2026 in Poland
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Incumbents
[edit]| Position | Person | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Karol Nawrocki | Independent (Supported by Law and Justice) | |
| Prime Minister | Donald Tusk | Civic Coalition | |
| Marshal of the Sejm | Włodzimierz Czarzasty | The Left | |
| Marshal of the Senate | Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska | Civic Coalition | |
Events
[edit]January
[edit]_(5).jpg)
- 1 January – Six localities obtain town rights: Branice, Janów, Janów Podlaski, Małkinia Górna, Stanisławów, and Staroźreby.[1]
- 3 January – Polish language reform, the largest spelling reform in 90 years[2][3]
- 9–11 January – 2026 European Speed Skating Championships held in Tomaszów Mazowiecki.
- 12 January – Hungary grants asylum to former Polish justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro, who is wanted on charges of corruption.[4]
- 21 January – A magnitude 3.5 earthquake hits the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, injuring two people at the Lubin mine.[5]
February
[edit]- 3 February – A resident of Hrubieszów is sentenced to 3.5 years' imprisonment for spying as part of a Russian plot to assassinate Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2024.[6]
- 5 February – The United States severs official contact with the Marshal of the Sejm, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, citing his comments against US president Donald Trump.[7]
- 18 February –
- Bishop Andrzej Jeż of Tarnow becomes the first bishop in Poland to be tried on charges of failing to inform authorities about alleged sexual abuse of children by two priests in his diocese.[8]
- The Polish Land Forces bars the entry of Chinese-made vehicles to its premises due to espionage concerns.[9]
- 19 February – President Nawrocki signs a law lifting special support measures for Ukrainian refugees.[10]
- 20 February – Poland formally withdraws from the Ottawa Treaty.[11]
- 20–22 February – 2026 Women's EuroHockey Indoor Club Cup held in Zalasewo.
March
[edit]- 6 March – Poland boycotts the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Italy in protest over Russian athletes being allowed to compete under the Russian flag after the lifting of sanctions imposed over the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[12]
- 7 March – Law and Justice (PiS) hold an convention in Kraków, where Przemysław Czarnek was named as the party's candidate for the office of Prime Minister for the Next Polish parliamentary election.[13]
- 12 March – President Nawrocki vetoes the EU-sponsored Security Action For Europe (SAFE) scheme that would have raised nearly 44 billion euros in loans to improve defense capabilities, citing issues of national sovereignty.[14]
- 18 March – A court in Warsaw approves the extradition of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin to Ukraine, where he is wanted on charges of damaging the Myrmēkion site in Russian-occupied Crimea.[15]
- 20 March – Defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announces the withdrawal of Polish forces from Iraq, stationed there as part of the CJTF–OIR joint task force against the Islamic State, citing the regional threat from Iran.[16]
- 20 – 22 March – The 21st World Athletics Indoor Championships are held at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena Toruń in Toruń, Kuyavian–Pomeranian Voivodeship.[17][18]
April
[edit]- 7 April – GKS Tychy win their seventh Polish Ice Hockey Championship, defeating GKS Katowice in the finals.[19]
- 9 April – A magnitude 2.7 earthquake hits the Silesian Voivodeship, injuring three miners near Rydułtowy.[20]
- 28 April – Three Polish nationals held by Belarus are released at the border with Poland following a prisoner exchange facilitated by the United States.[21]
May
[edit]- 10 May
- Warta Zawiercie win their first Polish Volleyball Championship, defeating Bogdanka LUK Lublin in the finals (see 2025–26 PlusLiga).[22]
- Former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro, who had been in hiding in Hungary to avoid charges of misusing public funds and spying on political opponents in Poland, flees to the United States.[23]
- 14 May – The city of Warsaw registers its first same sex marriage.[24]
- 16 May
- Lech Poznań win their tenth Polish Football Championship (see 2025–26 Ekstraklasa).[25]
- Poland's Alicja Szemplińska finishes 12th at Eurovision 2026 in Austria with the single "Pray".[26]
- 31 May – Industria Kielce win their 21st Polish Handball Championship, defeating Wisła Płock in the finals (see 2025–26 Superliga).[27]
June
[edit]- 1 – 7 June – Basketball 2026 FIBA 3x3 World Cup at Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw
- 6 June – Tennis player Maja Chwalińska reaches the final of the 2026 French Open – Women's singles, the first qualifier to achieve the feat at the event. Chwalińska becomes second qualifier in the Open Era to reach a major final, after Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open.[28]
- 14 June – Two brand new railway stations; Bielawa Jezioro and Bielawa Góry Sowie, open in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.[29]
- 15 June – Semyon Skrepetsky, a dissident Russian artist living in exile in Poland since 2021, is shot dead in Biała Podlaska.[30]
- 17 June
- A magnitude 2.6 earthquake hits the Silesian Voivodeship, killing one person in a mine near Bytom.[31]
- Germany and Poland sign a defense cooperation agreement.[32]
- The medieval manuscript of Gaude Mater Polonia, a ring of Polish King Sigismund the Old, and a collection of miniature model trains from a pre-war museum in Warsaw, all looted by Germany from Poland during World War II, are repatriated by Germany.[33]
- 19 June – President Nawrocki strips Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state honour, after Zelenskyy honored a special operations forces unit with the name "Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army", a Nazi-collaborating organization that conducted a genocide against Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia.[34][35]
- 20 June – Pogoń Siedlce win their second Polish Rugby Championship, defeating Ogniwo Sopot in the final.[36]
- 21 June – Legia Warsaw win their ninth Polish Basketball Championship, defeating Zastal Zielona Góra in the finals (see 2025–26 PLK season).[37]
- 25 June – Eleven people are injured after two passenger trains collide in Białośliwie, Piła County.[38]
- 27 June – Informal summit held in Jurata, attended by president Nawrocki, Estonian president Alar Karis, Latvian president Edgars Rinkēvičs, Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda and Romanian president Nicușor Dan, with talks focusing on cooperation on NATO's eastern flank.[39]
- 28 June
- Ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the anti-communist 1956 Poznań protests held in Poznań, attended by president Nawrocki, Hungarian president Tamás Sulyok, Latvian president Edgars Rinkēvičs and Albanian president Bajram Begaj, with a joint statement signed by the four Presidents.[40]
- 2026 European heatwaves: The highest recorded temperature in Poland is taken in Słubice, measuring 40.5 °C (104.9 °F).[41]
July
[edit]- 11 July – A magnitude 4.9 earthquake hits the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, injuring one person at a mine near Lubin.[42]
- 18 July – A magnitude 3.5 earthquake hits the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, injuring two people at a mine near Rudna.[43]
- 24 July – Mateusz Morawiecki and his political association, Development Plus, are expelled from the PiS after refusing the party leadership's demand to dissolve the association and sign a loyalty oath prohibiting membership in any political movements besides PiS.[44]
- 27 July – The modernist city center of Gdynia is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[45]
- 30 July – A suspected Russian cruise missile lands in Tarnawa-Kolonia near Lublin.[46]
August
[edit]- 2 August
- Poland wins the 2026 FIVB Men's Volleyball Nations League, defeating the United States 3–2 in Ningbo, China. They secure a record third title.[47]
- Bartłomiej Kubkowski becomes the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea, after swimming for 56 hours at a distance of 160 km (99 mi) from Kåseberga, Sweden to Dziwnów, Poland.[48]
- 3 August – The Polish health ministry appeals a court ruling in Belgium that ordered Poland to accept and pay approximately €1.3 billion for unwanted COVID-19 vaccine doses produced by Pfizer and BioNTech.[49]
- 4 August – The Polish military intercepts a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft about 56 km (35 mi) north-west of Koszalin.[50]
- 15 August – The tallest statue of the Virgin Mary in Europe, measuring 55.6 m (182 ft), is unveiled in Konotopie.[51]
- 29 August – 2026 Speedway World Cup at Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw.
September
[edit]- 5–27 September – 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[52][53]
- 8 September
- Poland sanctions products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.[a][55]
- Andrzej Poczobut, a formerly jailed activist for the Polish minority in Belarus who was released in April in a prisoner exchange with Poland, returns to Belarus.[56]
- 9 September – A PKP Intercity train derails in Sokolniki Suche after a cement mixer lorry collides into the side of the train, killing one and injuring 20.[57]
Predicted and scheduled events
[edit]- October – planned opening of Bydgoszcz Stary Fordon railway station in Bydgoszcz.[58]
- 3–20 December – 2026 European Women's Handball Championship in Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey.[59]
Holidays
[edit]Source:[60]
- 1 January – New Year's Day
- 6 January – Epiphany
- 5 April – Easter Sunday
- 6 April – Easter Monday
- 1 May – May Day
- 3 May – 3 May Constitution Day
- 24 May – Whit Sunday
- 4 June – Corpus Christi
- 15 August – Assumption Day
- 1 November – All Saints' Day
- 11 November – Independence Day
- 24 December – Christmas Eve
- 25 December – Christmas Day
- 26 December – 2nd Day of Christmas
Art and entertainment
[edit]Deaths
[edit]- 2 January –
- Robert Wolski, 43, Olympic high jumper (2004)[61]
- Anna Kurek, 96, nurse and Warsaw Uprising participant.[62]
- 3 January –
- Andrzej Paczkowski, 87, historian[63]
- Mirosław Zdanowicz, 88, social activist.[64]
- 4 January – Teresa Zalewska, 87, MP (1989–1991)[65]
- 21 February – Mirosław Krawczyk, 72, actor (Disco Polo).[66]
- 1 March – Andrzej Gąsienica-Józkowy, 79–80, mountain rescuer.[67]
- 15 March –
- Eugeniusz Wyzner, 94, politician.[68]
- Mariusz Wideryński, 74–75, photographer.[69]
- 16 March – Marek Trombski, 88, politician and scientist.[70]
- 20 March – Aleksandra Kurczab-Pomianowska, 85, actress and translator. (death announced on this date)[71]
- 23 April – Łukasz Litewka, 36, sociologist, MP (since 2023)[72]
- 8 June – Helmut Nadolski, 83, musician.[73]
- 4 July – Grzegorz Miętus, 33, ski jumper.[74]
- 25 July – Józef Hulka, 100, sculptor.[75]
- 27 July – Anna Knysok, 75, politician, MP (1989–1993).[76]
- 24 August – Mirosław Różański, 63, senator (since 2023), and lieutenant general.[77]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Od 2026 r. przybędzie sześć nowych miast; jedna gmina zmieni nazwę" (in Polish). 14 July 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ↑ "The biggest spelling reform in 90 years has taken place in the Polish language. What has changed?". Nasha Niva. January 3, 2026.
- ↑ "У польскай мове прайшла найбольшая за 90 гадоў рэформа правапісу. Што змянілі". Belsat.
- ↑ "Hungary grants asylum to Polish ex-justice minister". BBC. 2026-01-12. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
- ↑ "Silne wstrząsy w kopalni Lubin. Dwóch górników zostało rannych" (in Polish). Naszemiasto.pl. 21 January 2026. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ↑ Oleg Sukhov (2026-02-03). "Polish court jails man who allegedly offered to kill Zelensky for Russia". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ↑ "US cuts ties with Polish speaker of parliament over 'insults' against Trump". AP News. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ↑ "Polish bishop on trial over alleged delays in reporting claims of child abuse by priests". Associated Press. 2026-02-19. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
- ↑ "Polish army bans Chinese vehicles from military premises". Associated Press. 2026-02-19. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
- ↑ "Polish president ends special refugee support system for Ukrainians, shifts assistance to general foreigner protections". The Kyiv Independent. 2026-02-20. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ↑ "Poland withdraws from treaty banning antipersonnel mines and will use them to defend against Russia". AP News. 2026-02-21. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ↑ "Russian flag returns as Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics open amid Iran war and boycott". AP News. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ Wróblewski, Michał (7 March 2026). "Nie zderzak, a czołg. Czarnek kandydatem PiS na premiera. "To będzie totalna jazda na prawo"". Wirtualna Polska. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ "Polish president vetoes 40-bn-euro EU defence funding plan". France 24. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
- ↑ "Polish court clears extradition of Russian archaeologist to Ukraine". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ↑ "Poland Withdraws Troops Amid Middle East Tensions". Devdiscourse. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
- ↑ Więcławski, Tomasz (23 March 2023). "Mamy to! Lekkoatletyczne Halowe Mistrzostwa Świata 2026 odbędą się w Toruniu". Polish Press Agency (in Polish). Retrieved 1 April 2023.
- ↑ Czołgowski, Dariusz (22 March 2023). "Halowe mistrzostwa świata w lekkiej atletyce w 2026 r. odbędą się w Toruniu". Gazeta Wyborcza. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
- ↑ "GKS Tychy mistrzem Polski w hokeju na lodzie. Po jedenastu wygranych z rzędu". TVP Sport (in Polish). 7 April 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
- ↑ "Nocne wstrząsy w kopalni. Ewakuowano 24 górników" (in Polish). Wirtualna Polska. 9 April 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ "Poland, Moldova nationals freed in 5-for-5 swap at Polish-Belarusian border". The Kyiv Independent. 2026-04-28. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ↑ "Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie mistrzem Polski" (in Polish). 10 May 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
- ↑ "Former Polish Justice Minister Ziobro flees to US". Politico. 10 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ↑ "Polish capital registers its first same-sex marriage". AP News. 14 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ↑ "Lech Poznań mistrzem Polski! Drugi tytuł z rzędu". Polsat Sport (in Polish). 16 May 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
- ↑ "Bulgaria claims historic Eurovision victory as Poland's Alicja impresses judges". TVP World. 17 May 2026. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- ↑ "Industria Kielce mistrzem Polski! Pokaz siły w finale". Polsat Sport (in Polish). 31 May 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
- ↑ "Chwalinska 2nd qualifier to reach Slam final in Open era; Andreeva awaits". ESPN. 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "Rozwój kolei na Dolnym Śląsku. Dwa nowe punkty w sieci kolejowej" [Railway development in Lower Silesia. Two new points on the railway network.]. Lower Silesian Railways (in Polish). 10 June 2026. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
- ↑ "Russian Dissident Artist Shot Dead in Eastern Poland". The Moscow Times. 2026-06-16. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ "Miner killed in underground earthquake at Polish coal mine". TVP World. 18 June 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
- ↑ "Germany and Poland sign a new defense deal as the balance of power in Europe shifts". Associated Press. June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Rękopis „Gaude Mater Polonia" i pierścień Zygmunta Starego wracają z Niemiec do Polski". Dzieje.pl (in Polish). 17 June 2026. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Kamińska, Maria (19 June 2026). Jagódka, Patrick (ed.). "Poland's Nawrocki strips Zelenskyy of highest state honor". TVP World.
- ↑ "Poland's president strips Zelenskyy of top honor". DW. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
- ↑ "Pogoń Awenta Siedlce mistrzem Polski w rugby". Polsat Sport (in Polish). 20 June 2026. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ "Legia Warszawa mistrzem Polski!". Polska Liga Koszykówki (in Polish). 21 June 2026. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ "Białośliwie. Trwa wkolejanie pociągu PKP Intercity po wypadku z POLREGIO" [Białośliwie: PKP Intercity train being rerailed after Polregio accident]. Rynek Kolejowy (in Polish). 26 June 2026. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ Filip Baczkura (28 June 2026). "Prezydenci pięciu państw spotkali się w Juracie". Zero.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- ↑ "70. rocznica Poznańskiego Czerwca 1956 roku z udziałem Prezydentów państw europejskich". Prezydent.pl (in Polish). 28 June 2026. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- ↑ Stradecka, Agnieszka (2026-06-28). ""Możemy mówić o nowym rekordzie". Pomiary IMGW" ["We can talk about a new record." IMGW measurements]. TVN METEO (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2026-06-28. Retrieved 2026-06-28.
- ↑ "Silny wstrząs w Zakładach Górniczych Lubin. Wszyscy górnicy są bezpieczni" (in Polish). Polish Press Agency. July 11, 2026. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Silny wstrząs w kopalni Rudna. Dwóch górników zostało poszkodowanych" (in Polish). TVP3 Wrocław. 18 July 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ Krupa, Jakub (24 July 2026). "Poland's main rightwing opposition splits after loyalty pledge ultimatum". The Guardian.
- ↑ "'Historic moment': Poland's modernist port city added to UNESCO heritage list". TVP. 27 July 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ "Missile that left crater deep inside Poland was probably Russian - Polish PM". BBC. 30 July 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ "Poland defend VNL title, outlasting USA in spectacular five-set final". Volleyball World. 2 August 2026.
- ↑ "Gigantyczny sukces Polaka. Pierwszy w historii przepłynął wpław Bałtyk". Polsat News (in Polish). 2 August 2026.
- ↑ "Poland appeals €1.3B Pfizer vaccine ruling". Politico. 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Poland intercepts Russian reconnaissance aircraft over Baltic Sea". Polskie Radio. 4 August 2026.
- ↑ "Europe's tallest Virgin Mary statue unveiled in rural Poland". BBC. 2026-08-16. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
- ↑ "FIFA Council appoints Chile and Poland as hosts of FIFA youth competitions". FIFA. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ↑ "Polska gospodarzem Mistrzostw Świata Kobiet U-20 w 2026 roku!" (in Polish). Polish Football Association (PZPN). 17 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
- ↑ "European countries clarify settlement trade restrictions hinge on EU action". Haaretz. 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "12 countries including France, UK say to sanction trade from Israeli settlements". Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International. 8 September 2026.
- ↑ "Andrzej Poczobut przekroczył granicę. Wraca na Białoruś", Polska Agencja Prasowa, 2026-09-08
- ↑ "One dead, 20 injured as train hits concrete mixer and derails in central Poland". TVP World. 9 September 2026. Retrieved 9 September 2026.
- ↑ "Bydgoszcz Fordon po zmianach. Nowe perony, większa przepustowość i kolejny przystanek na kolejowej trasie" [Bydgoszcz Fordon after changes. New platforms, increased capacity, and another stop on the railway line.]. PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe (in Polish). 28 July 2026. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
- ↑ "Organisers for Women's EHF EURO 2026 confirmed". European Handball Federation. 8 March 2024.
- ↑ "Poland Public Holidays". Public Holidays Global. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Tragiczna śmierć polskiego olimpijczyka. Robert Wolski nie żyje". Sport.fakt.pl. Retrieved 2026-01-04.
- ↑ "Anna Kurek, medic of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, has died - English Section". Polskie Radio (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-01-11.
- ↑ "Zmarł prof. Andrzej Paczkowski, jeden z najwybitniejszych polskich historyków". Wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ "Zmarł Mirosław Zdanowicz - przedsiębiorca i legenda sportu". trojmiasto.pl (in Polish). 2026-01-03. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ↑ "Zmarła Pani Teresa Zalewska". Nasztomaszow.pl (in Polish). 5 January 2026. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ↑ Bombor, Jacek (2026-02-21). "Nie żyje Mirosław Krawczyk. Miał 72 lata. Aktor był znany z ról w "Na Wspólnej", "Złotopolskich" i występów w Teatrze Śląskim". Katowice Nasze Miasto (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ↑ ""Cześć Jego Pamięci". Przez 40 lat ratował ludzi. TOPR żegna legendę". gazetapl (in Polish). 3 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ↑ "Eugeniusz Wyzner, Warszawa, 17.03.2026 - nekrolog". Wyborcza. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
- ↑ "Dotarła do nas smutna wiadomość: dziś, 15 marca 2026 zmarł Mariusz Wideryński - Związek Polskich Artystów Fotografików". zpaf.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-04-13.
- ↑ "Nie żyje prof. Marek Trombski. Odeszła postać wybitna i niezwykle zasłużona dla Bielska-Białej - foto". bielsko.biala.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-04-14.
- ↑ "Zmarła Aleksandra Kurczab-Pomianowska - aktorka, reżyserka i pisarka". Radio Krakow (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-03-20.
- ↑ Zygiel, Adam (23 April 2026). "Poseł Łukasz Litewka nie żyje. Zginął w wypadku" [MP Łukasz Litewka has died. He was killed in an accident]. Wirtualna Polska. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
- ↑ "Nie żyje Helmut Nadolski. Wizjoner muzycznej awangardy miał 83 lata". Kultura Onet (in Polish). 2026-06-09. Retrieved 2026-07-04.
- ↑ Auguff, Paweł (2026-07-04). "Świat skoków narciarskich w żałobie. Odszedł Grzegorz Miętus". rmf24 (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2026-07-04. Retrieved 2026-07-04.
- ↑ "Zmarł Józef Hulka, wybitny twórca ludowy". Dziejie (in Polish). July 26, 2026. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
- ↑ Lewandowski, Robert K. (2026-07-27). "Nie żyje Anna Knysok, była wiceminister zdrowia i posłanka z Chorzowa. „Była osobą bez reszty oddaną swoim obowiązków i ludziom"" [Anna Knysok, former Deputy Minister of Health and MP from Chorzów, has died. "She was completely dedicated to her duties and to people."]. Chorzów Nasze Miasto (in Polish). Retrieved 2026-08-01.
- ↑ "Polish senator and former top general Mirosław Różański dies at 63". TVP. 24 August 2026. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
