Warta Poznaà  () is a multi-sports club based in Poznaà Â, Poland. The name means the Guard in Polish and also the name of the river Warta on which Poznaà  is located. As of the 2025âÂÂ26 season, they compete in the third division, after being relegated from the 2024âÂÂ25 I liga.
Founded in 1912, the association football club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947. In 2020, Warta returned to the Polish Ekstraklasa after being absent for 25 years. The club played four seasons in the top division until relegation in 2024. The club also played in the top level of the Polish football league system from 1927 to 1939, 1946 to 1950, and 1993 to 1995.
In its history, the club celebrated many successes in disciplines such as boxing (the club won the Polish championship 11 times between 1927 and 1939), field hockey (the club won the Polish championship 12 times between 1963 and 1980) and tennis (Wiesà Âaw Gàsiorek of Warta was Polish champion 12 times between 1959 and 1970). In total, Warta teams, sportsmen and sportswomen won almost 800 medals in Polish championship competitions in different sports disciplines.
On 15 June 1912, the Warta Poznaà  Sports Club (Klub Sportowy Warta Poznaà Â) was established, which later became known as "the first lady of Wielkopolska". Its founders were young Poles who previously played in the German clubs in Poznaà Â, including Marian Bey, Stefan Malinowski, Stefan Mórkowski, brothers Edmund and Franciszek Szyc and Ludwik Zysnarski. They were included in the first board of the club, whose first president - as the oldest member of the board - became Franciszek Szyc. His brother Edmund was appointed secretary, and Marian Bey was the team captain. At the founding meeting, white and green were chosen as statutory colours. In addition to football, Warta formed an athletics section in 1912 and then a tennis section in 1914.
During German rule, matches involving Polish teams were forbidden, which prompted the decision to organize the first Wielkopolska football championship in 1913, in which three teams participated: Warta Poznaà Â, Posnania and Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski. Warta became the first champion. The results were as follows: Posnania - Warta 1âÂÂ1, Warta - Ostrovia 3âÂÂ2, Ostrovia - Warta 3âÂÂ4, Warta - Posnania 2âÂÂ2.
The inaugural championship of the region resulted in a surge of football popularity in Poznaà Â. New football teams emerged such as Trytonia founded in à Âazarz and a team called Sparta established in Jeà ¼yce. In 1914, despite the start of hostilities related to the outbreak of World War I, efforts were made in Poznaà  to organize sports events, which was made more difficult by the martial law imposed by the Germans. In general, the regulations did not allow any kind of meeting or assembly to be held without official permits. Despite these difficulties, in 1914 the second Wielkopolska Championships were held, in which only two teams participated: Warta Poznaà  and KS Posnania. In this two-legged tie, Warta smoothly defeated Posnania 6âÂÂ3 and 2âÂÂ1.
There is no reliable information about the 1915 Wielkopolska championship. But Warta also played various friendly matches against Polish and German teams during the war years, including Fever Koà Âcian (1âÂÂ3 and 5âÂÂ5) and DSV Posen (2âÂÂ2) in 1915, and Stella Gniezno (2âÂÂ2) in 1916. Particularly noteworthy was the 4âÂÂ0 victory against DSV Posen in 1916 - DSV (Deutscher Sport Verein) was a German football club considered the best football club in Poznaà  until then. In 1917, Warta celebrated its 5th anniversary year by organising a tournament with the participation of the best football teams from Poznaà Â.
Also in 1917, Franciszek Rotnicki became chairman of the club and, during his chairmanship (1917âÂÂ1924), he laid the structural foundations for Warta's future successes. It was said at the time: "... A man of great authority, energetic and enterprising. It is he, together with a skilfully selected group of associates, who builds solid foundations for the future size of the club in this difficult period.".
World War I hostilities caused enormous losses. Out of 100 Warta club members in 1914, 45 fought in the war, and two founding membersEdmund Szyc and Stefan Malinowskidied in the war. During the successful Greater Poland Uprising against German partitioning authorities, many footballers from Poznaà  volunteered for military service to fight for their country but the restoration of an independent Polish state after 123 years in 1918 also provided new opportunities, as Polish sports clubs were able to function without interference from foreign powers.
In 1919, pre-war sports structures were re-activated, and the first post-war Wielkopolska championship was held. Five teams entered the competition, including four teams from Poznaà  - Unia, Warta, Posnania, and Pogoà  - as well as Ostrovia from Ostrów Wielkopolski. Warta won the championship, after beating Ostrovia 7âÂÂ1, Unia 3âÂÂ2, Posnania 7âÂÂ0 and Pogoà  7âÂÂ0. In the following year, the regional championship was abandoned because of the Polish-Soviet War.
In 1921, the first Polish national football championship was successfully held (the championship was previously started and then abandoned in 1920 because of the PolishâÂÂSoviet War). It was run similar to a cup competition, according to the "spring-autumn" system, until 1927. In the spring, Warta participated in the Klasa A regional district championship (Warta became champion in 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1926, in 1924-1925 no champion was crowned), with football clubs from Wielkopolska such as Warta, Pogoà  and Stella Gniezno. In the autumn, the winners from five regional districts played against each other at national level. Under the club chairmanship of Stanisà Âaw Broniarz (chairman 1924 to 1927, deputy chairman 1927 to 1929), Warta was a leading proponent and founding member of the Polish football league, which was launched in 1927.
The interwar period was Warta's golden era and Warta was a leading football team in Poland. Between 1922 and 1928, Warta was always in the top three teams in the Polish football championship (there was no championship in 1924). Finally, with the Hungarian coach Béla Fà ±rst in charge, Warta won its first Polish football championship in 1929. In that season, Warta won 15 out of 24 league matches, it lost fewest goals of all teams (33) and it had - jointly with Cracovia - the best goal difference (+25).
The global economic crisis of 1929 negatively affected Polish sports clubs, including Warta. Despite these difficulties, throughout the 1930s, Warta was again in the top three football clubs in the top division on four occasions. In 1932, Kajetan Kryszkiewicz and Friedrich Scherfke were jointly the top goal scorers in the league, with 15 goals each. Other sports disciplines also fared well. In 1920, the Poznaà  municipal government handed over large sports grounds to Warta. Warta launched new sports sections, including field hockey (1923), boxing (1924), swimming (1928) and ice hockey (1930). Warta's boxing team won the Polish championship 11 times and Warta's athletics team won the Polish championship five times.
Warta Poznaà  encouraged innovations in sports in the inter-war period. In 1929, the victorious Warta match against the Dutch champions Philips Eindhoven (today's PSV Eindhoven) was the first football match broadcast on Polish radio (Warta won 5âÂÂ2). In September 1933, the Warta match against Legia Poznaà  was the first football match in Poland to be played using artificial lighting.
Polish teams did not yet participate in annual European football club competitions, but the Warta team travelled abroad on many occasions to play friendly games and to take part in football tournaments. Every year, various football teams from Germany, Hungary and elsewhere travelled to Poznaà  to play Warta. In September 1934, for example, FC Milan (today's AC Milan) travelled to Poznaà  to play against Warta (Warta lost 1âÂÂ3).
At the start ofàWorld War IIàin 1939, the football season was interrupted and was never completed. The club was forced to suspend its operations. Poles were not permitted to participate in organised sports events during the German occupation, but some Warta football players clandestinely took part in an unofficial Poznaà  football championship in 1940 and 1941, with games played on football pitches on the outskirts of town.
During the war, the German occupiers destroyed many documents and club mementos. Some former Warta sportsmen and board members were murdered in German concentration camps. For example, former Warta footballers Marian EinbacheràandàAdam Knioà Âaàwere murdered in the Auschwitz concentration camp, while former Warta club chairman Stanisà Âaw Broniarz was murdered in the Gross-Rosen concentration camp. Three pre-war players, Marian Spoida, Konrad Ofierzyà Âski and Telesfor Banaszkiewicz, were among Poles murdered by the Soviets in the large Katyn massacre in AprilâÂÂMay 1940.
A formal general meeting was held on 18 March 1945 and the club's operations were revived. Already in the first post-war season of the Polish football league in 1946, Warta finished the season in second place, losing in the final against Polonia Warsaw (for two years after the war, the Polish championship was contested like a cup competition).
A year later in 1947, Warta played outstanding football under the direction of the Hungarian coach Károly Fogl. In the semi-final of the Polish championship competition, Warta won against AKS Chorzów 4âÂÂ1 and 2âÂÂ0. In the final, Warta beat Wisà Âa Kraków 2âÂÂ0 away in Kraków. Interest in the final match in Poznaà  was enormous and the stadium attendance was higher than nominal capacity (over 20 000 spectators). The exciting match finished with Warta's victory 5âÂÂ2 and Warta won its second â and so far, last â championship title in its history.
However, the Stalinism era ended the series of Warta's successes, as regional Communist leadership favoured the local rival Lech Poznaà Â. In 1949, Warta was de facto forced to change its name to Zwiàzkowiec Poznaà Â, which resulted in the disappearance of the historical name Warta. In 1950, Warta was forced to merge with the sports club HCP, which belonged to the Hipolit Cegielski Poznaà  works â a leading industrial company in Poznaà Â. The HCP team played under the name Stal and the merged club used the name. In the same year, Warta's football team was relegated from the top division. From 1951 to 1956, the club played under the name Stal Poznaà Â.
On 29 December 1956, a general meeting of the club decided to return to the old name Warta. The Hipolit Cegielski Poznaà  works continued to sponsor the club. Their involvement did not return Warta to its former glory, but it significantly helped to develop the club's logistical base. Warta received funds to re-develop its sports facilities and was able to use the Edmund Szyc Stadium (then called <nowiki></nowiki>22 July Stadium") with a capacity of 60,000.
During the post-war period, the Warta football team never returned to the top flight. However, Warta celebrated successes in other sports â most notably, in field hockey and tennis. In field hockey, Warta won the Polish championship 12 times between 1963 and 1980 and they were runners-up nine times between 1957 and 1981. Warta participated in the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup (Europe's premier field hockey club competition) six times between 1969 and 1977, coming fifth in Europe in the 1969 EuroHockey Club Champions Cup.
In the Polish tennis league, Warta's tennis team became Polish champions in 1965 and 1970 and were runners-up in 1961, 1964, 1966, and 1969. Warta's tennis section was particularly known for the individual achievements of Wiesà Âaw Gàsiorek, who was Polish men's singles champion 12 times between 1959 and 1970. In gymnastics, artistic gymnasts Zdzisà Âaw Lesià Âski and Urszula à Âukomska represented the club at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
In 1989, at the end of the Communist period, Warta and Hipolit Cegielski Poznaà  works parted ways. After some negotiations, the Edmund Szyc Stadium and the sports grounds were transferred to the club.
At the beginning of the 1990s, Warta returned to the top tier of the Polish football league system after 43 years.
In 1993, Warta was promoted to PolandâÂÂs top tier division for the first time since 1950, after winning the âÂÂWestern conferenceâ of the second tier league in the 1992-1993 season. Warta finished the 1993-1994 Ekstraklasa season in 14th position, with 8 points above the relegation zone.
The 1994-1995 Ekstraklasa season was historic, as it was the only season in history that featured three football clubs from Poznaà  in the top tier division: Warta Poznaà Â, Lech Poznaà  and Olimpia Poznaà Â. However, suffering from ailing debts, Warta finished bottom of the table and the club was relegated from the top division.
Warta's bad run continued and the club was relegated from the second tier in 1996. The club mostly played in the third tier of the league system over the next decade.
The Edmund Szyc Stadium fell into disrepair by 1998. Warta subsequently played its football matches in the Warta Poznaà  Stadium, the former training ground of the Edmund Szyc Stadium, nicknamed Ogródek (Little Garden).
In the 2007âÂÂ08 season, Warta returned to the second tier of the Polish football league system. The club's best result was the 7th position (out of 18 teams) in the 2010-11 season.
In January 2011, former model and new owner Izabella à Âukomska-Pyà ¼alska became chairwoman. Debts of the ailing club were repaid and the budget was increased. Warta started to play its games in the Municipal Stadium in Poznaà Â. However, Warta remained in the second tier. After relegation in 2013 and because of club debts, Warta landed in the fourth tier of the league system where it spent the 2014âÂÂ15 and 2015âÂÂ16 seasons.
In 2016, Warta was promoted to II liga (the third tier of the league system).
In 2018, Warta was able to advance toÃÂ the second tier again.ÃÂ
However, by the autumn of 2018, the club's finances were in serious trouble. The situation was so desperate that the football team captain Bartosz Kieliba said: "Several months of player wages are in arrears, there is no certainty whether we will ever play another game, which does not help our work in training or our stance in matches".
In August 2018, businessman Bartà Âomiej Farjaszewski bought the football section of Warta (under the name: Warta Poznaà  SA) and repaid the club's debts. Following the legal separation in 2018, there are now two organisations: Warta Poznaà  SA focuses on all football teams, whereas KS Warta Poznaà  continues as a multi-sports club (which includes fencing, field hockey and swimming sections, among others).
In June 2019, Piotr Tworek replaced Petr NÃÂmec as football coach. In 2020, with experienced players such as Bartosz Kieliba and à Âukasz Traà Âka, Warta surprisingly finished the 2019âÂÂ20 I liga season in third place. After winning the promotion playoffs, Warta returned to the Polish Ekstraklasa after being absent for 25 years.
At the start of the 2020âÂÂ21 season, many football pundits predicted Warta's relegation. Defying expectations, with new players such as striker Mateusz Kuzimski (summer 2020 signing) and winger Makana Baku (on loan from January 2021), Warta finished fifth in the league, missing out on qualification to the UEFA Europa Conference League by just one point. This represented Warta football team's best result since winning the football championship in 1947.
Following Warta's poor start to the 2021âÂÂ22 season (17th place in the league with eight points in thirteen league games), Dawid Szulczek replaced Tworek as head coach in November 2021. Under Szulczek, Warta finished 11th in the league in the 2021âÂÂ22 season and 8th in the 2022âÂÂ23 season.
Warta contested the 2023âÂÂ24 season much in the same way as their recent top-flight campaigns, with a below-average budget and limited transfer activity. On 18 April 2024, Szulczek announced he would not extend his contract and depart Warta at the end of the season. On 25 May that year, the last matchday, Warta suffered a 0âÂÂ3 defeat to Jagiellonia Biaà Âystok and were jumped in the standings by Korona Kielce following their away win over Lech Poznaà Â. As a result, Warta finished 16th and were relegated, ending their four-year stay in the top division.
On 24 June 2024, Piotr Jacek was appointed as Szulczek's successor. With most of last season's roster replaced by youngsters and experienced second division players, Jacek was sacked two months into his stint and succeeded by Piotr Klepczarek. On 10 March 2025, after earning one point in the first four games of the year, Klepczarek was replaced with the experienced Ryszard Tarasiewicz. Warta's winless run continued until their successive relegation to II liga was confirmed on 11 May, following a 2âÂÂ0 away defeat to Chrobry Gà Âogów.
As the Warta Poznaà  Municipal Stadium (Ogródek) did not conform to Ekstraklasa and I liga licensing requirements, the senior Warta football team played its home games in the Stadion Dyskobolii Grodzisk Wielkopolski from 2020 to 2025. Subsequently, Ogródek underwent renovations in order to fulfil the II liga licensing requirements. After nearly six years, Warta played its first home game there on 7 September 2025, winning 1âÂÂ0 against Zagà ÂÃÂbie Sosnowiec.
Warta also operates youth teams (both boys and girls) in different age groups in the Central Junior League and an amputee football team. It also briefly fielded a women's football section.
Had international caps for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Warta.
Polish players
Foreign players