Basketball Team Moves Closer to World Championship, Ekstraklasa Prepares for League Blockbusters

The Polish men's national basketball team took a milestone step towards the 2027 World Championship finals by defeating the Latvian squad away. Analyzing the match, the White and Reds' coach emphasized that the ultimate success was decided by iron tactical discipline and execution of plans in key moments of the fourth quarter. This victory holds immense psychological significance, as the Latvians are considered one of the most unpredictable teams in Europe. Interest in basketball in Poland is surging rapidly, confirmed by the fact that the arena for the upcoming return match at home is already completely sold out. Players like Jarosław Zyskowski openly declare that traveling to the tournament in Qatar is their primary sporting goal in the coming months. Simultaneously, Polish football enters a phase of decisive outcomes in the 23rd round of the Ekstraklasa. The weekend schedule is dominated by two major blockbusters: the clash of Jagiellonia Białystok with Legia Warszawa and the duel between Lech Poznań and Raków Częstochowa. In Szczecin, preparations for the Pogoń vs. Widzew Łódź match even encompassed urban logistics, where authorities decided to launch additional tram and bus lines to alleviate traffic generated by thousands of fans. From abroad came optimistic news regarding Jakub Kiwior. The Polish defender of FC Porto has regained full fitness, as confirmed by the coach of the Portuguese giant. This is crucial information for national team selector Michał Probierz in the context of the upcoming playoff matches. Since 2012, when Poland and Ukraine co-hosted the European Championship, stadium infrastructure in the country allows for regularly hosting large numbers of fans, which has influenced the professionalization of match logistics.In motorsports, the broadcast future of the PGE Ekstraliga has been clarified. Exclusive rights to broadcast the world's best speedway league for 2026 remain with Canal+. The exact schedule for the initial rounds is already known, and experts point to Unia Leszno as the team that could most disrupt the standings after successful transfer moves. The season will be inaugurated by a major blockbuster that will attract millions of viewers, cementing speedway's position as the second most popular sport in Poland after football. Poland is the only country in the world where speedway has gained almost national sport status, regularly filling modern stadiums in cities like Toruń, Gorzów, or Wrocław.„Bardzo chcemy pojechać na ten mundial do Kataru, czujemy, że ta drużyna ma ogromny potencjał.” (We really want to go to this World Cup in Qatar, we feel this team has enormous potential.) — Jarosław Zyskowski