Polish Soccer Club Wisla Krakow Forfeits Match Over Away Fan Ban
Polish Soccer Club Wisla Krakow Forfeits Match Over Away Fan Ban
Wisla Krakow, the current leaders of Poland's I liga second division, has made headlines by deciding to forfeit their scheduled league match against Slask Wroclaw. The controversial decision stems from Slask's announcement that no away fans from Wisla would be permitted to attend the game, set to kick off at 5:30 p.m. local time on March 7.
Wisla's president, Jaroslaw Krolewski, emphasized the club's stance in a statement on Friday: “Wisla will not send its employees to a match where decisions are made outside the principles of transparency and fair play. This decision is irrevocable and non-negotiable.” The club intends to remain in Krakow and not participate, highlighting their frustration with what they see as unfair treatment.
Slask Wroclaw defended their choice to ban Wisla fans, citing “applicable law” and expressing readiness to defend the decision before the Polish Football Association (PZPN). In their statement, Slask assured the safety of Wisla’s team, staff, and management, noting that the absence of organized away fans would not compromise event security. Despite the tension, Slask continued to sell tickets for the match on Friday afternoon, promising to inform fans immediately if the game is officially canceled.
Peter Moore, Wisla’s minority owner and former CEO of Liverpool, shared his perspective with The Athletic: “We decided the sacrifice is worth it to try and ignite a conversation about Polish football. There is nothing that has taken place this season to justify a ban. Safety and inclusion should co-exist here. This is not a decision by the Polish FA or the local police force to say they cannot handle organised away fans. We decided that the sacrifice is worth more than one game and attempt to exert change. Football without fans has no future.”
Wisla explored multiple avenues to resolve the issue before forfeiting, including proposals to relocate the match at their own expense and assume financial responsibilities. Krolewski noted: “We worked on relocating the match, respecting sponsors, the competition’s integrity, mediation possibilities, and available legal remedies. I even offered the PZPN that we would cover the costs of relocating the match and take on the financial responsibility associated with changing the date. This would allow the situation to be calmly resolved. The decision was and remains with PZPN.”
The club's fan group, Socios Wisla Krakow, backed the forfeiture, calling the fan ban “unequal treatment of Wisla’s fans.” Wisla captain Angel Rodado echoed this support on social media: “As a team, the place where we can contribute the most is on the pitch, we always want to play. On the other hand our fans are the most important for us and we can’t imagine our football without them. We are always together.”
Currently, Wisla tops the I liga standings, nine points ahead of second-place Polonia Warsaw, positioning them for automatic promotion to the Ekstraklasa top flight. Slask Wroclaw sits sixth in a promotion playoff spot. Historically, Wisla boasts 14 league titles, just one shy of Legia Warsaw's record, though their last triumph was in 2011; they were relegated in 2022 for the first time this century. Slask, two-time champions, last won the top division in 2012.
The Polish Football Association has yet to comment on potential sanctions for either club if the match is not played, leaving the situation unresolved as the scheduled date approaches.