Polish provinces, the so-called A Classes (see also Lower Level Football Leagues in Interwar Poland).

History

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State Class in Austrian Galicia

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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

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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

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Second-level league was first created for the 1949 season, and was split into northern and southern sections, each comprising 10 teams.[3] 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

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For the 1951 season, the format was changed to four groups, with eight teams in each group.[4]

1970s–2008

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For the 1973–74 season, the second level was changed to comprise two sections, split into north and south.[5]

For the 1989–90 season, the league reverted to a single group.[6]

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

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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

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The following 18 clubs are competing in the I liga during the 2024–25 season.

class=notpageimage|
Location of teams in 2024–25 I liga.
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Team Location Venue Capacity
Arka Gdynia Gdynia GOSiR Stadium 15,139
Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza Nieciecza Bruk-Bet Termalica Sports Stadium 4,666
Chrobry Głogów Głogów GOS Stadium 2,817
GKS Tychy Tychy Tychy Stadium 15,150
Górnik Łęczna Łęczna Górnik Łęczna Stadium 7,464
Kotwica Kołobrzeg Kołobrzeg Sebastian Karpiniuk Stadium 3,014
ŁKS Łódź Łódź Władysław Król Stadium 18,029
Miedź Legnica Legnica White Eagle Stadium 6,864
Odra Opole Opole Odra Stadium1
Opolski Stadium		 4,560
11,600
Pogoń Siedlce Siedlce Siedlce Stadium 2,901
Polonia Warsaw Warsaw Kazimierz Sosnkowski Stadium 7,150
Ruch Chorzów Chorzów Śląski Stadium2 54,378
Stal Rzeszów Rzeszów Stal Rzeszów Stadium 11,547
Stal Stalowa Wola Stalowa Wola Subcarpathian Football Center 3,764
Warta Poznań Poznań Stadion Respect Energy3
Warta Poznań Stadium		 5,383
4,694
Wisła Kraków Kraków Henryk Reyman Stadium 33,326
Wisła Płock Płock Kazimierz Górski Orlen Stadion 15,004
Znicz Pruszków Pruszków Pruszków Stadium 1,977
  1. ^ This will be final season of Odra Opole at Odra Stadium, as they will be set to move to their new stadium.
  2. ^ Since 28 October 2023 Ruch Chorzów played their matches at Śląski Stadium.[7] It remains unclear if they will stay there or they will move to Stadion Ruchu Chorzów.
  3. ^ Due to the renovation of Dębińska Road Stadium in Poznań, Warta had to play their matches at Stadion Respect Energy in Grodzisk Wielkopolski since 2020.[8] Even though on 29 April 2024, Enea Stadion offered Warta to play their matches for the 2024–25 season,[9] on 19 June they ultimately decided to remain in Grodzisk Wielkopolski with hopes to return to Dębińska Road Stadium.[10]

Champions of the Polish second level

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Betclic Sponsorem Tytularnym 1. Ligi do końca sezonu 2027/2028". I liga. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  2. ^ . "Foul Play". Warsaw Voice. 2003-08-28. Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  3. ^ Piotr Dąbrowski, Paweł Mogielnicki and Gwidon Naskrent (20 June 2007). "Poland 1949". Poland Final Tables (1st and 2nd level). RSSSF. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  4. ^ Pawel Mogielnicki (26 July 1998). "History, part 1 1949-1959". Poland: druga liga. RSSSF. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  5. ^ Piotr Dąbrowski, Paweł Mogielnicki and Gwidon Naskrent (20 June 2007). "Poland 1973/74". Poland Final Tables (1st and 2nd level). RSSSF. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  6. ^ Piotr Dąbrowski, Paweł Mogielnicki and Gwidon Naskrent (7 March 2013). "Poland 1989/90". Poland Final Tables (1st and 2nd level). RSSSF. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Ekstraklasa: Ruch Chorzów od października będzie grał na Stadionie Śląskim" (in Polish). Przegląd Sportowy. 25 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Warta Poznań awansowała do ekstraklasy, ale będzie grać nadal w Grodzisku. Dlaczego?" (in Polish). gloswielkopolski.pl. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Warta Poznań rusza na Bułgarską" (in Polish). Radio Poznań. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Warta Poznań liczy na powrót do "ogródka" i będzie prosić Komisję Licencyjną PZPN o dodatkowy czas na rozwiązanie problemów". gol24.pl (in Polish). 19 June 2024.
  11. ^ Gwidon Naskrent (9 June 2003). "Poland 2nd Division Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
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