We are extremely pleased to announce that our FKS Stal Mielec Football Academy has been awarded the Gold Certificate of the Polish Football Association. This is the highest possible level of certification in the prestigious Programme for the Certification of Schools and Academies, run by the Polish Football Association.

The decision was announced on 17 December and represents one of the most important events in the Academy’s activities in 2025. The Golden Star of the Polish Football Association is a confirmation of meeting the highest training, organisational and educational standards required by the Polish Football Association as part of the certification process.

Obtaining the Golden Star of the Polish Football Association confirms that the FKS Stal Mielec Academy belongs to the strict group of the best rated football academies in Poland, meeting the highest possible certification standards of the Polish Football Association.

To date, the FKS Stal Mielec Academy has held a silver star, and the promotion to the highest possible level of PZPN certification is the result of many years of consistent work by the entire FKS Stal Mielec club, the training staff and coaches of the Academy, and the Director of our Academy – Marcin Gancarczyk, as well as the implementation of an original training programme, based on a clearly defined philosophy for the development of young players. The author’s training programme, according to which our Academy will work from 1 January 2026, is an elaborate document of more than 200 pages, analysed and highly evaluated by the Commission of the Polish Football Association. The development of this strategy was a key element of the assessment that has placed our Academy in the prestigious group of the best football academies in Poland.

Currently, the FKS Stal Mielec Academy operates with an extensive and stable training structure:

• 27 youth teams
• 26 coaches
• 570 children undergoing training

PZPN Certification Programme – a nationwide system of the highest level

The PZPN Football Schools Certification Programme is a nationwide system of evaluation and support for football academies, the aim of which is to continually improve the quality of training for children and young people in Poland. The programme includes three levels of certification: bronze, silver and gold, with the Gold Star being the highest and most prestigious level of PZPN certification.

The evaluation of academies is carried out on the basis of detailed criteria, including:

• the qualifications and structure of the coaching staff,
• the training programme and its consistency,
• the organisation of the training process,
• safety and training conditions,
• the quality of management and the long-term approach to player development.