Ernest Pohl Stadium

The stadium carries ninety years of history that mirror the history of Zabrze itself — from German Upper Silesia through post-war Poland to today's phased reconstruction.

Construction and opening

Work on the stadium and its five-lane running track began in March 1933, and it opened on 2 September 1934. The first significant event came on 24 March 1935, a match between representative teams of the German and Polish parts of Silesia watched by roughly 7,000 people; the main stand was completed the same year. At the opening, Upper Silesian governor Helmuth Brückner named the ground Adolf Hitler Kampfbahn; after 1946 the name fell out of use and people simply called it the Górnik stadium. It has honoured the great forward Ernest Pohl since a city council resolution of 5 April 2004.

Major renovations

• 1957 — the stands were reshaped from 8 shallow rows to 15, raising capacity to about 35,000
• 1965 — every stand except the main one was heightened, pushing capacity above 40,000
• 1967 — floodlights rated at 1,600 lux were installed
• 2011–2016 — first stage of the new arena: three stands, approved for use in February 2016 at 24,563
• 2025–2026 — part of the fourth stand opened, taking capacity to 28,236 and then 28,499

Notable moments

After Zabrze became Polish in 1945, Soviet troops were stationed at the ground and destroyed the pitch. The city retained ownership and leased the site to the newly formed KS Zabrze. At the start of the 21st century the stadium held 17,722 spectators, only 11,722 of them seated.

Górnik Zabrze has won more Polish championships than any other club, and this ground is where Upper Silesian football tradition feels strongest.

Fan culture

The stadium's name says much about the city's relationship with the club: it honours Ernest Pohl, Górnik's legendary forward, following a proposal made after his death in 1995. Ownership has stayed local — since 5 January 2012 the ground has belonged to Stadion w Zabrzu sp. z o.o., wholly owned by the city since 25 January 2013. Capacity has climbed from 24,563 in 2016 to today's 28,499, and completing the fourth stand should take it to 31,871.

Big matches

The largest crowds came in the 1960s and 1970s, when the rebuilds of 1957 and 1965 allowed more than 40,000 spectators inside. The Poland national team first played here on 17 October 1984, a World Cup qualifier against Greece, and a large electronic scoreboard entered service on 25 October 1988. The very first international occasion, though, was the match of 24 March 1935 between sides representing the German and Polish parts of Silesia — a fixture that named the region's tensions three years before the war.

Arena Zabrze sits inside the city within the Upper Silesian conurbation, so it is easy to reach from Katowice and the surrounding towns.

How to get there

• Address: Roosevelta 81, in Zabrze itself
• From Katowice: Zabrze forms part of the Upper Silesian conurbation, with frequent train and bus links
• By car: the ground stands among city streets, so expect to park on surrounding roads

Tickets and tours

Górnik Zabrze sells tickets through its official system. Because the stadium has been modernised in stages, its facilities meet current standards, including restaurants, a business club and the VIP boxes added when the first phase was approved in February 2016.

Visitor tips

• Where to sit: the newest section is the fourth stand, opened in 2025, so far without VIP boxes
• Crowd size: at 28,499 seats this is the second largest ground in Silesian Voivodeship
• What to note: the 105 × 68 metre pitch meets international match standards
• Worth knowing: construction continues, with a target of 31,871 covered seats