They included military teams from the Wehrmacht units, squadrons of the Luftwaffe, the Waffen SS and the Ordnungspolizei; occupying authorities such as the Reichspost (mail service) and the Ostbahn (Eastern Railway) also took part, as did large companies under German control, particularly in the armaments sector.

Poles were not allowed to participate in organised sport, all Polish clubs and societies were dissolved and banned.

Construction work on the much larger Kraków Municipal Stadium, which was almost completed on the eve of the war, was finished in 1940, and under the name "Deutsche Kampfbahn" (German battle ground) it became the venue for most of the final matches for the championship and the Bernsteinpokal (Amber Cup), the cup of the General Government.

[5] In view of Germany's unfavourable situation on the Eastern Front, Gauliga matches were discontinued after the 1943/44 season.

The winners and runners-up of the league: The Bernsteinpokal (Amber Cup) was played between the teams in the Gauliga and was donated by the Governor General Hans Frank.

[6] The cup winners and the defeated finalists: The clubs and military teams in the Gauliga were recruited from guest players who only played for them temporarily, sometimes only for a few weeks.