PLAY-OFF CHANGES IN POLISH LEAGUES AS PGE EKSTRALIGA TAKES CHARGE OF SECOND TIER

Poland’s top leagues are set for a major revamp from 2025 as the PGE Ekstraliga takes over management of the rebranded Speedway Ekstraliga 2 from 2024.

Speedway Ekstraliga 2 replaces the First Division as Poland’s second tier from next year, and the league will now be managed as part of the Speedway Ekstraliga organisation – instead of as a separate entity.

While the format of each league is unchanged for 2024, both the PGE Ekstraliga and Speedway Ekstraliga 2 are set for a major overhaul from 2025, with both leagues featuring eight teams, which will meet each other home and away, before taking part in end-of-season play-offs.

The PGE Ekstraliga championship play-offs, which currently feature six clubs, will revert back to a four-team competition, with the teams facing off in two semi-finals, with the winners fighting for the title in the final and the losers competing in the bronze-medal play-off.

The bottom four clubs will also fight for the right to stay in the PGE Ekstraliga in the relegation play-out series, meeting in two semi-finals with the losers forced to battle it out in a play-off to retain their spot in the competition. 

The defeated side in this two-legged tie will be relegated to Speedway Ekstraliga 2 automatically, with the winners facing the Speedway Ekstraliga 2 runners-up in a play-off for the final place in the following year’s PGE Ekstraliga.

The top four sides in Speedway Ekstraliga 2 will also contest the championship play-offs, with the winners of two semi-finals advancing to the final. The winner of the final will be crowned champions and gain automatic promotion to the PGE Ekstraliga, with the runners-up facing the relegation play-out winners from the PGE Ekstraliga for the right to race in the top flight.

The bottom four Speedway Ekstraliga 2 clubs will enter the second tier’s relegation play-out matches, contesting two semi-finals, with the losers meeting over two legs to fight for their place in the league. The losers will be relegated and replaced by the champions from Poland's third tier.