Odra Opole knock Śląsk Wrocław out of Polish Cup, four Ekstraklasa clubs left for 1/8 finals

Odra edge Śląsk after extra time

Odra Opole beat Śląsk Wrocław 2:1 after extra time in the final match of the Polish Cup last-16 round on Thursday, 29 October. Grzegorz Tomasiewicz gave Śląsk the lead in the 81st minute, but Patryk Szysz equalised in the fifth minute of added time, which forced extra time at 1:1. Michał Nalepa scored the decisive goal in extra time with a strike from outside the box. Śląsk goalkeeper Michał Szromnik made several important saves during the match, including shots from Tomasz Gajda and Joshua Perez. Śląsk became the 14th Ekstraklasa side to leave the competition this season, joining Radomiak Radom and Korona Kielce, who were also eliminated that day.

Only four top-flight clubs remain

The 1/8 finals feature only four Ekstraklasa teams, the fewest at this stage in the competition's history. Jagiellonia Białystok, Wisła Płock, Raków Częstochowa and Górnik Zabrze are the survivors. Raków, last season's finalist, and Górnik, the defending holders, are among them. Earlier rounds saw Legia Warszawa, the competition's most successful club with 21 titles, go out in the first round. Lech Poznań, the current Polish champions and league leaders, lost 0:1 to third-tier Siarka Tarnobrzeg in the next round, which was the biggest upset of the round.

Draw pairs Polonia with Raków

The most anticipated tie is Polonia Warsaw, runners-up in the first division, against Raków Częstochowa. Polonia beat Korona Kielce 2:1 on Thursday, while Raków won on penalties away at Motor Lublin. Raków are coached by Dawid Szwarga, the club's fourth coach this season. Polonia coach Piotr Stokowiec, 54, reached the Polish Cup final with Lechia Gdańsk in 2019 and reached the final again the following season. After the win over Korona, Stokowiec said:

“Our determination and commitment showed that this team has character and is developing. Those who did not come to the match should regret it.”

The other ties are Siarka Tarnobrzeg against Stal Rzeszów, Polonia Środa Wielkopolska against Sokół Kleczew, Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza against Jagiellonia Białystok, Avia Świdnik against Górnik Zabrze, GKS Tychy against Chrobry Głogów, Górnik Łęczna against Wisła Płock, and Odra Opole against Ruch Chorzów. Górnik Zabrze travel to second-division Avia, which reached the quarter-finals last season while still in the third tier. Jagiellonia go to Nieciecza, where they beat the same club twice in the previous season, including a 4:0 away win.

Schedule and prize

The 1/8 finals will be played on 1-3 December 2026. The quarter-finals are set for 2-4 March, the semi-finals for 6-8 April, and the final on 2 May at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw. The winner also receives prize money and a direct place in the fourth qualifying round of the 2027/28 Europa League, based on UEFA ranking points. That route also guarantees a place in the Conference League.