The Speedway Ekstraliga (English: Polish Extraleague, Polish: Ekstraliga żużlowa) is the top division of motorcycle speedway in Poland. It has been called the "richest and most popular speedway league in the world",[1] and attracts riders from all over the world. The Ekstraliga has the highest average attendances for any sport in Poland.[1]

Ekstraliga żużlowa

Tomasz Chrzanowski (blue helmet), Robert Kościecha (white helmet)
Sportmotorcycle speedway
Founded2000
CEOLeague Commissioner:
Wojciech Stępniewski
No. of teams8
CountryPoland
Most recent
champion(s)
2023 - Motor Lublin
TV partner(s)England: Premier Sports
Poland: Eleven Sports PL & nSport+
Official websiteOfficial site
Notes
League below
Ekstraliga 2
2. Liga

With the fall of communism in Poland in the 1990s and the resultant sharp increase in the value of the Złoty, the sport began to attract a wider range of star riders from other countries. The first of these was Denmark's Hans Nielsen.[1]

In 2000, the First Division was renamed Ekstraliga, and the number of teams was reduced.[1] Since 2015 the official sponsor of Ekstraliga is the Polish energy company PGE, which signed the financial contract for three consecutive seasons in 2021. The top division is called the PGE Ekstraliga.[2]

2024 PGE Ekstraliga edit

Teams edit

City Club Current team name Seasons in Ekstraliga Total Seasons
Leszno Unia Leszno Fogo Unia Leszno 2000–24 25
Wrocław WTS Wrocław Betard Sparta Wrocław 2000–24 25
Toruń KS Toruń For Nature Solutions KS Apator Toruń 2000–19, 2021–24 24
Częstochowa Włókniarz Częstochowa Tauron Włókniarz Częstochowa 2000–14, 2017–24 23
Gorzów Wlkp. Stal Gorzów Wlkp. ebut.pl Stal Gorzów 2000–02, 2008–24 21
Zielona Góra ZKŻ Zielona Góra Enea Falubaz Zielona Góra 2001, 2003–05, 2007–21, 2024 20
Tarnów Unia Tarnów Unia Tarnów 2004–08, 2010–16, 2018 13
Bydgoszcz Polonia Bydgoszcz Abramczyk Polonia Bydgoszcz 2000–07, 2009–10, 2012–13 12
Grudziądz GKM Grudziądz ZOOleszcz GKM Grudziądz 2015–24 10
Gdańsk Wybrzeże Gdańsk Zdunek Wybrzeże Gdańsk 2000, 2002–03, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2014 7
Rzeszów Stal Rzeszów Texom Stal Rzeszów 2006–08, 2011–13, 2015 7
Lublin KM Cross Lublin Platinum Motor Lublin 2019–24 6
Rybnik ŻKS ROW Rybnik ROW Rybnik 2004, 2006, 2016–17, 2020 5
Piła Polonia Piła Polonia Piła 2000–03 4
Gniezno Start Gniezno Start Gniezno 2013 1
Ostrów TZ Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski Arged Malesa Ostrów 2022 1
Krosno Wilki Krosno Cellfast Wilki Krosno 2023 1

Ekstraliga Champions edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Kevin Meynell & Marcin Babnis (7 July 2004), History of Polish Speedway. Main competitions. Rules. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  2. ^ "Speedway from Around the Globe - Poland PGE Ekstraliga". Speedway Star page 42. 10 September 2022.