PZPN apologizes after Cezary Kulesza swaps mascot child before Poland match

Tunnel incident at PGE Narodowym

During the pre-match lineup at PGE Narodowym in Warsaw ahead of Poland's Nations League match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Polish Football Association (PZPN) president Cezary Kulesza intervened in the player tunnel. Video footage showed Kulesza approaching team captain Robert Lewandowski and removing the young mascot who was already holding the striker's hand. Kulesza placed a different boy beside the 38-year-old forward, who then walked onto the pitch with that child. The footage spread across social media channels, prompting public scrutiny of the federation's conduct toward the displaced child.

Kulesza's explanation and apology

Kulesza responded publicly to the incident through Polish sports portal Meczyki, taking personal responsibility for the decision. He explained that he personally knew the mother of the second boy, noting that she had died in 2025, and that the child had long wanted to walk out with Lewandowski.

I personally knew the mother of the boy I brought to Robert Lewandowski. She passed away last year. I knew that walking onto the pitch specifically with Robert was her son's great dream. I treated this very personally, also as a certain obligation toward his mother, which is why I wanted to make sure that dream came true myself.

Kulesza acknowledged that his handling of the situation had negatively affected the original mascot. He confirmed that the federation reached out to the child's parents to issue a direct apology.

I should have organized it differently. At that moment I focused on that boy, and only later did it hit me that my behavior could have caused distress to another child. We contacted his parents. They accepted the apology and an invitation to join the child escort at the next match of the Polish national team. I take full responsibility for this situation.

Federation settlement and Boniek's reaction

PZPN general secretary Łukasz Wachowski negotiated a resolution directly with the displaced boy's parents. The federation agreed that the child will walk onto the pitch alongside the national team captain on 17 November 2026, when Poland hosts Sweden in Wrocław. Former PZPN president and national team player Zbigniew Boniek commented on social media nearly a week after the incident, suggesting an alternative course of action for the team captain during the tunnel encounter.

The question comes to mind: why didn't Robert take two boys by the hand? No regulation forbids it, there would have been none of this commotion, and above all, the boys would have been super happy.

Boniek also endorsed the federation's decision to offer the boy a role in the Wrocław fixture.

Sporting context and upcoming fixtures

The controversy unfolded during a Nations League campaign managed by Jan Urban. Poland collected one point from its opening two group fixtures, following a 0-0 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Warsaw and a 1-3 away defeat against Sweden in Solna. During the match in Sweden, Lewandowski started on the substitutes' bench while Piotr Zieliński wore the captain's armband. The national team continues its group stage with a home match against Romania on 2 October 2026, followed by an away fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina on 5 October 2026. The group schedule concludes in November with an away match against Romania and the home game against Sweden.