Czech First League

The Czech First League, known as the FORTUNA:LIGA for sponsorship reasons, is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Seasons typically run from August to May, most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays with few games played on Fridays. All Fortuna liga clubs qualify for the Czech Cup.

FORTUNA:LIGA
Founded1993 (1993)
CountryCzech Republic
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toCzech National Football League
Domestic cup(s)Czech Cup
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
UEFA Europa Conference League
Current championsSparta Prague (14th title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsSparta Prague (14 titles)
Top goalscorerDavid Lafata (198 goals)
TV partnersOneFootball (Outside of Czech Republic)
Websiteen.fortunaliga.cz
Current: 2024–25 Czech First League

The history of the Czech football league began with its reorganization for the 1993–94 season following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and therefore the league became the successor of the Czechoslovak League. Thirty-five clubs have competed in the Czech First League since its founding. Sparta Prague has won the title 14 times, the most among Czech clubs and are the reigning champions. Other clubs that were crowned as champions are Slavia Prague, Slovan Liberec, Baník Ostrava and Viktoria Plzeň.

Based on performances in European competitions over the past five years, the league is ranked 10th in the UEFA league rankings for the 2024–25 season.

Competition format

In the inaugural season, two points were awarded for a win, before switching to three points for a win in 1994.[1] Teams are ranked by total points, in the case of two or more teams finishing with equal points, the head-to-head record between the teams is used for ranking, counting points in relevant games, then goal difference and then goals scored.

1993–2018

There were 16 clubs in the league. During the course of a season, which lasted from August to May, each club played the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 30 games.

New format

The 2018–19 season was the first season played with the new competition format. After the regular season, which lasts from July to April and involves each team playing every other team home and away, the teams are divided into three groups. The top six teams enter the championship group, with the first-placed team being named champions. The teams play against each other only once, playing total of five additional matches. Points earned are added to the points from the regular season.

The teams 7th–10th position after 30 games take part in the Europa League play-offs. The best of them play against the fourth-placed or fifth-placed (it depends on the result of the Czech Cup and on the Czech coefficient rankings between European football leagues) of the championship group to determine who will participate in the Europa League.

The teams from 11th to 16th position play in the same format as the championship group. The team finishing in 16th position is relegated directly to the Czech National Football League, while teams in 15th and 14th places play relegation play-offs against teams finishing 2nd and 3rd in the Czech National Football League.

Changes in 2020–21

Due to positive tests for Covid-19 in the 2019–20 season the relegation group was abandoned.[2] The league announced that due to time pressure the relegation group will remain unfinished and as a consequence, no team can be relegated and the winner of the second league should be promoted. To avoid playing the 2020–21 season with odd number of teams, the automatic promotion was granted to the second placed team as well. There were 18 clubs in the league, each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 34 games. The three lowest placed teams were relegated to the second tier (Czech National Football League). From the 2021–22 season, the system returns to its previous format.

Champions

Year by year

SeasonChampionsRunners-upThird placeTop goalscorer(s) (goals)Club(s)
 1993–94Sparta Prague (1)Slavia PragueBaník Ostrava Horst Siegl (20)Sparta Prague
 1994–95Sparta Prague (2)Slavia PragueBoby Brno Radek Drulák (15)Drnovice
 1995–96Slavia Prague (1)Sigma OlomoucJablonec Radek Drulák (22)Drnovice
 1996–97Sparta Prague (3)Slavia PragueJablonec Horst Siegl (19)Sparta Prague
 1997–98Sparta Prague (4)Slavia PragueSigma Olomouc Horst Siegl (13)Sparta Prague
 1998–99Sparta Prague (5)TepliceSlavia Prague Horst Siegl (18)Sparta Prague
 1999–00Sparta Prague (6)Slavia PragueDrnovice Vratislav Lokvenc (22)Sparta Prague
 2000–01Sparta Prague (7)Slavia PragueSigma Olomouc Vítězslav Tuma (15)Drnovice
 2001–02Slovan Liberec (1)Sparta PragueViktoria Žižkov Jiří Štajner (15)Slovan Liberec
 2002–03Sparta Prague (8)Slavia PragueViktoria Žižkov Jiří Kowalík (16)1. FC Synot
 2003–04Baník Ostrava (1)Sparta PragueSigma Olomouc Marek Heinz (19)Baník Ostrava
 2004–05Sparta Prague (9)Slavia PragueTeplice Tomáš Jun (14)Sparta Prague
 2005–06Slovan Liberec (2)Mladá BoleslavSlavia Prague Milan Ivana (11)Slovácko
 2006–07Sparta Prague (10)Slavia PragueMladá Boleslav Luboš Pecka (16)Mladá Boleslav
 2007–08Slavia Prague (2)Sparta PragueBaník Ostrava Václav Svěrkoš (15)Baník Ostrava
 2008–09Slavia Prague (3)Sparta PragueSlovan Liberec Andrej Kerić (15)Slovan Liberec
 2009–10Sparta Prague (11)JablonecBaník Ostrava Michal Ordoš (12)Sigma Olomouc
 2010–11Viktoria Plzeň (1)Sparta PragueJablonec David Lafata (19)Jablonec
 2011–12Slovan Liberec (3)Sparta PragueViktoria Plzeň David Lafata (25)Jablonec
 2012–13Viktoria Plzeň (2)Sparta PragueSlovan Liberec David Lafata (20)Jablonec / Sparta Prague
 2013–14Sparta Prague (12)Viktoria PlzeňMladá Boleslav Josef Hušbauer (18)Sparta Prague
 2014–15Viktoria Plzeň (3)Sparta PragueJablonec David Lafata (20)Sparta Prague
 2015–16Viktoria Plzeň (4)Sparta PragueSlovan Liberec David Lafata (20)Sparta Prague
 2016–17Slavia Prague (4)Viktoria PlzeňSparta Prague Milan Škoda / David Lafata (15)Slavia Prague / Sparta Prague
 2017–18Viktoria Plzeň (5)Slavia PragueJablonec Michael Krmenčík (16)Viktoria Plzeň
 2018–19Slavia Prague (5)Viktoria PlzeňSparta Prague Nikolay Komlichenko (29)Mladá Boleslav
 2019–20Slavia Prague (6)Viktoria PlzeňSparta Prague Libor Kozák / Petar Musa (14)Sparta Prague / Slavia Prague
 2020–21Slavia Prague (7)Sparta PragueJablonec Jan Kuchta / Adam Hložek (15)Slavia Prague / Sparta Prague
 2021–22Viktoria Plzeň (6)Slavia PragueSparta Prague Jean-David Beauguel (19)Viktoria Plzeň
 2022–23Sparta Prague (13)Slavia PragueViktoria Plzeň Václav Jurečka (20)Slavia Prague
 2023–24Sparta Prague (14)Slavia PragueViktoria Plzeň Václav Jurečka (19)Slavia Prague

Performance by club

Percentage of titles won by club

  Sparta Prague – 14 (41.38%)
  Slavia Prague – 7 (24.13%)
  Viktoria Plzeň – 6 (20.69%)
  Slovan Liberec – 3 (10.35%)
  Baník Ostrava – 1 (3.45%)
Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
Sparta Prague
14
10
1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01,
2002–03, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2022–23, 2023–24
Slavia Prague
7
13
1995–96, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
Viktoria Plzeň
6
4
2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2021–22
Slovan Liberec
3
0
2001–02, 2005–06, 2011–12
Baník Ostrava
1
0
2003–04
Sigma Olomouc
0
1
Teplice
0
1
Mladá Boleslav
0
1
Jablonec
0
1

Participating teams in 2023–24

Map

2023–24 season

The following 16 clubs are competing in the 2023–24 Czech First League.

Team Location Stadium Capacity Ref.
Bohemians 1905 Prague Ďolíček 6,300 [3]
SK Dynamo České Budějovice České Budějovice Stadion Střelecký ostrov 6,681 [4]
FC Hradec Králové Hradec Králové Malšovická aréna 9,300 [5]
FK Jablonec Jablonec nad Nisou Stadion Střelnice 6,108 [6]
MFK Karviná Karviná Městský stadion (Karviná) 4,833 [7]
FC Slovan Liberec Liberec Stadion u Nisy 9,900 [8]
FK Mladá Boleslav Mladá Boleslav Lokotrans Aréna 5,000 [9]
SK Sigma Olomouc Olomouc Andrův stadion 12,483 [10]
FC Baník Ostrava Ostrava Městský stadion (Ostrava) 15,123 [11]
FC Viktoria Plzeň Plzeň Doosan Arena 11,700 [12]
SK Slavia Prague Prague Fortuna Arena 19,370 [13]
1. FC Slovácko Uherské Hradiště Městský fotbalový stadion Miroslava Valenty 8,000 [14]
AC Sparta Prague Prague epet ARENA 18,944 [15]
FK Teplice Teplice Na Stínadlech 18,221 [16]
FC Zlín Zlín Letná Stadion 5,783 [17]
FK Pardubice Pardubice CFIG Arena 4,620 [18]

Managers

As of 17 June 2024.
Club Coach Appointed
Sparta Prague Lars Friis[19]12 June 2024
Slavia Prague Jindřich Trpišovský[20]22 December 2017
Viktoria Plzeň Miroslav Koubek[21]5 June 2023
Baník Ostrava Pavel Hapal[22]12 October 2022
Mladá Boleslav David Holoubek[23]2 January 2024
Slovácko Roman West[24]12 June 2024
Hradec Králové David Horejš[25]28 February 2024
Teplice Zdenko Frťala[26]6 March 2023
Slovan Liberec Radoslav Kováč[27]26 May 2024
Sigma Olomouc Tomáš Janotka[28]29 May 2024
Jablonec Luboš Kozel[29]17 June 2024
Pardubice Jiří Saňák[30]27 May 2024
Bohemians 1905 Jaroslav Veselý[31]21 March 2022
Karviná Martin Hyský[32]11 June 2024
Dynamo České Budějovice Jiří Lerch[33]13 December 2023
Dukla Prague Petr Rada[34]8 June 2022

Sponsorship

In 1997 the league started a sponsorship deal with Plzeňský Prazdroj, a. s. and became known as the Gambrinus liga (after the company's Gambrinus beer).[35] In 2008, the sponsorship was extended until the end of the 2013–14 season.[36]

In May 2014, the league announced a four-year sponsorship deal with betting firm Synot, becoming the Synot liga.[37] However, in January 2016 the company announced that their deal would conclude at the end of the 2015–16 season.[38]

In July 2016 a new two-year sponsorship deal was announced, with the league partnering ePojisteni.cz, an online insurance company. The league subsequently became known as the ePojisteni.cz liga. Due to a government subsidy scandal and the arrest of FAČR chairman Miroslav Pelta, ePojisteni.cz terminated the contract prematurely in May 2017.[39] The league was then renamed HET liga for the 2017–18 season, after paint manufacturer HET.[40]

In October 2016, FAČR, League Football Association and Czech betting company Fortuna signed a 6-year partnership deal. In accordance with this deal, the Czech First League will be called Fortuna liga from the 2018–19 season.[41]

In April 2024, a new partnership deal was announced with the betting company Chnace. In accordance with this deal, the Czech First League will be called Chance liga from the 2024–25 season.[42]

Media coverage

Country Broadcaster
 Austria Sportdigital, DAZN, Sport1 Extra
 Germany
 Switzerland
 Czech Republic O2 TV, Tipsport, Chance, Fortuna
 Russia Telesport
 Belarus Belarus 5
 Russia
 Estonia
 Latvia
 Lithuania
 Ukraine
 Poland Polsat Sport, Ipla
 Romania Telekom Sport
 Slovakia VOYO
 Slovenia TV 3
 Albania Arena Sport
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Croatia
 Montenegro
 North Macedonia
 Serbia
 Egypt Time Sports
Rest of the World OneFootball

All time table

After the 2023–24 season.

The table counts all the seasons since the Czech First League was founded in 1993. Highlighted teams will be competing in the 2024–25 Czech First League.[43]

Pos Team S Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Current level
1AC Sparta Prague319596022011561830803102719891st tier
2SK Slavia Prague31959529243187168185982218141st tier
3FC Slovan Liberec319534042622871278105722114631st tier
4FC Viktoria Plzeň27839413197229130091538514241st tier
5FK Jablonec309293572673051248111313513381st tier
6SK Sigma Olomouc29890335251304113810489012421st tier
7FC Baník Ostrava30930323269338123111884312241st tier
8FK Teplice2886330424631310591096−3711581st tier
9FC Zbrojovka Brno267892552063289141069−1559612nd tier
10FK Mladá Boleslav20626251163212934835999161st tier
111. FC Slovácko22686238179269807863−568931st tier
12SK Dynamo České Budějovice237052001903157521074−3227791st tier
13Bohemians 190522688195197296715958−2437741st tier
14FK Příbram22672191172309697986−2897453rd tier
15FC Zlín19596162164270594859−2656402nd tier
16FC Hradec Králové17524141143240499742−2435571st tier
17FK Viktoria Žižkov14420144106170478539−615262nd tier
18FK Drnovice1030011467119392398−6396Dissolved in 2006
19SFC Opava113428389170347532−1853382nd tier
20FK Dukla Prague92757776122325420−953061st tier
21FK Chmel Blšany82406763110255350−95264Dissolved in 2016
22FC Vysočina Jihlava7210556194221315−942262nd tier
23MFK Karviná72325063119246367−1212131st tier
24FK Pardubice4139462865160220−601661st tier
25SK Kladno412028306299173−741144th tier
26FC Union Cheb39029263595121−261004th tier
27FK SIAD Most39019304196140−4487Dissolved in 2016
28FK Bohemians Prague2601483860111−5150Dissolved in 2016
29FC Karviná26012123653105−5248Merged with MFK Karviná in 2008
301. SC Znojmo FK13069153249−17273rd tier
31FK Ústí nad Labem13047192267−45193rd tier
32Slovácká Slavia Uherské Hradiště13038191965−4617Merged with Slovácko in 2000
33MFK Vítkovice13037202264−42134th tier
34FK Švarc Benešov13033242378−55124th tier
35AFK Atlantic Lázně Bohdaneč13025231861−4311Dissolved in 2000
  • Point deductions are not counted in this historical table (2004–05: 1. FC Slovácko −12, SFC Opava −6, Slovan Liberec −6; 2009–10: Bohemians Praha (Střížkov) −15; 2011–12: Sigma Olomouc −9).
  • A win was awarded with 2 points in the 1993–94 season.

Statistics

UEFA coefficients

The following data indicates Czech coefficient rankings between European football leagues.[44]

Attendance

[47]

SeasonTotalAverageHighestHome Av.Club
1993–941,116,8854,66323,1119,501Brno
1994–951,380,0605,75034,77020,523Brno
1995–961,225,7555,12926,87212,283Brno
1996–971,710,0457,15544,12021,659Brno
1997–981,477,5156,15631,73015,365Brno
1998–991,447,8756,03324,40013,207Brno
1999–001,433,3555,97223,80011,280Opava
2000–011,091,8824,54916,3507,718Olomouc
2001–021,113,3254,72216,3007,490Ostrava
2002–03935,9273,89918,2286,175Sparta Prague
2003–041,158,5234,82720,03215,376Ostrava
2004–05921,6583,84015,4198,028Ostrava
2005–06980,6334,08520,3187,211Sparta Prague
2006–071,173,8694,89120,56511,848Sparta Prague
2007–081,237,6605,15620,69811,022Ostrava
2008–091,119,4104,66420,50011,971Slavia Prague
2009–101,177,0144,92419,37010,766Sparta Prague
2010–111,073,6904,47318,8738,665Sparta Prague
2011–121,130,5404,71018,29910,322Sparta Prague
2012–131,151,4644,79719,41010,046Plzeň
2013–141,216,3895,06819,08911,340Sparta Prague
2014–151,137,1314,73818,66510,868Plzeň
2015–161,219,3665,08018,68410,618Plzeň
2016–171,172,6194,88619,08411,625Slavia Prague
2017–181,331,0165,54619,08412,431Slavia Prague
2018–191,533,3905,53619,37013,456Slavia Prague
2019–201,153,3574,47019,37010,851Slavia Prague
2020–21165,5026009,2853,709Slavia Prague
2021–221,055,8063,82519,37010,989Slavia Prague
2022–231,535,5005,56319,37014,729Slavia Prague
2023–241,782,3876,43519,37017,688Slavia Prague

Records

As of 31 May 2024.[48][49]

Following statistics count only seasons of Czech First League since its inception in 1993. Highlighted players currently plays in the Czech First League.

Most clean sheets

#NameClean sheetsMatches
1 Jaromír Blažek157401
2 Martin Vaniak153432
3 Tomáš Grigar117376
4 Matúš Kozáčik111242
5 Tomáš Poštulka110309
6 Michal Špit101300
7 Radek Černý90212
Ondřej Kolář185
9 Jan Laštůvka89275
10 Petr Drobisz88289
Aleš Hruška308

Matches

[50]

RecordMatchScoreSeason
Most goals totalZlín–Mladá Boleslav5–92023–24
Home team's highest winSlavia–Slovácká Slavia Uherské Hradiště9–11995–96
Away team's highest winTeplice–Mladá Boleslav0–82018–19
Highest drawJablonec–Znojmo5–52013–14

References

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  28. "Potvrzeno, Janotka novým trenérem Sigmy. Ani jsem o tom nesnil, říká" (in Czech). 29 May 2024.
  29. Preisler, Hynek (17 June 2024). "Pikantní přesun z Liberce do Jablonce potvrzen. Kozel bere Peltův klub". Sport.cz (in Czech). Borgis.
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  43. "Tabulka". Fortuna liga.
  44. "UEFA European Cup Coefficients Database". Bert Kassies. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  45. "UEFA Country Ranking 2024". kassiesa.net. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
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  48. "Detailed stats: Players". Fortuna liga.
  49. "Detailed stats: Goalkeepers". Fortuna liga.
  50. "Detailed stats: Games". Fortuna liga.
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