A Final for the Few
June 1, 2026
Photos and text by Maxime Michelet, ultras photographer and Lausanne-Sport supporter
Besides supporting their team across Europe, and even beyond, European Cup matches offer passionate fans the chance to indulge in groundhopping, discovering pieces of history and sometimes unusual places. So, the day after a frustrating defeat for my beloved club against Lech Poznan, I decided to brave the Polish cold and embark on a rather unique groundhopping adventure.
About twenty minutes from Poznan’s historic centre stands the Edmund Szyc Stadium. Or at least what’s left of it, because the stadium has been abandoned since 1998.
Built in 1929 for the General National Exhibition, the stadium quickly proved to be unsafe. Just hours after its inauguration, serious flaws in the stand construction — reinforced concrete resting on wooden scaffolding — made the venue unusable.
After serving as a forced labour camp during World War II, it became the home of Warta Poznań before being sold and subsequently abandoned in 1998.
As much as I love watching urban exploration videos, I now understand better why I don’t dare take the plunge. From the moment I passed under the immense dome that serves as the gladiators’ entrance, I felt a certain shiver at the sight of piles of clothing and various fires.
I am alone, thousands of kilometres from home, and no one knows about my escapade. I turn around every ten seconds, feeling watched, scrutinised.
However, the heavy snow absorbs the noise, and it is in a leaden silence that I enter the stadium, both frightened and, above all, fascinated by the spectacle. The spectacle of nature reclaiming its dominance over the concrete is breathtaking.
The benches have disappeared, unlike the concrete swallowed by moss, and it is in the middle of this arena that the two goals stand. Time seems to have stood still, and the contrast between the abandoned stadium and the glass towers in the background is striking!
You can check more work from our friend Maxime Michelet here.
