Silesian Stadium

{{Short description|Stadium in Chorzów, Poland}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name =

| image = Widok bramka.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| caption = UEFA Category 4 Stadium
12px12px12px12px

| fullname = Silesian Stadium
(pl. Stadion Śląski)

| location = ul. Katowicka 10
41-500 Chorzów
Silesia, Poland

| built = 1951–1956

| expanded = 2009–2017

| opened = 22 July 1956
1 October 2017

| construction_cost = c. 650 million PLN
c. 155 million

| architect = GMP Architekten

| owner = Silesian Regional Assembly

| operator = Stadion Śląski Sp. z o.o.

| seating_capacity = 54,378

| record_attendance = {{formatnum:130000}} (1973 Speedway World Championship
2 September 1973)

| tenants = Poland national football team (1956–2009, 2018– )
Ruch Chorzów
KS Stadion Śląski Chorzów (a youth football academy club)

| dimensions = 105 x 68 m

| surface = Grass

| website = [https://stadionslaski.pl/ Official Website]

| nickname = "Kocioł Czarownic" (Witches' Cauldron)

| logo_image = Stadion-slaski-logo.svg

}}

The Silesian Stadium ({{langx|pl|Stadion Śląski}}; Polish: {{IPAc-pl|'|s|t|a|d|j|o|n|-|'|ś|l|ą|s|k|J|i}}) is a sport stadium located on the premises of Silesian Park in Chorzów, Poland. The stadium has a fully covered capacity of 54,378,{{Cite web |title=Stadion Śląski – StadiumDB.com |url=http://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/pol/stadion_slaski |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=stadiumdb.com}} after refurbishment completed in October 2017. The stadium hosted many Poland national football team matches and for many decades was Poland's national stadium. After the National Stadium in Warsaw was completed, the Silesian Stadium lost that role. The stadium was not in operation between 2009 and 2017 due to its ongoing reconstruction.

Silesian Stadium is a UEFA Category 4 stadium{{cite web|url=http://www.dziennikzachodni.pl/sport/stadion-slaski/a/stadion-slaski-w-najwyzszej-kategorii-wedlug-uefa-co-to-znaczy,12749518/|title=Stadion Śląski w najwyższej kategorii według UEFA! Co to znaczy?|date=9 December 2017|publisher=Dziennik Zachodni|access-date=14 March 2018}} and hosts the annual Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, a Diamond League meeting.{{Cite web |url=https://silesia.diamondleague.com/news/silesia/in-the-diamond-league-for-good-silesian-stadium-making-athletics-history/ |title=IN THE DIAMOND LEAGUE FOR GOOD! SILESIAN STADIUM MAKING ATHLETICS HISTORY! |website=silesia.diamondleague.com |date=7 December 2022 |access-date=8 February 2023}} The stadium hosted the athletics events of the 2023 European Games and is set to host the 2028 European Athletics Championships.{{cite web| url = https://www.przegladsportowy.pl/lekkoatletyka/polska-organizatorem-lekkoatletycznych-mistrzostw-europy-w-2028-roku/zdjhly7 |language = pl |title=CZEGOŚ TAKIEGO JESZCZE U NAS NIE BYŁO! POLSKA ORGANIZATOREM LEKKOATLETYCZNYCH MISTRZOSTW EUROPY W 2028 ROKU |date = 30 May 2021 | access-date = 30 May 2021}}

History

In 1950, as a part of an ambitious project to build Silesian Park, plans for Silesian Stadium were drawn up by Julian Brzuchowski.{{cite web|url=https://www.inyourpocket.com/katowice/Silesian-Stadium_72617f|title=Silesian Stadium: Back in Business!|publisher=InYourPocket|access-date=14 March 2018}} Construction began in 1951, and the stadium opened in 1956. The stadium was inaugurated on 22 July 1956 with a match against East Germany.

In 1993, the stadium officially was branded as Polish national stadium, due to the state of the venue in Warsaw. The stadium regularly hosted football matches, as well as concerts and other events.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}}

=Modernization=

Silesian Stadium was one of the venues shortlisted for UEFA Euro 2012 tournament, but it did not make the final list. The venue was also shortlisted as the Polish candidate for UEFA Euro 2020.{{cite web|url=http://www.thenews.pl/1/5/Artykul/133255,Silesian-Stadium-picked-as-Euro-2020-candidate|title=Silesian Stadium picked as Euro 2020 candidate|publisher=Radio Poland|access-date=14 March 2018}}

File:Silesian Stadium, Chorzow (DBR45836).jpg

From 2009, the stadium underwent modernization which included the construction of a 43,000 square metre roof, new stands, lighting, video screens and an improved sound system. The speedway track has been replaced with a traditional track that will allow Chorzów to host international athletics events. The new roof collapsed in 2011{{cite web|url=http://stadiumdb.com/news/2017/06/poland_slaski_slowly_rising_for_glory_again|title=Poland: Śląski slowly rising to glory (?) again|publisher=Stadiumdb.com|access-date=14 March 2018}} putting project on hold. Though originally planned to be completed by autumn 2011 for 415 million złoty, the finishing touches were only completed in 2017 costing around 650 million złoty.

Events

=Football=

==Poland national football team==

{{Cite web |url=http://stadionslaski.pl/historia/ |title=Stadion Śląski |access-date=28 December 2019 |archive-date=26 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126115033/https://stadionslaski.pl/historia/ |url-status=dead }}

===Before renovation===

class="wikitable sortable"

style="background:#dcdcdc;"

! No. !! Date !! Match !! Result !! Turnout

1

| 22 July 1956

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|GDR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–2

| 90,000

2

| 20 October 1957

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|URS}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 2–1

| 93,000

3

| 11 May 1958

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|IRL}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 2–2

| 80,000

4

| 14 September 1958

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|HUN}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 1–3

| 90,000

5

| 28 June 1959

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ESP}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 2–4

| 71,469

6

| 8 November 1959

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|FIN}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 6–2

| 22,000

7

| 26 June 1960

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|BUL}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 4–0

| 25,000

8

| 25 June 1961

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|YUG}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 57,000

9

| 5 November 1961

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|DEN}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 5–0

| 12,000

10

| 10 October 1962

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|NIR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–2

| 31,496

11

| 2 June 1963

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ROU}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 40,000

12

| 23 May 1965

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|SCO}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 67,462

13

| 3 May 1966

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|HUN}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 95,000

14

| 5 July 1966

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ENG}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–1

| 70,000

15

| 21 May 1967

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|BEL}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 3–1

| 57,050

16

| 24 April 1968

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|TUR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 8–0

| 17,000

17

| 30 October 1968

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|IRL}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 1–0

| 18,000

18

| 7 September 1969

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|NED}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 2–1

| 85,000

19

| 14 October 1970

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ALB}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 3–0

| 8,507

20

| 6 June 1973

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ENG}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 2–0

| 73,714

21

| 26 September 1973

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|WAL}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 3–0

| 70,181

22

| 10 September 1975

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|NED}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 4–1

| 70,409

23

| 24,March 1976

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ARG}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 1–2

| 60,000

24

| 21 September 1977

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|DEN}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 4–1

| 80,000

25

| 29 October 1977

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|POR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 80,000

26

| 4 April 1979

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|HUN}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 60,000

27

| 2 May 1979

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|NED}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 2–0

| 71,298

28

| 26 September 1979

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|GDR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 63,938

29

| 6 June 1980

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|TCH}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 45,000

30

| 2 May 1981

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|GDR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 1–0

| 74,000

31

| 2 September 1981

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|FRG}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–2

| 70,000

32

| 22 May 1983

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|URS}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 69,044

33

| 11 September 1985

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|BEL}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 0–0

| 68,978

34

| 16 November 1985

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ITA}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 1–0

| 20,000

35

| 19 October 1988

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ALB}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 1–0

| 35,000

36

| 11 October 1989

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ENG}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 0–0

| 32,423

37

| 25 October 1989

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|SWE}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–2

| 12,000

38

| 29 May 1993

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ENG}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 65,000

39

| 2 April 1997

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ITA}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 0–0

| 32,000

40

| 31 May 1997

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ENG}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–2

| 32,000

41

| 27 May 1998

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|RUS}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 3–1

| 7,000

42

| 31 March 1999

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|SWE}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–1

| 28,860

43

| 1 September 2001

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|NOR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 3–0

| 42,500

44

| 6 October 2001

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|UKR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 20,900

45

| 29 March 2003

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|HUN}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 0–0

| 42,200

46

| 10 September 2003

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|SWE}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–2

| 18,500

47

| 8 September 2004

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ENG}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 1–2

| 38,000

48

| 3 September 2005

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|AUT}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 3–2

| 40,000

49

| 31 May 2006

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|COL}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 1–2

| 40,000

50

| 11 October 2006

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|POR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 2–1

| 38,199

51

| 17 November 2007

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|BEL}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 2–0

| 41,450

52

| 1 June 2008

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|DEN}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 35,000

53

| 11 October 2008

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|CZE}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 2–1

| 38,293

54

| 5 September 2009

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|NIR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffd;"| 1–1

| 38,914

55

| 14 October 2009

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|SVK}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–1

| 4,500

===After renovation===

class="wikitable sortable"
style="background:#dcdcdc;"

! No. !! Date !! Match !! Result !! Turnout

1

| 27 March 2018

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|KOR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 3–2

| 53,129

2

| 11 October 2018

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|POR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 2–3

| 48,783

3

| 14 October 2018

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|ITA}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 0–1

| 41,692

4

| 11 November 2020

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|UKR}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 2–0

| 0{{efn|name=ATT|The match was played without an audience due to pandemic restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic throughout Poland.}}

5

| 18 November 2020

| {{fb|POL}} – {{fb|NED}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;"| 1–2

| 0{{efn|name=ATT}}

6

| 29 March 2022

|{{fb|POL}} – {{fb|SWE}}

| style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"| 2–0

| 54,078

7

| 6 June 2025

|{{fb|POL}} – {{fb|MDA}}

|

|

8

| 7 September 2025

|{{fb|POL}} – {{fb|FIN}}

|

|

==All-time results==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! Team

! Played

! Won

! Drawn

! Lost

! {{abbr|GF|Goals for}}

! {{abbr|GA|Goals against}}

! {{abbr|GD|Goal difference}}

{{fb|POL}}

| 61

| 26

| 18

| 17

| 98

| 63

| +35

==Club football==

Numerous Ekstraklasa matches have been played - mostly by the local team Ruch Chorzów, especially for the Great Silesian Derby matches against neighbours Górnik Zabrze due to extra interest from the fans.{{cite web|url=http://www.dziennikzachodni.pl/sport/pilka-nozna/gornik-zabrze/a/gornik-ruch-02-wielkie-derby-slaska-dla-niebieskich-zdjecia-relacja-wideo,9418738/ |title=Górnik - Ruch 0:2. Wielkie Derby Śląska dla Niebieskich [ZDJĘCIA + RELACJA + WIDEO] |date=21 February 2016 |access-date=1 June 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617105712/http://www.dziennikzachodni.pl/sport/pilka-nozna/gornik-zabrze/a/gornik-ruch-02-wielkie-derby-slaska-dla-niebieskich-zdjecia-relacja-wideo,9418738/ |archive-date=17 June 2016 }} As it used to be the only national stadium with such a large capacity in the country for numerous years, Polish Cup matches have been frequently hosted there too,{{cite web |url=http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/mecze_ekstraklasy.html |title=Stadion Śląski |access-date=1 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417050653/http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/mecze_ekstraklasy.html |archive-date=17 April 2016 }} especially the final matches.{{cite web |url=http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/finaly_pucharu_polski.html |title=Stadion Śląski |access-date=1 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417064840/http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/finaly_pucharu_polski.html |archive-date=17 April 2016 }}

File:Panorama stadionu.jpg

=Speedway=

The football pitch at the Silesia Stadium used to be surrounded by a {{convert|384|m|yd|abbr=off}} long Motorcycle speedway track. The first World Final held at the stadium in 1973, was run in front of the largest crowd in world speedway history.{{cite web |url=http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/zuzel.html |title=Stadion Śląski |access-date=2016-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417024710/http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/zuzel.html |archive-date=2016-04-17 }} English speedway 'golden boy' Peter Collins won the 1976 World Final at Silesian.{{cite web |url=http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/zuzel.html |title=Stadion Śląski |access-date=2016-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417024710/http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/zuzel.html |archive-date=2016-04-17 }}

Ivan Mauger won the 1979 World Final at the stadium.{{cite web |url=http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/zuzel.html |title=Stadion Śląski |access-date=2016-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417024710/http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/zuzel.html |archive-date=2016-04-17 }} Silesian also hosted the Final of the 1974 Speedway World Team Cup, won by England, as well as the Final of both the 1978 and 1981 World Pairs Championships.{{cite web |url=http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/zuzel.html |title=Stadion Śląski |access-date=2016-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417024710/http://www.stadionslaski.pl/stadion/zuzel.html |archive-date=2016-04-17 }}

The stadium will host the final round of the Individual Speedway European Championship on 21 September 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.fimspeedway.com/news/slaski-stadium-finale-for-2024-sec-series |title=Slaski Stadium finale for the 2024 SEC Series |website=FIM Speedway |access-date=23 December 2023}}

=Track and field=

File:Orlen Monster Jam Stadion Slaski.jpg

In 1967, the Silesian Stadium hosted the Polish Athletics Championships. In 1969, during an athletics tournament between Poland, East Germany and Soviet Union, Nadezhda Chizhova became the first woman in history to break the 20 metre barrier in shot put, setting the world record at 20.09m.{{cite news|url=https://www.tilastopaja.net/db/wrw.php?event=350&ind=0 |title=Progression of Official World Record |access-date=2018-12-01}} In 2010, an official bid to organize the World Athletics Championships in Chorzów was submitted, however, the city lost to Beijing in the selection process.{{cite news|url=https://katowice.wyborcza.pl/katowice/1,35063,7975711,MS_2015_na_Stadionie_Slaskim__Odpadlismy_na_starcie.html |title=MŚ 2015 na Stadionie Śląskim? Odpadliśmy na starcie |access-date=2018-12-01}}

The Slaski Stadium has a Mondo Sportflex Super X 720 track that was laid down in 2017, which has features similar to other Mondo surfaces which were used for the last two World Athletics Championships as well as the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Between 9–12 June 2018, the 11th Polish Summer Special Olympics Games took place at the Silesian Stadium.{{cite news|url=https://www.olimpiadyspecjalne.pl/xi-ogolnopolskie-letnie-igrzyska-olimpiad-specjalnych-katowice-chorzow-mikolow-2018 |title=XI Ogólnopolskie Letnie Igrzyska Olimpiad Specjalnych |access-date=2018-12-01}} On 22 August 2018, the stadium was chosen to host the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, which attracted 41,200 spectators.{{cite news|url=https://stadionslaski.pl/aktualnosci/rekordowy-memorial-kamili-skolimowskiej/ |title=REKORDOWY MEMORIAŁ KAMILI SKOLIMOWSKIEJ |access-date=2018-12-01}}

In May 2021, Silesian Stadium hosted the 2021 World Athletics Relays and European Team Championships Super League.

=Concerts and other events=

Silesian Stadium has hosted large music concerts in its history by many artists and groups including The Rolling Stones, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, AC/DC, U2, Pearl Jam, Linkin Park, Iron Maiden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Genesis, The Police, Behemoth, Rammstein, Slipknot, Machine Head.{{cite news|url=https://www.terazmuzyka.pl/teksty/czytaj/stadion-slaski-wraca-na-muzyczna-mape-polski-wspominamy-najwazniejsze-koncerty.html |title=Stadion Ślaski wraca na muzyczną mapę Polski. Wspominamy najważniejsze koncerty |access-date=2018-08-19}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.songkick.com/venues/590271-stadion-slaski/gigography|title=Stadion Śląski Chorzów Gigography, Concert History, Past Events – Songkick|website=www.songkick.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-16}}

In 2009, it was the venue of performances by Monster Jam,{{cite web|url=http://www.belzebubs.org/index.php?option%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D67 |title=Newsy |access-date=2016-04-01 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017054456/http://belzebubs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67 |archive-date=2016-10-17 }}{{cite web|url=http://warszawa.naszemiasto.pl/artykul/chorzow-oszalal-na-punkcie-monster-jam-zdjecia,3023028,art,t,id,tm.html |title=Chorzów oszalał na punkcie Monster Jam [Zdjęcia] |date=31 May 2009 |access-date=2016-04-01 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415085220/http://warszawa.naszemiasto.pl/artykul/chorzow-oszalal-na-punkcie-monster-jam-zdjecia,3023028,art,t,id,tm.html |archive-date=2016-04-15 }} and again in 2018.

See also

Notes

References

{{Reflist|2}}

  • Gazeta Wyborcza
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