Towarzystwo Sportowe Wisà Âa Kraków Spóà Âka Akcyjna, commonly referred to as Wisà Âa Kraków (), is a Polish professional football club based in Kraków. They currently compete in the I liga, the second level of Polish football league system, following relegation from the 2021âÂÂ22 Ekstraklasa season. It ranks fourth in the number of national titles won (13), behind Górnik Zabrze, Ruch Chorzów (both on 14), and Legia Warsaw (15), and second in all-time victories. Wisà Âa was founded in 1906 under the name TS Wisà Âa (Polish: Towarzystwo Sportowe Wisà Âa). The team plays its home matches at the Synerise Arena Kraków.
The club's coat of arms is a red crest crossed by a blue ribbon, with a white star centered on top.
Wisà Âa Kraków was one of the most successful Polish football clubs of 2000s, winning eight league championships since 1999. Along with league titles, Wisà Âa also won the Polish Cup on five occasions, including the first-ever edition in 1926, and are the current cup holders. Wisà Âa also enjoyed some success in European competitions in the 1970s, reaching the quarter-finals in the 1978âÂÂ79 European Cup.
Wisà Âa Kraków was founded in 1906 when students of the Second Practical School in Kraków, inspired by their professor Tadeusz à Âopuszaà Âski, formed a football club.
In this first, historic season of the League, the fight for the championship was decided between two teams: Wisà Âa Kraków and 1. 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 Wisà Âa, 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 Wisà Âa took place. Stakes were very high â the winner would become the Champion. Kraków's side won 2âÂÂ0 and became the Champion. 1.FC finished second, third was Warta Poznaà Â.
During the German occupation of Poland (World War II), the club operated secretly. Co-founder Franciszek Broà ¼ek and pre-war player Adam Obrubaà Âski were among Poles murdered by the Russians in the large Katyn massacre in AprilâÂÂMay 1940.
In 1949, the club was renamed to Gwardia-Wisà Âa Kraków. In 1955 the club returned to its original name, TS Wisà Âa. In 1967, the club was once again renamed, to GTS Wisà Âa, a name which held until 1990 when the club reverted to its original name, TS Wisà Âa. In the late 1990s, the football section of the club was incorporated and was renamed Wisà Âa 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, Wisà Âa has competed in all three of the European competitions. The club's greatest success came in the 1978âÂÂ79 season, when Wisà Âa was able to reach the quarter-finals of the European Cup, eventually to be knocked out by Malmö FF 3âÂÂ5 on aggregate. Most recently, Wisà Âa narrowly missed out on a chance to compete in the 2005âÂÂ06 UEFA Champions League group stage, being defeated 4âÂÂ5 by Panathinaikos after extra time.
Wisà Âa also twice reached the second round of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1967âÂÂ68 and 1984âÂÂ85, falling 0âÂÂ5 and 2âÂÂ3 by Hamburger SV and Fortuna Sittard, respectively. The White Star has competed in the UEFA Cup ten times.
On 15 May 2022, Wisà Âa was relegated to the I liga for the first time since 1996, after losing 4âÂÂ2 against Radomiak Radom.
On 2 May 2024, they won their fifth Polish Cup title after defeating Pogoà  Szczecin 1âÂÂ2 in extra time, becoming the fifth second division team to win this competition, and the first since Ruch Chorzów in 1996. The White Star itself finished the 2023âÂÂ24 season ranked 10th in the second tier.
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 Wisà Âa Stadium was also chosen as a reserve venue for the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament, jointly held in Poland and Ukraine. The record attendance of 45,000 at Wisà Âa Stadium came on 29 September 1976 when Wisà Âa defeated Celtic 2âÂÂ0. The venue has been a fortress for Wisà Âa, where the team is especially difficult to defeat. Wisà Âa 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 to KSZO Ostrowiec à ÂwiÃÂtokrzyski, and ended more than five years later on 11 November 2006, when GKS Beà Âchatów defeated Wisà Âa 4âÂÂ2. The number of matches without a loss was then settled at 73, overcoming the former Polish record of 48 which belonged to Legia Warsaw. During the 2008âÂÂ09 season, Wisà Âa lost points at home only twice, drawing with à ÂKS à Âódà º and being defeated by Lech Poznaà Â.
Wisà Âa fans formerly had long friendships relations with Lechia Gdaà Âsk and à Âlàsk Wrocà Âaw, known as the "Three Kings of Great Cities" alliance until 2016, when their alliance fell apart. They formed a new group with Ruch Chorzów and Widzew à Âódà º (and by extension Elana Toruà Â, Slovan Bratislava and KKS Kalisz), which divided Wisà Âa fans.
The fans have an amicable relationship with Polonia Przemyà Âl. Although Garbarnia Kraków, Puszcza Niepoà Âomice and Kmita Zabierzów have no organised fan movements they are known to have local Wisà Âa fans attend their games. Kmita was founded initially as Wisà Âa Zabierzów as a local branch of the Wisà Âa sports club.
The club also has close relations with Italian side Lazio since their Rome derby match in 2016, as well private contacts with CSKA Moscow and VfL Bochum.
The fans formerly held relations with Unia Tarnów, Jagiellonia Biaà Âystok, Siarka Tarnobrzeg, Resovia Rzeszów and Zagà ÂÃÂbie Waà Âbrzych.
The term "Holy War" refers to the intense rivalry between the two Kraków-based teams; Wisà Âa and KS Cracovia. In 1906, the establishment of the two first Polish football clubs, Cracovia and Wisà Âa, 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 and Jutrzenka. A Jutrzenka defender, Ludwik Gintel, who later joined the Cracovia side referred to the derby match against Wisà Âa as the "Holy War". The phrase was incorporated into a song and has since been popular amongst both Wisà Âa and Cracovia fans.
The first recorded Kraków Derby was contested on 20 September 1908, a 1âÂÂ1 draw. A historic derby match between Cracovia and Wisà Âa occurred on 8 May 1913. It was the first time Polish teams played a championship game officially sanctioned by FIFA; Cracovia won 2âÂÂ1. The most famous derby took place in 1948 when after the first post-war season, both Cracovia and Wisà Âa 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 Wisà Âa 3âÂÂ1 and was crowned national champions. As of May 2011, the Kraków derby game between Wisà Âa and Cracovia has been contested 183 times, with Wisà Âa winning 82 times, tying 42 times and Cracovia winning 59 times.
The match contested between Wisà Âa Kraków and Legia 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 and Warsaw 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 1038âÂÂ1079 and 1138âÂÂ1596) and the full official name of Kraków is Stoà Âeczne 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 against Hutnik, historically the third team in Kraków representing Nowa 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 with Lech Poznaà Â, Arka Gdynia and Tarnovia Tarnów, an extension of the fierce rivalry with Cracovia as all three maintain good friendships with them.
Fans of Zagà ÂÃÂbie Sosnowiec, Korona Kielce, GKS Katowice, and Polonia Warsaw are also inter-regional fierce rivals.
In addition to the professional team, Wisà Âa Kraków also runs a reserve team, currently playing in group IV of the III liga, and youth teams competing in the Central Junior League.
Team records
Records individual
Had international caps for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Wisà Âa.
Caretaker managers listed in italics.
Wisà Âa Kraków also had an esports division, with teams in ' and FIFA 20.
The women's basketball section are one of the most successful clubs in the country, winning 25 national championships, 12 vice-championships, 13 Polish Cups and continental runners-up in 1970.