The interwar period of Polish football began in the late fall of 1918 after First World War, when Poland regained independence, which had been lost at the end of 18th century (see: Partitions of Poland). The newly created country soon started to organize its administration and several national organizations. Among them was the PZPN – Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej (Polish Football Association), which was created on 20 and 21 December 1919 in Warsaw. According to some sources, several officials representing around 30 Polish Football clubs were then present in Warsaw, but the list of them has been lost.

Many Polish Football clubs were not founded in 1918, but much earlier. The first centers of Polish football were Kraków and Lwów, where a club were established as early as 1903 (Czarni Lwów, the first Polish sports club). However, before 1918 it was impossible to create an independent, uniquely Polish Federation, because Poland as such did not exist.

Humble beginnings In late 1919, the newly established federation began organizing the first Championships of Poland. This process was complicated because the country's provinces had been divided among three different nations for 123 years, leaving direct rail communication between major cities like Warsaw, Kraków, Lwów, Wilno and Poznań, was virtually non-existent. Additionally, Poland was engaged in multiple regional conflicts, including the Polish–Soviet War, Polish–Ukrainian War, Polish–Lithuanian War, Great Poland Uprising, Silesian Uprisings, Border conflicts between Poland and Czechoslovakia. Due to these events, organizing national sports was secondary to state stabilization.

Summer 1920 – unfinished championships In spring of 1920, officials from PZPN decided to organize first championships of the country. Firstly, the Association divided Poland (whose borders were then not yet determined) into five football districts – Warsaw, Kraków, Poznań, Łódź and Lwów. It was planned that in early summer of 1920 teams from these districts would play regional qualifying games and then, five champions would play each other in a central tournament. The last games of championships were supposed to take place some time in late October 1920.

While planning those games, PZPN's officials did not predict that in summer of 1920 Red Army would reach the outskirts of Warsaw, and Poland's fate would be in grave danger (Russian westward offensive of 1918–1919). So, under the circumstances, only Western districts of Kraków and Poznań managed to carry out its games. Kraków's champion was Cracovia, Poznań's – Warta Poznań. Needless to add – Poland national team as such did not yet exist and no international friendlies took place.

Crucial year – 1921

By mid-1921, the situation in Poland had calmed down. Conflicts were over (see: Peace of Riga) and the nation, while recuperating from all the wars, started to take interest in other activities, including sports. First, in early summer of 1921, teams from five districts played each other, in regional championships. The regional champions were: Cracovia Kraków, ŁKS Łódź, Warta Poznań, Pogoń Lwów and Polonia Warszawa.

Cracovia Kraków – first champions

During the final, nationwide games of the tournament, Cracovia proved to be the best, unbeaten team. Led by a legendary forward, Józef Kałuża, Kraków's squad won seven games, with only one draw (against Warta). The vice-champion of these historic games was Polonia Warszawa and in third place, Warta Poznań. National championships lasted for only two months, from late August until late October. The top scorer of the national games was Cracovia's forward Józef Kałuża, with 9 goals.

First international friendly

In late 1921, the freshly created Poland national team also played its first, historic, international friendly. On 18 December 1921 in Budapest, Poland lost to Hungary 0-1.

Early 1920s

Since 1922, Polish teams began regular games in the championships of the country. In the years 1922–1926 the games were organized in the same fashion, as in 1921. First, regional games took place, then best teams would face each other in the national tournament. As Polish borders moved eastwards (Kresy Wschodnie) as well as westwards (Kresy Zachodnie), additional PZPN's districts were added.

In 1922, in a nationwide tournament, 8 teams participated. Five of them were champions of the districts established back in 1920 (these teams were the same as in 1921), plus champions of three new districts – Upper Silesia (Ruch Wielkie Hajduki), Lublin (Wojskowy KS Lublin) and Wilno (Strzelec Wilno).

Also, since 1922, Poland National Team started to play international games on regular basis. Back then, no FIFA World Cup existed, so the only way to prove side's quality were friendlies or Olympic Games.

National Championships 1922–1926 – dominance of Pogoń Lwów

Starting in 1922, Pogoń Lwów for four successive seasons was champion of Poland, with the exception of 1924. In this year, due to the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, no championships were organized. The reason for this was so that the National Team would be adequately prepared for its games in the Olympics.

Pogoń thus was the champion in the years 1922, 1923, 1925 and 1926. Lwów's squad was unequaled in the country, with its leader an excellent athlete, Wacław Kuchar, who in 1922 and 1926 was the top scorer of Poland Another Pogoń star was Mieczysław Batsch – also a forward, who together with Kuchar and some other Lwów's players regularly represented the Poland national team. Apart from Pogoń, in 1922–1926 other important teams were: Wisła Kraków, Warta Poznań, Polonia Warszawa, Cracovia.

In 1925, another district was added to the nationwide games. This time it was Toruń, with its champion, Toruński KS. Thus, by 1927 there were 9 districts of PZPN – Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań, Kraków, Lwów, Lublin, Wilno, Upper Silesia and Toruń. Each of them sent its champion to the national tournament.

National Team 1922–1926 – First victory

Back in December 1921, just after Hungary vs. Poland friendly, officials from both federations agreed that the next game would take place in Poland. As in early 1920s, Cracovia was regarded as the most influential club, the first international on Polish soil took place on Cracovia's stadium. The Hungarians were allegedly happy with this, as Kraków is in southern Poland, quite close to Budapest.

The game occurred on 14 May 1922. Polish football fans must have been in great anticipation of this event, because they filled up the stadium, with 16,000 of them showing up. Supporters intent on seeing this historic game came not only from Kraków, but also from other parts of the country. They were disappointed – Poland lost to its renowned rival 0-3 but, according to some sources, white-reds did not deserve such harsh punishment.

Two weeks later, Polish team went a long way to Stockholm, to face Sweden. This time, at the Olympic Stadium, with 16,000 spectators, Poland won the first game in its history. The Poles beat their opponents 2–1, with goals by Józef Klotz (on a penalty kick) and Józef Garbień. It must be mentioned, that in 1922 it took almost four days for the Poles to get by trains and ferry from Kraków, via Warsaw, Berlin, Stralsund and Malmö, to the capital of Sweden.

This victory, over an experienced Swedish side, was a turning point for the Poles. The National Team quickly took advantage of it, as more nations showed interest in facing white-reds. On 3 September 1922, in Cernăuţi, Poland tied 1–1 with Romania and on October 1, in Zagreb, Poles beat Yugoslavia 3–1, with two goals by Józef Kałuża.

In 1923, the first game occurred as late as 3 June. In Kraków, the Poles lost 1–2 to Yugoslavia (goal by Kałuża). This goal is also significant – it was the first one scored on home turf. Fans had to wait for next match until 2 September, when in Lwów, on the Czarni Lwów's stadium, Poland tied 1–1 with Romania. Soon after, white-reds traveled north. On September 25 in Helsinki, Poland lost 3–5 to Finland, two days later, in Tallinn, the Poles beat Estonia 4–1. The last game in 1923 took place in Kraków. On 1 November, the Poles tied 2–2 with Sweden.

Failure at the 1924 Olympic Games

In 1924, all efforts of PZPN were directed towards one aim – the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Due to this fact, games for national championships did not take place, and manager Adam Obrubański was given a free hand in choosing players that would represent the nation in France.

Obrubanski, after scouting some 40 athletes, chose the roster and went to Stockholm, for the last pre-Olympic friendly. On 14 May 1924, Poland was routed by the Swedes 1-5 (goal by Mieczysław Batsch). While the Games were approaching, fans back in Poland were uneasy and their worst expectations turned true.

On arrival at Paris, the Poles learned that they would face Hungary on 26 May 1924 at Stade Bergeyre; a disaster. The white-reds fought hard in the first half, but were down 1-0. After the break, the Poles lost strength and lost 5-0. The Olympic dream was over, Uruguay would take home the gold medal.

After the Olympics, National Team until the end of 1926

In spite of defeat in Paris, Polish players learned from their first international tournament. Also, Polish officials got acquainted with United States football officials who came to France with their team. So, on June 10 in Warsaw, Poland faced the United States. This game was another letdown for home fans, as the hosts lost 2–3.

For the rest of the period described (1924–1926), Poland rated poorly, occasionally winning some games against such teams as Estonia, Finland or Turkey, but also losing many, with Hungary, amateur team of Czechoslovakia or Sweden.

The biggest success of these years was the routing of Finland 7–1 on 8 August 1926 in Poznań. Also, on 12 September 1926, Poland beat Turkey 6–1, this game taking place in Lwów. However, those teams were regarded as somehow "second class". Facing tougher opponents, the Poles would most likely lose (like on 1 November 1925, in Kraków, Poland – Sweden 2-6 or on 20 August 1926 in Budapest, Hungary – Poland 4–1). At the end of 1926, Poland went to Scandinavia. On October 3 in Stockholm, the Poles lost to Sweden 3-1 but a week later in Oslo, Poland beat Norway 4–3.

Among players, who would represent the country, the majority of them came from Kraków's clubs, Cracovia and Wisła, Pogoń Lwów, Warta Poznań, Polonia Warszawa and ŁKS Łódź. This means that just like in the early 1920s, the same teams played key roles in Polish football. After Adam Obrubanski, Poland's managers were Tadeusz Kuchar and then Tadeusz Synowiec.

The late 1920s and early 1930s

1927 brought a major change, as the Polish football League was created. The National Team's outlook did not change significantly, without any major achievements and international successes.

Creation of the Polish Football League

In December 1926 in Warsaw, representatives from several Polish clubs met each other. The purpose of this meeting was simple – to discuss the possibility of creating a Football League. It is unclear who came up with this idea (some say this was due to numerous changes, introduced at that time in Poland, after the May Coup). Obviously, a League was a much more practical solution than hitherto practised two-stage (regional and then central) games.

To the dismay of clubs’ officials, PZPN did not like the idea of the League and the Association wanted to thwart it. However, it turned out that virtually all but one Polish club supported the League and decided to create it, no matter what PZPN's representatives thought of it. In late February 1927, at the PZPN's meeting in Warsaw, its officials openly opposed the League, but the clubs, allegedly egged on by some generals from Polish Army (which, after May Coup of 1926, played a key role in all aspects of public life), would not obey. The creation of the League was announced on March 1, 1927.

Cracovia