Piast Gliwice facts for kids
 |
||||
| Full name | Gliwicki Klub Sportowy Piast Gliwice | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Piastunki (the Custodians, the Keepers) | |||
| Founded | 18 June 1945 | |||
| Ground | Piotr Wieczorek Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 9,913 | |||
| Chairman | Łukasz Lewiński | |||
| Manager | Max Mölder | |||
| League | Ekstraklasa | |||
| 2024–25 | Ekstraklasa, 10th of 18 | |||
|
||||
Piast Gliwice is a professional football club from Gliwice, Poland. The club was started in 1945. They play in the Ekstraklasa, which is the top football league in Poland.
Piast Gliwice won their first national championship in the 2018–19 season. Since then, they have often played in European competitions. Before the 2010s, the club mostly played in lower leagues.
The team plays its home games at the Piotr Wieczorek Stadium. This stadium can hold about 10,000 fans and opened in 2011. Piast Gliwice traditionally wears blue and red uniforms.
Contents
Club History
Piast Gliwice was founded in June 1945. It was started by Polish people who had to leave their homes in eastern Poland after World War II. The club's name, Piast, comes from the Piast dynasty. This was a very old royal family that ruled Poland from the 900s until 1370.
Over the years, Piast Gliwice merged with other local teams. Its name changed a few times, like to Metal Piast Gliwice and Stal Gliwice, before going back to Piast Gliwice in 1955. In 1964, it merged with GKS Gliwice and became GKS Piast Gliwice. For many years, Piast played in the Second Division. They even reached the final of the Polish Cup twice, in 1978 and 1983, but lost both times.
In the 1990s, the club faced money problems. They had to rebuild their team from a very low league, the 7th tier. But they were amazing! They earned four promotions in a row between 1997 and 2001. They then moved up to the second tier in 2003. Piast played 33 seasons in the Polish Second Division. Finally, in 2008, they were promoted to the Ekstraklasa, Poland's top league. They are the first Polish team to climb all the way from the 7th tier to the Ekstraklasa and then play in European competitions!
The 2010s were the best time for Piast. They finished second in the Ekstraklasa in 2015–16. Then, they won their first Polish championship in the 2018–19 season.
Piast Gliwice also has a futsal team. Futsal is a type of indoor football. This team plays in the Futsal Ekstraklasa, which is the top futsal league. Their home games are at the Gliwice Arena. The futsal team won its first Polish Championship in the 2021–22 season.
Club Crest
The club's crest (or logo) is based on the coat of arms of the city of Gliwice. It features the Piast Eagle. This eagle is a symbol of the Piast dynasty, which ruled the region of Upper Silesia and the city of Gliwice until 1532.
Club Achievements
Piast Gliwice has won several important titles:
- Ekstraklasa (Polish Top League)
- Champions: 2018–19
- Runners-up: 2015–16
- Third place: 2019–20
- I liga (Polish Second League)
- Champions: 2011–12
- Polish Cup
- Runners-up: 1977–78, 1982–83
Seasons in Leagues
Piast Gliwice has spent many seasons in different Polish football leagues:
- Seasons in Ekstraklasa: 14 (from 2008–10, and since 2012)
- Seasons in I liga: 35
- Seasons in II liga: 16
- Seasons in III liga: 23
European Games
Piast Gliwice has played in European club competitions several times. They have competed in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. In the 2020–21 season, they won two matches in the Europa League qualifying rounds before being knocked out.
Home Stadium
Piast Gliwice plays its home matches at the Piotr Wieczorek Stadium. This stadium is located in Gliwice and can hold 9,913 fans.
Supporters and Rivals
Piast Gliwice fans have a special friendship with supporters of the Belarusian club BATE Borisov. This friendship started in 2011. Fans from both clubs often visit each other's games to show support.
Piast's biggest rivals are Górnik Zabrze. Their stadiums are only a few kilometers apart, making their matches a big local derby. Other rivals include local teams like GKS Katowice and the two Bytom clubs, Szombierki and Polonia.
Team Players
Current Squad
|
|
Players on Loan
|
Retired Jersey Numbers
Sometimes, a club retires a jersey number to honor a special player. Piast Gliwice has retired one number:
|
Famous Players
Here are some notable players who have played for Piast Gliwice. Players whose names are in bold played for their national teams while at Piast.
|
|
Club Managers
A football club's manager is like the head coach. They are in charge of the team's training and strategy. Piast Gliwice has had many managers throughout its history. The current manager, as of July 2025, is Max Mölder.
See also
In Spanish: Piast Gliwice para niños
- Football in Poland
