Polish capital will host the 2023 EWBL Final Four on March 4-5.
Warsaw is a city with tragic and unique history.
It was the capital of the Poland and Lithuania Commonwealth for two centuries until the state was erased from map for 123 years.
Warsaw experienced three wars in the 20th century – the First World War, the Polish-Soviet War and the Second World War.
The Rising of 1944 was the biggest civilian uprising during the WW2.
Nazi Germany crushed the uprising, while the Red Army watched from the sidelines.
The city was almost completely destroyed and remained behind the Iron Curtain for almost 45 years.
Warsaw was rebuilt but gained a completely different look – the wide avenues were lined by ugly apartment blocks, similar to those in the Soviet Union.
After the fall of the Iron Curtain, city experienced another transformation – the rise of service sector and re-think of infrastructure.
The new highways were built as well as a new business district with many skyscrapers.
Warsaw`s neighbourhoods were improved and gained a more people-friendly look.
Despite fast Americanization, Warsaw has remained a walkable and pedestrian friendly city.
It`s a home of the world`s number one tennis player Iga Świątek and has a lively sports community.
Warsaw hosted the EuroBasket 2009, the EURO 2012, the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Men`s World Championship and many other events.
Warsaw was the European Capital of Sport in 2008.
The city has hosted more than 200 000 refugees from Ukraine – mostly women and children.
Polonia Warszawa is the third club from Poland to play in the EWBL after Basket 90 Gdynia (2015-2017) and AZS UMCS Lublin (2016-2017).
The club was founded in 1911.
Polonia`s women`s basketball section is one of the oldest in Europe as it was established in 1925.
The first Polish championship took place four years later.
Polonia Warszawa is one of the 11 clubs with at least two Polish championship titles.
The list includes Wisla Krakow (also known as The White Star; 25 titles, starting from 1963), AZS Warszawa (14 titles, the last one in 1962) and VBW Arka Gdynia (13 titles, starting from 1996).
LKS Lodz is in the fourth position with nine titles (the last one in 1997), followed by the current Polish champion Polkowice (2013, 2018, 2019, 2022), Pabianice and Spojnia Warszawa with four titles each.
Polonia Warszawa won 12 medals in total, including two gold finishes in 1934 and 1935.
The club added four silver (1933, 1937, 1949, 1976) and six bronze medals (1939, 1951, 1956, 1965, 1967, 1975).
Polonia has raised 33 players for the Polish national team.
The club withdrew from the top flight in the summer of 2000 due to financial reasons.
Reactivation took place in 2011.
On April 17, 2021, Polonia won the second division title and advanced to the Basket Liga Kobiet.
Maciej Gordon`s team posted a 10-10 record and finished in the seventh place.
Polonia advanced to the playoffs and faced a #2 seed AZS UMCS Lublin in the best-of-five quarterfinal series (0-3).
Lublin dethroned a former champion Arka Gdynia in the semifinals (3-0) but lost the finals against Polkowice (0-3).
Energa Basket Liga Kobiet feature 11 teams this season, including two teams from Greater Warsaw area – Polonia and Pruszkow.
Polonia home court is Centrum Sportu Wilanow, next to a famous Wilanow park and palace.
The club hosted the first EWBL stage on October 28-30, 2022.
SKK Polonia Warszawa organized a great event and the guests enjoyed outstanding hospitality.
We are looking forward to a great Final Four.