Warsaw's National Stadium Stages Speedway's Biggest Night
On Saturday evening, the PGE Narodowy in Warsaw becomes the centre of the speedway world as Poland, Australia, Denmark, and Great Britain contest the Speedway World Cup Final. The event, comprising 20 heats, gets underway at 7 pm, with a pay-per-view livestream on Discovery+ opening at 6:40 pm, as first reported by Speedweek.
Poland: History and Home Advantage
Poland arrive as three-time defending champions and are fielding almost the same squad that secured a dramatic title in Wrocław, where Maciej Janowski clinched gold in the final heat. The one change sees Kacper Woryna replace Janusz Kolodziej. Captain Bartosz Zmarzlik, who made his World Cup debut in 2015 and won his first gold in 2016, set the tone after training: "I want to make this evening something very special. We have a great history in the World Cup and will do everything we can to make our dream of gold come true."
Australia: A New Captain, A Missing Hero
Brady Kurtz leads Australia for the first time in a World Cup final, having previously been a reserve in 2016 without racing. The team is without Jack Holder, a key figure in last year's Speedway of Nations victory. Kurtz acknowledged the loss but remained upbeat, pointing to the potential of Ryan Douglas and Rohan Tungate alongside established GP riders Max Fricke and Jason Doyle: "I remain very confident that we have a strong team."
Denmark: Quietly Confident
Danish captain Michael Jepsen Jensen, 34, kept his assessment measured but positive. "It'll be a very close contest, and we'll have to give it our all. We've got a strong line-up, so anything could happen," he said. The squad includes Mikkel Michelsen, Leon Madsen, Anders Thomsen, and Frederik Jakobsen, with former world champion Nicki Pedersen serving as team manager.
Great Britain: Rebuilding Around Youth
Great Britain qualified via a semi-final win in Landshut but arrive in Warsaw significantly weakened. Captain Robert Lambert confirmed that Tai Woffinden, who had been expected to return from injury, has instead retired from the sport, while Dan Bewley is also sidelined through injury. The team has brought in younger riders as replacements. "If we can compete for a medal, we'd be very happy," Lambert said. "It'll be a great experience for them, and it'll be exciting to see what they're capable of."
Full Line-ups
Poland: Bartosz Zmarzlik, Maciej Janowski, Dominik Kubera, Patryk Dudek, Kacper Woryna; team managers Stanislaw Chomski and Dariusz Cieslak.
Australia: Ryan Douglas, Brady Kurtz, Jason Doyle, Max Fricke, Rohan Tungate; team manager Mark Lemon.
Denmark: Mikkel Michelsen, Leon Madsen, Michael Jepsen Jensen, Anders Thomsen, Frederik Jakobsen; team manager Nicki Pedersen.
Great Britain: Robert Lambert, Charles Wright, Adam Ellis, Leon Flint, Tom Brennan; team manager Oliver Allen.
Why it matters for hosts
A major international speedway event at PGE Narodowy draws thousands of travelling fans, particularly from Australia, Denmark, and the UK, many of whom book independently rather than through package tours. Short-stay accommodation operators in Warsaw's Praga district and city centre should ensure their listings clearly highlight proximity to the stadium and public transport links. Flexible check-in times on event nights and a simple local guide covering transport from the stadium can meaningfully improve guest reviews and repeat bookings during high-demand sporting weekends.
Details were first reported by Speedweek.
First reported by speedweek.com.