Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Polish Football Association
View on Wikipedia
| UEFA | |
|---|---|
| Short name | PZPN |
| Founded | 20 December 1919[1] |
| Headquarters | Warsaw |
| FIFA affiliation | 20 April 1923 |
| UEFA affiliation | 2 March 1955 |
| President | Cezary Kulesza |
| Website | www |
The Polish Football Association (Polish: Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej; PZPN) is the governing body of association football in Poland. It organizes the Polish football leagues (without the Ekstraklasa), the national cups, and manages the men's and women's national teams. It also runs the national futsal and beach soccer competitions. It is based in the Polish capital of Warsaw.
History
[edit]The fully-independent federation was established on 20 December 1919 subsuming the autonomous Polish Football Union (PFU) that was part of the disintegrated Austrian Football Union. The PFU was established on 25 June 1911 in Lwów, Austria-Hungary.[2]
When the Wehrmacht invaded Poland in September 1939, all Polish institutions and associations were dissolved, including the PZPN. The German occupying forces forbade Poles to organise football matches.[3]
In September 2008, the leadership of the Polish Football Association was suspended by the Polish Olympic Committee for "[violating] its statutes in a continuous and flagrant fashion".[4] One year earlier, the Polish sports ministry also made an attempt to address corruption within the Polish Football Association, but was threatened with suspension by FIFA, which forbids any form of government intervention.[5] On 30 October 2008, Grzegorz Lato became the president of the Polish Football Association. On 26 October 2012, Zbigniew Boniek was elected president after winning 61 votes from 118 delegates.[6]
The football association turned 100 years with the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup during its centennial year. In 2019, Józef Klotz, who had played for the Poland national football team and was killed in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust, was honored by the Association.[7][8] On 28 August 2021, Cezary Kulesza was elected president.[9]
Provincial associations
[edit]The PZPN is divided into 16 provincial associations, corresponding to the 16 voivodeships of Poland.[10]
Presidents
[edit]| N. | President | Tenure | Notes[11] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Edward Cetnarowski | 20 December 1919 – 15 January 1928 | |
| 2. | Władysław Bończa-Uzdowski | 15 January 1928 – 20 February 1937 | |
| 3. | Kazimierz Glabisz | 20 February 1937 – 1 September 1939 | |
| 4. | Tadeusz Kuchar | 29 June 1945 – 16 February 1946 | |
| 5. | Władysław Bończa-Uzdowski | 16 February 1946 – 1949 | |
| 6. | Andrzej Przeworski | 1949 – 1951 | |
| 7. | Jerzy Bordziłowski | 1951 – 1953 | |
| 8. | Jan Rotkiewicz | 1953 – 1954 | |
| 9. | Roman Gajzler | 1954 – 1954 | |
| 10. | Władysław Rajkowski | 1954 – 1956 | |
| 11. | Stefan Glinka | 1956 – 1961 | |
| 12. | Wit Hanke | 1961 – 1966 | |
| 13. | Wiesław Ociepka | 1966 – 1972 | |
| 14. | Stanisław Nowosielski | 1972 – 1973 | |
| 15. | Jan Maj | 1973 – 1976 | |
| 16. | Edward Sznajder | 1976 – 1978 | |
| 17. | Marian Ryba | 1978 – 1981 | |
| 18. | Włodzimierz Reczek | 1981 – 1985 | |
| 19. | Edward Brzostowski | 1985 – 1986 | |
| 20. | Zbigniew Jabłoński | 1986 – 1989 | |
| 21. | Jerzy Domański | 1989 – 25 March 1991 | |
| 22. | Kazimierz Górski | 25 March 1991 – 3 July 1995 | |
| 23. | Marian Dziurowicz | 3 July 1995 – 28 June 1999 | |
| - | Wiesław Pakoca | 25 May 1998 – 7 August 1998 | curator |
| 24. | Michał Listkiewicz | 28 June 1999 – 30 October 2008 | |
| - | Andrzej Rusko | 19 January 2007 – 1 February 2007 | curator |
| - | Marcin Wojcieszak | 1 February 2007 – 5 March 2007 | curator |
| - | Robert Zawłocki | 29 September 2008 – 10 October 2008 | curator |
| 25. | Grzegorz Lato | 30 October 2008 – 26 October 2012 | |
| 26. | Zbigniew Boniek | 26 October 2012 – 18 August 2021 | |
| 27. | Cezary Kulesza | 18 August 2021 – present |
References
[edit]- ^ "History". Polish Football Association. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ^ Korzachenko, Yuri (12 January 2010). Колиска українського футболу [Cradle of Ukrainian football] (in Ukrainian). Football Federation of Ukraine.
- ^ Thomas Urban, "Football 'Only for Germans', in the Underground and in Auschwitz: Championships in Occupied Poland“, in European Football During the Second World War. Ed. M. Herzog/F. Brändle. Oxford 2018, p. 367.
- ^ "Administrator taking over scandal-hit Polish federation". Agence France-Presse. 29 September 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011.
- ^ Slowikowska, Karolina (30 September 2008). "Polish FA suspended over corruption issues". Reuters. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
- ^ "Boniek becomes new head of Polish FA". Sports Illustrated. Minute Media. Associated Press. 26 October 2012. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013 – via CNN.
- ^ "Poland honors national soccer player murdered in Holocaust". Israel Hayom. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- ^ "Before Polish-Israeli soccer match, murdered Jewish player honored". The Jerusalem Post. 10 June 2019.
- ^ Kopański, Emil (18 August 2021). "Cezary Kulesza nowym prezesem Polskiego Związku Piłki Nożnej". Polish Football Association (in Polish). Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Wojewódzkie ZPN". Polish Football Association (in Polish). Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Prezesi PZPN" (in Polish). Polish Football Association. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
External links
[edit]Polish Football Association
View on GrokipediaHistory
Founding and Interwar Development (1919–1939)
The Polish Football Association (PZPN) was formally established on 20 December 1919 in Warsaw, shortly after Poland regained independence in 1918. The founding congress, attended by representatives from 31 clubs, approved the association's statute and elected Edward Cetnarowski, a physician and Cracovia Kraków activist, as its first president. This unification integrated pre-existing regional bodies, such as the Polish Football Union formed in Lwów in 1911 under Austrian rule, into a national framework to govern association football amid the challenges of post-partition reconstruction.[1][7][8] PZPN joined FIFA as a full member on 20 April 1923 during the organization's congress in Geneva. The national team's inaugural match occurred on 18 December 1921 in Budapest, resulting in a 1–0 defeat to Hungary. Further international exposure included the 1924 Paris Olympics, where Poland lost 5–0 to Hungary in their tournament debut, and qualification for the 1938 FIFA World Cup in France. There, Poland faced Brazil in the first round, leading 5–4 before conceding two goals in extra time for a 6–5 loss; forward Ernest Wilimowski scored four goals in the match. These events marked gradual integration into global competition, though results reflected the nascent state of Polish football infrastructure.[9][10] Domestically, PZPN organized the inaugural Polish Football Championship in 1921, won by Cracovia Kraków after a playoff victory over Polonia Warsaw. The association introduced the Polish Cup in 1926, initially as a nationwide knockout tournament. In 1927, it established the Liga Piłki Nożnej, Poland's first professional league, featuring 10 teams from key urban centers like Warsaw, Kraków, Lwów, and Poznań. This structure replaced earlier regional qualifiers, standardizing competition and promoting talent development across the Second Polish Republic, despite limited resources and regional disparities. By the late 1930s, the league had solidified domestic football's foundation, with clubs like Ruch Chorzów emerging as powerhouses.[1][11]World War II Disruptions and Post-War Revival (1939–1956)
The German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, led to the immediate cessation of all official activities by the Polish Football Association (PZPN), as Nazi authorities dissolved Polish institutions and imposed a total ban on regional sports clubs, a policy unique in Nazi-occupied Europe.[12] This suppression extended to football, with organized matches prohibited to prevent Polish cultural expression and resistance; stadiums were repurposed or destroyed, and many players faced arrest, forced labor, or execution.[12] Despite the ban, clandestine football games persisted in secret leagues across German-occupied territories, often organized informally by former players to maintain morale and evade detection, though these carried risks of severe punishment including death.[12] In Soviet-occupied eastern Poland until 1941, and later in areas under direct German control, football infrastructure suffered further devastation from warfare and deliberate destruction, with an estimated 38% of Poland's pre-war national wealth lost by 1945, including sports facilities.[13] The PZPN, headquartered in Warsaw before the war, had no formal operations during the occupation, and its pre-war leadership was scattered or persecuted. Post-liberation in 1945, the association was reactivated on June 29 in Kraków, where relative preservation of facilities allowed initial reorganization; Tadeusz Kuchar, a pre-war administrator and Cracovia player, was elected president.[1] The post-war revival began amid Poland's incorporation into the Soviet sphere, with provisional regional committees forming to resume matches by late 1945, focusing on rebuilding clubs and infrastructure devastated by conflict.[1] Football served as a tool for social stabilization under the emerging communist regime, with the first official national championships resuming in the 1945–1946 season through regional tournaments, culminating in the All-Poland Football Championship.[14] By 1948, a centralized Liga Polska was established, reflecting state-directed unification, though early competitions were hampered by player shortages, travel disruptions, and political purges targeting non-communist figures.[1] The national team played its first post-war international on June 23, 1946, defeating Denmark 2–1 in Copenhagen, signaling gradual reintegration into global football.[1] Under increasing communist oversight from 1949, the PZPN underwent structural reforms aligning it with state goals, including the promotion of workers' and military-affiliated clubs like Legia Warsaw, while suppressing independent associations; this period saw mandatory ideological training for athletes and prioritization of mass participation over elite competition.[15] Leadership transitioned from Kuchar (1945–1946) to figures like Władysław Bończa-Uzdowski (1946–1948), but by the early 1950s, appointees loyal to the Polish United Workers' Party dominated, enforcing Soviet-style centralization.[16] PZPN rejoined UEFA in 1955 and maintained FIFA affiliation, though operations were subordinated to the Ministry of Education and Sport, limiting autonomy until partial liberalization in 1956 amid de-Stalinization.[17] Despite these constraints, participation grew, with over 1,000 clubs registered by mid-decade, aiding national recovery but at the cost of politicized governance.[15]Communist Era Governance (1956–1989)
During the post-Stalinist era following Władysław Gomułka's rise to power in 1956, the Polish Football Association (PZPN) functioned as a nominally autonomous body but remained firmly subordinated to the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) and the state apparatus, with sports governance integrated into the broader socialist system of ideological control and mass mobilization. The 1956 thaw after the Poznań protests introduced limited reforms, reducing the extreme centralization of the earlier Stalinist model, yet PZPN's operations were overseen by the Ministry of Education and Sport, ensuring alignment with PZPR directives on promoting "socialist labor competitions" and proletarian internationalism. Football, as Poland's most popular sport, was leveraged for propaganda, fostering national unity under communist rule while suppressing independent club initiatives that could challenge state narratives.[18] PZPN's leadership exhibited high turnover, with ten presidents appointed between 1956 and 1989, often reflecting regime transitions and accountability for results rather than long-term stability:| President | Term |
|---|---|
| Stefan Glinka | 1956–1961 |
| Wit Hanke | 1961–1966 |
| Wiesław Ociepka | 1966–1972 |
| Stanisław Nowosielski | 1972–1973 |
| Jan Maj | 1973–1976 |
| Edward Sznajder | 1976–1978 |
| Marian Ryba | 1978–1981 |
| Włodzimierz Reczek | 1981–1985 |
| Edward Brzostowski | 1985–1986 |
| Zbigniew Jabłoński | 1986–1989 |
Post-Communist Reforms and Instability (1989–2000)
Following the fall of communism in 1989, the Polish Football Association (PZPN) underwent a leadership transition with Jerzy Domański elected president, serving from 1989 to 1991 amid efforts to adapt to a market-oriented economy and reduce state control over football governance.[16] Domański's tenure focused on initial decentralization, but the association faced challenges from economic shock therapy, which disrupted funding and infrastructure previously sustained by state subsidies.[20] In 1991, Kazimierz Górski, the celebrated coach of Poland's 1970s golden era, assumed the presidency until 1995, aiming to leverage his reputation for stability and modernization, including promoting youth development and aligning with UEFA standards.[16][21] However, substantive reforms were limited; club privatization began, as seen with Wisła Kraków's shift to entrepreneurial ownership in 1997, reflecting neoliberal influences but often leading to financial mismanagement rather than sustainable growth.[20] Górski's exit marked continued flux, with Marian Dziurowicz taking over from 1995 to 1999, followed by Michał Listkiewicz in 1999, underscoring frequent turnover that hindered long-term strategic planning.[16] The period was characterized by instability, exacerbated by rising corruption and match-fixing, notably in 1993 when the PZPN overlooked evident irregularities in league games despite public outcry, fostering perceptions of institutional blindness to graft.[22] This coincided with the national team's failures to qualify for major tournaments, finishing third in the 1990 World Cup group behind England and Sweden, and missing subsequent World Cups in 1994 and 1998 as well as European Championships in 1992, 1996, and 2000, reflecting tactical stagnation and inadequate investment.[23] Hooliganism surged amid post-communist social anarchy, with policy responses lagging until later, further eroding governance credibility.[24] Overall, these factors perpetuated a cycle of underachievement, as economic liberalization exposed systemic weaknesses without robust regulatory reforms.[25]Contemporary Challenges and Modernization (2000–Present)
The Polish Football Association (PZPN) encountered profound governance crises in the early 2000s, exacerbated by systemic corruption that undermined competitive integrity and public trust. A nationwide investigation into match-fixing and bribery from 2005 onward implicated over 70 officials, referees, and club executives, culminating in the demotion of teams such as Zgoda Ochota and Polar Wrocław in August 2007.[26] [27] Sports Minister Tomasz Lipiec suspended the PZPN's executive board in January 2007, prompting FIFA to issue a reprimand for internal discord and stalled reforms.[28] [29] These scandals, rooted in opaque decision-making and patronage networks persisting from the communist era, stalled professionalization efforts and contributed to the national team's inconsistent results, including group-stage exits at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups despite qualification.[30] Co-hosting UEFA Euro 2012 with Ukraine catalyzed infrastructure modernization, accelerating projects long delayed by underinvestment. Poland invested approximately €10 billion in upgrades, including the construction of national stadiums in Warsaw (capacity 58,000), Gdańsk (41,000), Wrocław (42,000), and Poznań (43,000), alongside improvements to highways, airports, and rail links.[31] This influx enhanced training facilities and fan amenities, fostering youth academies and league professionalism, though post-event critiques highlighted underused venues and uneven economic returns due to limited sustained attendance.[32] The tournament also exposed ongoing deficiencies in tactical cohesion and domestic talent pipelines, as Poland's national side exited the group stage without a win.[33] Subsequent leadership transitions aimed at institutional renewal, with Grzegorz Lato's 2008 election signaling a push against corruption, followed by Zbigniew Boniek's tenure from 2012 to 2021 emphasizing commercialization and international ties.[34] Cezary Kulesza, elected in 2021 and re-elected in June 2025 with overwhelming support, advanced a 2020–2025 strategy prioritizing youth certification programs and expanded funding for grassroots clubs, distributing resources to over 1,000 academies.[3] [35] [36] Despite qualifications for Euro 2016, 2020, 2024, and the 2018 World Cup—yielding 5 wins, 5 draws, and 10 losses across those tournaments—the PZPN grapples with persistent issues like fan hooliganism, coaching inconsistencies, and state interventions, as seen in 2024 disputes over league oversight.[33] [37] These factors, compounded by a lack of unified playing philosophy, limit Poland's emergence as a European powerhouse.Organizational Structure
Central Administration and Governance
The central administration of the Polish Football Association (PZPN) is headquartered in Warsaw at ul. Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 r. 7, 02-366 Warszawa, where operational and executive functions are managed.[38] The governance structure is hierarchical, with the Management Board serving as the primary executive body, elected for four-year terms by delegates from provincial associations, professional clubs, and other stakeholders to ensure representation across Polish football.[39] This model emphasizes autonomy under Polish sports legislation, including the Sports Act and Law on Associations, allowing PZPN to regulate domestic competitions, player licensing, and national team selections independently while complying with FIFA and UEFA statutes.[40] Cezary Kulesza has served as President since August 18, 2021, and was re-elected on June 30, 2025, for the 2025–2029 term, overseeing strategic direction, international relations, and representation in bodies such as UEFA's National Associations Committee, where he acts as Vice-Chairman.[3] [4] The Management Board, under his leadership, includes five Vice-Presidents with defined portfolios: Adam Kaźmierczak for organisational and financial affairs, Sławomir Kopczewski for coaching, Dariusz Mioduski for foreign affairs, Tomasz Garbowski for amateur football, and Marcin Animucki for professional football.[41] Additional members represent specific interests, such as Ekstraklasa clubs (Karol Klimczak) and 1. Liga clubs (Marcin Janicki), alongside general members including Bartosz Ryt, Łukasz Czajkowski, Paweł Wojtala, Wojciech Cygan, Radosław Michalski, Tomasz Lisiński, Henryk Kula, Wojciech Pertkiewicz, Seweryn Siemianowski, and Sławomir Pietrzyk.[41] Day-to-day administration is handled by the Secretary-General, Łukasz Wachowski, appointed in February 2022, who coordinates the central office's departments for areas like competitions, licensing, and development programs.[42] The statutes mandate transparency in decision-making, with the Management Board approving budgets, regulations, and appointments, subject to oversight by a separate auditing commission to prevent conflicts of interest.[39] This structure balances professional and amateur interests, with league representatives ensuring input on promotion/relegation criteria and financial distributions, though PZPN retains final authority on licensing and disciplinary matters.[43]| Role | Name | Specific Responsibility/Representation |
|---|---|---|
| President | Cezary Kulesza | Overall leadership and international representation[3] |
| Vice-President (Organisational and Financial Affairs) | Adam Kaźmierczak | Budgeting and operational logistics[41] |
| Vice-President (Coaching) | Sławomir Kopczewski | Coach education and certification[41] |
| Vice-President (Foreign Affairs) | Dariusz Mioduski | International partnerships and transfers[41] |
| Vice-President (Amateur Football) | Tomasz Garbowski | Grassroots and regional development[41] |
| Vice-President (Professional Football) | Marcin Animucki | Elite league oversight[41] |
| Member (Ekstraklasa Clubs) | Karol Klimczak | Top-division club interests[41] |
| Member (1. Liga Clubs) | Marcin Janicki | Second-division club interests[41] |
Provincial Associations
The Provincial Associations, formally known as Wojewódzkie Związki Piłki Nożnej (WZPN), constitute the 16 regional member organizations of the Polish Football Association (PZPN), each aligned with one of Poland's voivodeships. Established to decentralize administration, these associations manage football governance at the provincial level, operating under PZPN oversight while exercising autonomy in local operations as outlined in their individual statutes, which mandate adherence to PZPN regulations and FIFA/UEFA standards.[44][45] Their core responsibilities encompass organizing and regulating competitions in lower-tier leagues—typically the IV liga and district classes—youth development initiatives, referee training and assignment, club licensing for amateur and semi-professional entities, and preliminary rounds of the Polish Cup. WZPNs also coordinate provincial representative teams for youth categories and grassroots programs, facilitating talent identification and infrastructure support within their jurisdictions. This structure ensures localized decision-making, with PZPN retaining authority over national leagues, promotions, and disciplinary appeals.[44][46] The associations are distributed as follows:| Voivodeship | Association Name | Headquarters City |
|---|---|---|
| Dolnośląskie | Dolnośląski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Wrocław |
| Kujawsko-Pomorskie | Kujawsko-Pomorski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Bydgoszcz |
| Lubelskie | Lubelski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Lublin |
| Lubuskie | Lubuski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Zielona Góra |
| Łódzkie | Łódzki Związek Piłki Nożnej | Łódź |
| Małopolskie | Małopolski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Kraków |
| Mazowieckie | Mazowiecki Związek Piłki Nożnej | Warszawa |
| Opolskie | Opolski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Opole |
| Podkarpackie | Podkarpacki Związek Piłki Nożnej | Rzeszów |
| Podlaskie | Podlaski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Białystok |
| Pomorskie | Pomorski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Gdańsk |
| Śląskie | Śląski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Katowice |
| Świętokrzyskie | Świętokrzyski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Kielce |
| Warmińsko-Mazurskie | Warmińsko-Mazurski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Olsztyn |
| Wielkopolskie | Wielkopolski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Poznań |
| Zachodniopomorskie | Zachodniopomorski Związek Piłki Nożnej | Szczecin |
Specialized Committees and Departments
The Polish Football Association (PZPN) maintains a network of specialized committees that oversee discrete functions within Polish football governance, including disciplinary proceedings, club licensing, competition regulations, and technical standards. These committees, appointed by the PZPN board, typically consist of a chairperson, vice-chairpersons, secretary, and several members drawn from football experts, administrators, and stakeholders, with compositions updated periodically to reflect current priorities.[48] Key committees include the Disciplinary Commission, chaired by Mikołaj Bednarz, which adjudicates violations of rules and imposes sanctions; the Highest Appeals Commission, led by Łukasz Wójcik, handling appeals from lower bodies; and the Club Licensing Commission, under Tomasz Jóźwik, evaluating clubs' compliance with financial, infrastructural, and organizational criteria for professional participation.[48] The Technical Commission, chaired by Krzysztof Gralewski, advises on infrastructure and equipment standards, while the Competitions Commission, headed by Marek Szczerbowski, manages scheduling and format for domestic leagues and cups excluding the top division.[48] Specialized committees also address niche areas: the Women's Football Commission, chaired by Sławomir Pietrzyk, promotes and regulates female competitions; the Futsal and Beach Soccer Commission, led by Grzegorz Morkis, governs those variants; and the Amateur Football Commission, under Eugeniusz Nowak, supports non-professional play. The Professional Football Commission, chaired by Agnieszka Syczewska, focuses on elite-level operations, including player contracts and transfers. Financial oversight falls to the Financial Commission, chaired by Wojciech Strzałkowski, which reviews budgets and audits.[48] Administrative departments within the PZPN office handle operational execution. The Department of Domestic Competitions manages league logistics, transfer windows, and scheduling for lower tiers, issuing directives such as the 2024/2025 summer transfer deadline of September 6.[49] The Women's Football Department, established in June 2022 to institutionalize support for female participation and development, coordinates national teams, leagues, and grassroots initiatives previously integrated into broader structures.[50] The Department of Communication and Media, directed by Tomasz Kozłowski, oversees press relations, accreditation, and public outreach.[51] Additional units, such as those for foreign affairs and marketing, support international relations and sponsorships, though detailed compositions vary with leadership changes.[52]Leadership
List of Presidents
The presidents of the Polish Football Association (PZPN) have led the organization since its establishment on December 20, 1919, overseeing its development through periods of growth, wartime interruption, communist governance, and post-1989 democratization. The role involves directing national team operations, domestic league management, and international affiliations, with elections typically held by member clubs and associations. [16] The following table lists all presidents in chronological order, with terms based on official records:| No. | Name | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edward Cetnarowski | 1919–1928 |
| 2 | Władysław Bończa-Uzdowski | 1928–1937 |
| 3 | Kazimierz Glabisz | 1937–1939 |
| 4 | Tadeusz Kuchar | 1945–1946 |
| 5 | Władysław Bończa-Uzdowski | 1946–1949 |
| 6 | Andrzej Przeworski | 1949–1951 |
| 7 | Jerzy Bordziłowski | 1951–1953 |
| 8 | Jan Rotkiewicz | 1953–1954 |
| 9 | Roman Gajzler | 1954 |
| 10 | Władysław Rajkowski | 1954–1956 |
| 11 | Stefan Glinka | 1956–1961 |
| 12 | Wit Hanke | 1961–1966 |
| 13 | Wiesław Ociepka | 1966–1972 |
| 14 | Stanisław Nowosielski | 1972–1973 |
| 15 | Jan Maj | 1973–1976 |
| 16 | Edward Sznajder | 1976–1978 |
| 17 | Marian Ryba | 1978–1981 |
| 18 | Włodzimierz Reczek | 1981–1985 |
| 19 | Edward Brzostowski | 1985–1986 |
| 20 | Zbigniew Jabłoński | 1986–1989 |
| 21 | Jerzy Domański | 1989–1991 |
| 22 | Kazimierz Górski | 1991–1995 |
| 23 | Marian Dziurowicz | 1995–1999 |
| 24 | Michał Listkiewicz | 1999–2008 |
| 25 | Grzegorz Lato | 2008–2012 |
| 26 | Zbigniew Boniek | 2012–2021 |
| 27 | Cezary Kulesza | 2021–present |
Key Executive Roles and Board Composition
The Management Board of the Polish Football Association (PZPN) serves as the primary executive body, responsible for implementing decisions of the General Assembly, managing daily operations, and overseeing football development in Poland. The President holds ultimate authority, including directing board activities, representing the association internationally, and appointing key administrative positions subject to board approval.[53] Vice presidents are assigned specialized portfolios, such as financial oversight, coaching standards, international relations, and amateur or professional football governance, to decentralize responsibilities and ensure focused expertise.[53] The board, comprising the president, five vice presidents, and additional members representing regional associations, clubs, and stakeholders, is elected every four years by the PZPN Extraordinary Congress.[54] Following the election on June 30, 2025, Cezary Kulesza was re-elected as President for the 2025–2029 term, continuing his leadership since August 18, 2021.[54][53] Kulesza also serves as Vice-Chairman of UEFA's National Associations Committee and a member of FIFA's Olympic Football Committee.[53] The current vice presidents and their roles are outlined below:| Role | Name | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| Vice President for Organizational and Financial Affairs | Adam Kaźmierczak | Budgeting, infrastructure, and administrative operations[54][53] |
| Vice President for Training | Sławomir Kopczewski | Coach licensing, education programs, and technical development[54][53] |
| Vice President for Foreign Affairs | Dariusz Mioduski | International partnerships and UEFA/FIFA coordination[54][53] |
| Vice President for Amateur Football | Tomasz Garbowski | Grassroots and non-professional leagues[54][53] |
| Vice President for Professional Football | Marcin Animucki | Elite leagues and player welfare[54][53] |
