Orlen Stadion – stadium description

How did the new Wisła Płock stadium come about?

How did Wisła Płock's previous stadium look?

A presentation of Wisła Płock's previous stadium can be seen on a separate subpage

Wisła Płock's previous stadium was built in the years 1968–1973 by Mazowieckie Zakłady Rafineryjne i Petrochemiczne (the current PKN Orlen), which at the time patronised the "Nafciarze" team. Orlen owned the facility until 2007, when it was handed over to the city.

The old stadium used to have an athletics track, but this disappeared over time and the facility was used mainly for football. At the end of the 20th century, plastic seats were installed in the stands, in 2000 the arena was upgraded with floodlighting and in 2006 it gained a heated pitch. Until the stadium boom before Euro 2012, the venue was regarded as one of the most interesting in Poland. The national team played here twice and the Super Cup match was organised three times.

When was the first concept to rebuild Wisła Płock's stadium conceived?

After taking over the stadium, however, the city authorities decided to redevelop it to make it a modern facility for the 21st century with a football-specific profile. In 2008, an architectural concept was commissioned and developed by Strzelecki Biuro Architektoniczne from Zielona Góra.

The studio prepared two concepts, which were presented in March 2009. The first concept envisaged the construction of completely new stands on the western, northern and eastern sides, while behind the southern gate there would be free space and the club building standing there. The second concept was to bring the pitch closer to the main stand and build a new stand on the eastern side.

The city opted for the first concept, according to which the facility would receive new U-shaped stands. The realisation was to cost just under PLN 100 million and the new stadium should accommodate 15,000 spectators. The plan included an interesting vision of a roof over the stands. However, the idea was met with criticism, as the Płock stadium had no spatial constraints that could justify the implementation of an asymmetrical concept, with an open south side.

How was the construction of Wisła Płock's new stadium helped by promotion to the Ekstraklasa in 2016?

Despite the preparation of the concept, there were no substantial activities towards the redevelopment of the stadium in the following years. This only changed with Wisła Płock's promotion to the Ekstraklasa in 2016. In November 2016, a new architectural concept by Bończa Studio was presented.

The facility was to receive completely new, reinforced concrete stands around the pitch. The main stand would receive two storeys and the entire auditorium would be covered. The stadium was to have a capacity of 12,000 spectators, and after amendments made in 2017, the capacity was increased to 15,000. The cost of implementation was estimated at PLN 80-100 million.

The architectural concept of the new Wisła Płock stadium by Bończa Studio can be seen on a separate subpage

When was the contractor for Wisła Płock's new stadium selected?

In August 2018, the functional-utility programme was ready, and on September 24 of the same year the tender for the project was launched. The stadium was to be built in the "design + build" formula and based on a concept created by Bończa Studio.

The tender procedures were somewhat protracted, and out of the initial four entities willing to carry out the task, in the end only Mirbud remained, which, during the tender, presented its own concept for the new stadium, simpler in its form than that of Bończa Studio. Financial issues, among others, stood in the way, as the city wanted to allocate less than PLN 98 million for the stadium, while Mirbud expected almost PLN 166.5 million.

Eventually, city councillors voted in favour of increased spending on the stadium and a contract with the contractor was signed on November 29, 2019. The signing of the contract took place at the stadium, just before the league match against Lech Poznań. The contract was worth PLN 166.5 million and Mirbud was given three years to build the new facility.

The architectural concept of Wisła Płock's new stadium presented by Mirbud can be seen on a separate subpage

How did the construction of Wisła Płock's new stadium go?

A report on the construction of the new Wisła Płock stadium can be viewed on a separate subpage

Initially, after the contract was signed, mainly design work was carried out (the final design was made by Perbo-Inwestycje). The contractor took over the project site in July 2020 and then demolition work on the old stadium began.

Construction was divided into two main phases in order to maintain the facility's operational (during the works Wisła continued to play its matches at the stadium, albeit at a significantly reduced capacity). The first part involved the construction of stands on the eastern side and behind the northern goal, followed by the construction of the new main (western) and southern stands. Planning permission was granted on December 11, 2020, and the actual construction work began then.

Construction fell at an inopportune time. First the COVID-19 pandemic and then the war in Ukraine caused numerous difficulties. Rising inflation, as well as shortages of construction materials and workers, were the problems the contractor faced. Despite this, the work proceeded relatively smoothly, thanks in part to the use of prefabricated elements.

The new east stand was opened to spectators on November 28, 2021, allowing the remnants of the old stands to be dismantled and the construction of the new structures on the west and south sides to begin. The east stand remained the only one open to spectators until the full opening of the entire stadium.

The completion date set for November 29, 2022 could not be met. Initially, it seemed that the delay would be minor and the facility would be ready for the spring round of the 2022/23 season. In the end, work continued throughout the round and it was not until early summer 2023 that the facility was handed over to the Municipal Sports and Recreation Center.

What was the cost of building Wisła Płock's new stadium?

The cost of the investment, covered by the city budget, rose from an initial PLN 166.5 million to around PLN 175 million. On March 2, 2023, the stadium's title sponsor was announced, which became PKN Orlen. The contract is to run until the end of 2027, with the possibility of extension.

When was Wisła Płock's new stadium inaugurated?

Wisła's relegation from the Ekstraklasa in the 2022/23 season was a disappointment, resulting in the new facility being inaugurated in Fortuna 1 League. The full opening of the new stadium took place on September 1-2, 2023. On September 1, the facility was opened to the public for tours, culminating a day later when Wisła faced Polonia Warsaw in the 7th league round (3–0). Numerous additional attractions were prepared for fans on the occasion of the event.

What are the characteristics of Wisła Płock's new stadium?

The stadium is located on the Brzeźnica River, at Łukasiewicza Street, connecting the city center with the refinery in Płock. The site is surrounded by car parks, training pitches and tennis courts, as well as the Orlen Arena, built in 2009–2010.

The facility was built on a curved rectangular plan and has a football-specific layout. The pitch is surrounded by single-tier stands, with the first row of spectators slightly raised to improve visibility. The folding seats form a mosaic of white and shades of blue. The fenced-in visitors' sector was located on a section of the stand behind the north goal. The capacity of the venue is 15,004 spectators.

The main stand with a four-tier backstage area and 14 VIP boxes is located on the west side. Video screens have been placed in two corners. There are 11 catering outlets and a fan shop planned for the stadium.

The auditorium is fully covered by a roof made of trapezoidal metal sheets (with a glazed section on the south side). Floodlights and sound system components are attached to the canopy.

From the outside, the stadium is covered by a façade created from white vertical louvres, on which hang signs with the names of the club and the title sponsor. The see-through nature of the façade allows air to circulate more freely and let in more sunlight. The height of the building is 23m.

Who does the new stadium in Plock serve?

The facility meets the requirements of the third UEFA category. The main users of the stadium are the Wisła Płock footballers; the facility is also suitable for hosting cultural events.

What is the name of the new stadium in Płock?

Polski Koncern Naftowy Orlen, based in Płock, has become the title sponsor of the facility. The name of the stadium also retains the patron of the previous facility, who had been Kazimierz Górski since 2004 – the full name of the new venue is: Orlen Stadion im. Kazimierza Górskiego (Kazimierz Górski Orlen Stadium).