Stadion Skałka – stadium description

What is Skałka Stadium in Świętochłowice like in brief?

Skałka Stadium in Świętochłowice is primarily associated with speedway, although it was also built with football in mind. In fact, neither the speedway nor the football team of Śląsk Świętochłowice managed to match their earlier successes after the opening of the new stadium in 1979.

The venue was developed within the sports and recreational complex (OSiR “Skałka”), whose construction began in the 1960s. It replaced a previous stadium that had been demolished due to the expansion of Huta Florian steelworks.

The stadium featured substantial earth embankments surrounding the speedway track, which once accommodated up to 25,000 spectators, making it one of the largest venues in Upper Silesia. After the fall of communism, the technical condition of the facility gradually deteriorated.

The old bench seating was removed in autumn 2018, when a redevelopment project began. However, the works were quickly halted due to a lack of funding – by 2020, only the remaining fragments of the stands had been demolished, leaving behind grass-covered embankments.

In 2025–2026, part of the stands was finally rebuilt on the western side, with a capacity of 4,200 spectators. Their opening coincided with the reactivation of the Śląsk speedway team, which had been inactive since 2002.

Since 2014, the stadium has been named after Paweł Waloszek, a distinguished speedway rider of Śląsk Świętochłowice.

How was Skałka Stadium in Świętochłowice built?

What was the previous stadium in Świętochłowice like?

The previous stadium in Świętochłowice was built in 1934–1935, primarily for the football team Śląsk Świętochłowice, which played three seasons in the top division during the interwar period (1928, 1935 and 1936).

After World War II, a motorcycle section was established within the club, and in 1951 the athletics track was converted into a speedway track. Speedway quickly gained popularity in Świętochłowice, with the club’s greatest achievements including three league runner-up finishes (in 1969, 1970 and 1973).

Due to the expansion of Huta Florian, the old stadium was closed in 1973. For several years, Śląsk’s speedway team competed at Silesian Stadium and at the venue of Slavia Ruda Śląska.

When was Skałka Stadium in Świętochłowice built?

In 1964, an initiative by representatives of the Municipal National Council, workplaces and social organisations led to a resolution to develop an area along Bytomska Street, between the Piaśniki district and the city center.

The nearly 15-hectare site consisted of wasteland with large pits and uneven terrain, as well as a nearby spoil heap. The area was known as “Kamionka” or, more colloquially, “rojbka”.

The site was designated for a sports and recreational complex. After the pond was regulated, new greenery planted and the first sports facilities opened, the complex was inaugurated in 1968.

Further development continued in the following years, while the main sports facility – the stadium – was only built in the second half of the 1970s to replace the former venue closed in 1973. It was officially opened on June 1, 1979, and just three weeks later, on June 22, a crowd of 27,000 gathered at the stadium – a record attendance that remains unbeaten to this day.

On January 1, 1980, the Ośrodek Sportu i Rekreacji “Skałka” (OSiR “Skałka”) was established as the municipal unit responsible for managing the entire sports and recreational complex.

How has Skałka Stadium in Świętochłowice changed over time?

The stadium was built in the relatively late period of the communist era in Poland. After the fall of communism, funding for its maintenance became limited and the venue gradually fell into decline. The situation was further affected by the closure of the speedway team in 2002.

In 2016, a redevelopment project was drawn up. The plan included, among other things, the refurbishment of the stands and the demolition of the eastern embankment, which was to be replaced by a modern paddock area.

Works began in October 2018, but were suspended in December of the same year following a change in the city’s leadership. It was concluded that the municipal budget did not allow the investment to be completed.

After the initial demolition works, the stadium was no longer fit for use. In 2019–2020, essential works were carried out to restore basic functionality. The remaining stands were fully demolished, leaving only grass-covered embankments, which significantly reduced the venue’s capacity.

In the following years, the administrative building and the speedway track were renovated, while in 2025–2026 new stands were built on the western embankment.

The first event with the new stands took place on April 12, 2026, when the reactivated Śląsk Świętochłowice speedway team played its first league match in 24 years (a 50:40 victory over Lokomotiv Daugavpils).

Who is the patron of Skałka Stadium in Świętochłowice?

On October 15, 2014, the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution to name the stadium after Paweł Waloszek, a long-time speedway rider of Śląsk Świętochłowice, who achieved, among other honours, the 1965 World Team Championship title and the 1970 Individual World Championship silver medal.

The naming of the stadium after the distinguished rider was linked to efforts aimed at reviving speedway traditions in Świętochłowice. Waloszek himself took part in a ceremonial lap during the “Speedway Reaktywacja” event held on July 17, 2015. He passed away on September 7, 2018 at the age of 80.

What does Skałka Stadium in Świętochłowice look like?

The stadium has a football and speedway profile, with oval earth embankments surrounding the racing track. The embankments were once fully equipped with spectator seating, but today they are largely grass-covered. The stands are now located only partially on the western side, where the administrative building is also situated. The seating capacity of the stands is 4,200, while the speedway track measures 373 metres in length.

The stadium is part of the OSiR “Skałka” sports and recreational complex. Its surroundings include additional pitches, tennis courts, a sports hall, a swimming area, a cycle speedway track, a skatepark, as well as a park with a pond. The Drogowa Trasa Średnicowa expressway runs nearby, while the railway station in Świętochłowice is located approximately 1.5 km away.

What events take place at Skałka Stadium in Świętochłowice?

The stadium, with its football and speedway profile, is primarily used by the speedway team (reactivated in 2026 after a 24-year break) and the football club, both operating under the Śląsk Świętochłowice banner.

Although strongly associated with speedway, the club’s riders were no longer able to achieve the same level of success after moving to the new venue as they had before the closure of the old stadium.

Beyond league competitions, the venue has also hosted a variety of speedway events, including finals of the Silver and Bronze Helmet competitions, as well as other championship and friendly meetings.

On October 5, 2001, the stadium hosted a UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier between Poland and Ukraine (3–0). The win secured Poland’s place in the play-offs, where they were eventually eliminated by Italy.

On April 7, 2005, a Holy Mass was held at the stadium in memory of Pope John Paul II, who had died a few days earlier. The ceremony gathered around 15,000 people.