Piast Gliwice

Piast Gliwice, officially GKS Piast Gliwice, is a Polish football club based in Gliwice, Silesian Voivodeship. Founded in 1945, the club competes in the Ekstraklasa, Poland's top division. Their home ground is the Stadion Miejski, also known as the Piotr Wieczorek Stadium, a modern venue that opened in 2011 with a capacity of around 10,000. The team plays in blue and red, which is why fans call them the "Niebiesko-Czerwoni" (Blue-Red).

The club's crowning achievement came in the 2018–19 season, when Piast stunned Polish football by winning their first-ever national championship. That title, secured under manager Waldemar Fornalik, qualified them for the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. Before that breakthrough, Piast had spent most of its existence in the lower leagues, earning promotion to the Ekstraklasa only in 2012.

Since that historic season, Piast have become a regular top-flight side, known for a disciplined, team-oriented style and a strong youth academy. While they haven't repeated the title, they've remained competitive. The club is active in the current 2026–27 season, with a dramatic 4–3 win over Wisła Kraków in the second round and a new president, Jacek Sroka, taking over in late July 2026. [edit]

Piast Gliwice were founded in 1945, but for decades they toiled in the lower divisions of Polish football. The turning point came in the 2010s. In 2012, they finally won promotion to the Ekstraklasa, and they quickly established themselves as a competitive top-flight side. The 2018–19 season was their annus mirabilis: under Waldemar Fornalik, Piast won their first league title, beating out the traditional powerhouses. That triumph earned them a spot in the Champions League qualifiers, a remarkable achievement for a club of their size.

Since then, Piast have remained in the top division, though they haven't repeated the title. Their youth academy has produced several Polish internationals, and the club is known for giving homegrown talent a chance. A recent example: a wychowanek made his debut after waiting nineteen years for the moment, a testament to the club's patience with its academy products.

In the summer of 2026, the club is undergoing changes. A new president, Jacek Sroka, took over on July 31, 2026, though he has kept a low profile. Several key players are departing: a defender is finalizing a transfer abroad, the club's star is set to sign a five-year contract elsewhere, and midfielder Igor Drapiński has decided to leave the Ekstraklasa. There are also reports of interest in Nigerian defensive midfielder Timipere Eboh, and a Polish player is close to a move to Turkey. [edit]