Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game
If there’s one Polish destination whose name older fans will recognise if not be able to pronounce, it’s Zabrze. An industrial mishmash within Greater Katowice in the football heartland of Silesia, Zabrze is the home of Górnik (‘Miner’), who narrowly lost three key European fixtures in three years to George Best’s Manchester United and Colin Bell’s Manchester City, around half a century ago.
Only Warsaw has welcomed home the league title more times than Zabrze, whose duopoly with local rivals Chorzów ran from 1952 to the fall of Communism in 1989. European games were played at the vast Stadion Śląski 10km east of Zabrze, Poland’s national stadium until its demolition in 2009. The Stadion Górnika was used for domestic fixtures. Like Zabrze itself, however, its pre-war heritage is German.
As Preußen Zaborze then Preußen Hindenburg, the team from today’s Zabrze won the South East German Championship in 1929, and made the national finals. Their ground was the Steinhoff Park, today the Pilecki, near where Górnik now play – the former Adolf-Hitler-Kampfbahn, opened in 1934. It was as quickly renamed in 1946 as Preußen Hindenburg disappeared.
With Zabrze becoming part of post-war Poland, in December 1948, Górnik was set up as a sports association to represent the city. After a series of friendlies, second-tier status was achieved in 1952 and a bitter rivalry with Ruch Chorzów that attracted large crowds. A first Polish title in 1957 was followed by nine more in just over a decade, and many a European adventure.
A shock win over England’s recent double-winners Tottenham in September 1961, 4-2, was followed by a heavy defeat at White Hart Lane, striker Ernest Pohl scoring in both legs, but the Silesians usually gave a good account of themselves.
A solitary European final, lost to Manchester City before a crowd of 8,000 in the pouring rain of Vienna in 1970, seems scant reward for a team who beat Manchester United, Glasgow Rangers, Roma and Dynamo Kiev at the Stadion Śląski or over two legs during this time.
Like the city, Górnik struggled to adjust in the post-Communist era and the collapse of heavy industry. The club wouldn’t compete in Europe for more than 30 years, during which time the Stadion Śląski was knocked down and (eventually) rebuilt, and Górnik’s was modernised over several stages.
First named after Ernest Pohl and then called the Arena Zabrze, it was among the key factors that attracted German World Cup star Lukas Podolski to invest in the club, having seen out his playing career there from 2021 onwards.
In May 2026, his faith was rewarded with Górnik winning their first major silverware since 1988, the Polish Cup, in front of 50,000 spectators at Warsaw’s National Stadium. While a visit to the Arena Zabrze today can be compared to any contemporary stadium in Poland post-Euro 2012, to get a feel of the Zabrze of the 1950s, wander around the old red-brick quarter of Małe Zabrze. It’s little changed since the days it housed miners and their families, a few tram stops from the stadium where Poland’s football title was won ten times in 15 years.
Getting Around
Arriving in town and local transport
Katowice International Airport is 37km (23 miles) from Zabrze, connected by an hourly ZTM M16/M116 bus. It takes 50mins to reach Zabrze Goethego (5zł/€1.15, 14zł/€3.15 including 24hr pass) by the train station. E-Taxi24 (+48 537 411 114) quotes (200zł/€46) from Arrivals to Zabrze.
A train from Katowice (10zł/€2.30) takes 20mins. Zabrze station is south of the compact centre, the stadium south-west. Local GZM buses (3.20zł/€0.75 or 3.70zł/€0.85) set off from a concourse to the left of the station as you exit, with trams running till late at night. Zabrze-based Taxi Kopernik (+48 32 271 68 68) is reliable for local journeys and offers a transfer to Katowice Airport for 130 zł/€30, 160 zł/€37 at night, credit cards accepted.
Where to Drink
The best pubs and bars for football fans
A number of bars sit on and off the main street of Wolności, including sassy brewpub Oficyna with a live-music agenda, drinks promotions and tasty pizzas. Further along and similar in approach, lively Smocze Oko stages live music and karaoke but is also an atmospheric bar for a sought-after beer.
A short walk north, on tumbledown Cieszyńska in an old quarter of Zabrze, Biały Słoń offers house brews in authentically vintage surroundings while Brama is, quite simply, magnificent. A party crowd gathers around well-chosen music and a range of beers. Behind the bar there’s TV football, around it, children’s swings. Savvy, friendly staff, too.
Just the other side of Zabrze station, Pub 300% is more grill restaurant than pub but has a seasonal alfresco branch on 3 Maja nearby, 300% Normy, where a beer garden extends under tree shade and bands play live shows.
Where to stay
The best hotels for the stadium and city centre
Zabrze has a tourist information point (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-2pm) at Miarki 8 but no English-language online source for accommodation information.
Walking distance from the stadium near a main junction, Willa Ambasador (3 Maja 78, +48 32 271 5044) is a functional hostel attached to a sports association, whose lodging mainly comprised of twins and singles. Two tram stops away, Diament comprises two adjoining hotels, comfortable three- and four-stars with a restaurant, gym and sauna, all backdropped by greenery.
In town on Jagiellońska, guests in the 114 rooms of the budget ibis Katowice Zabrze can take advantage of the 24hr bar and restaurant. It’s also a short walk from Zabrze station. Nearby INNOWACJA (Jagiellońska 38A. +48 32 278 7555) mainly operates as a conference centre but also rents out two-star rooms.
North of Stare Zabrze, a short walk west on Franciszkańska, the mid-range Alpex perfectly suits individual visitors on a budget, with its 20 single rooms, 17 doubles and two suites with kitchenettes. Rates include breakfast and access to the sauna.
