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. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech National Football League. Since 2018–19, seasons run from July to May, with teams playing 30 games each. Then teams are divided into three groups playing superstructure for final positions. The league is currently ranked 13th in Europe in the UEFA league rankings.
The history of the Czech football league began at the end of the 20th century. It was reorganised for the 1993–1994 season, after the dissolution of former Czechoslovakia and therefore of the Czechoslovak League. Having won 12 league titles, Sparta Prague is the most successful team in Czech First League history. Other clubs who have won the title are Slavia Prague, Slovan Liberec, Baník Ostrava and Viktoria Plzeň.
Competition format
1993–2018
There are 16 clubs in the league. During the course of a season, which lasts from August to May, each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 30 games. In the inaugural season, two points were awarded for a win, before switching to three points for a win in 1994. Teams receive one point for a draw and no points are awarded for a loss. 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. The two lowest placed teams are relegated to the second tier.Changes from 2018
The 2018–19 season was the first season played with the new competition format. After a regular season, which lasts from July to April and which is played by the same key as previous season, the teams are divided into three groups. The top 6 teams from the regular season enter the championship group, with the first-placed team winning the championship of Czech Republic. The teams play against each other only once, having total of 5 matches. Earned points are added to the points from the regular season.The teams from 7th–10th position in regular season take part in the Europa League play-offs. The best of them play against the fourth-placed or fifth-placed of the championship group to determine who will participate in the Europa League.
The teams from 11th–16th position in regular season play by the same key as championship group. The team placed on 16th position is relegated straightly into the Czech National Football League, while teams on 15th and 14th places play relegation play-off against 2nd and 3rd team from the Czech National Football League.
Participating teams in 2019–20
Map
The following 16 clubs are competing in the 2019–20 Czech First League.Club | Stadium | Capacity | 2018–19 Position |
1. FC Slovácko | Městský fotbalový stadion Miroslava Valenty | 8,121 | |
1. FK Příbram | Na Litavce | 9,100 | |
AC Sparta Prague | Generali Česká pojišťovna Arena | 19,416 | |
Bohemians 1905 | Ďolíček | 5,000 | |
FC Baník Ostrava | Městský stadion | 15,163 | |
FC Fastav Zlín | Letná Stadion | 6,375 | |
FC Slovan Liberec | Stadion u Nisy | 9,900 | |
FC Viktoria Plzeň | Doosan Arena | 11,722 | |
FK Jablonec | Chance Arena | 6,280 | |
FK Mladá Boleslav | Lokotrans Aréna | 5,000 | |
FK Teplice | Na Stínadlech | 18,221 | |
MFK Karviná | Městský stadion | 4,862 | |
SFC Opava | Stadion v Městských sadech | 7,758 | |
SK Dynamo České Budějovice | Stadion Střelecký ostrov | 6,681 | ' |
SK Sigma Olomouc | Andrův stadion | 12,566 | |
SK Slavia Prague | Sinobo Stadium | 20,800 | ''' |
Sponsorship
In 1997 the league started a sponsorship deal with Plzeňský Prazdroj, a. s. and became known as the Gambrinus liga. In 2008, the sponsorship was extended until the end of the 2013–14 season.In May 2014, the league announced a four-year sponsorship deal with betting firm Synot, becoming the Synot liga. However, in January 2016 the company announced that their deal would conclude at the end of the 2015–16 season.
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.
In October 2016 FAČR, LFA 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.
Champions
Year by year
Performance by Club
Media coverage
Managers
Name | Club | Appointed |
Slavia Prague | 22 12 2017 | |
Viktoria Plzeň | 18 12 2019 | |
Sparta Prague | 18 02 2020 | |
Jablonec | 14 12 2017 | |
Baník Ostrava | 03 01 2020 | |
Slovan Liberec | 13 06 2019 | |
Mladá Boleslav | 27 02 2018 | |
Sigma Olomouc | 31 05 2019 | |
Fastav Zlín | ||
Teplice | 25 09 2018 | |
Slovácko | 10 11 2018 | |
Opava | 11 6 2020 | |
Bohemians 1905 | 10 10 2019 | |
Příbram | 18 03 2019 | |
Karviná | 13 11 2019 | |
České Budějovice | 12 10 2015 |
All time Czech First League table
The table counts all the seasons since the Czech First League was founded in 1993.1 | AC Sparta Prague | 26 | 785 | 490 | 165 | 130 | 1452 | 617 | 835 | 1617 |
2 | SK Slavia Prague | 26 | 785 | 403 | 209 | 173 | 1273 | 745 | 528 | 1402 |
3 | FC Slovan Liberec | 26 | 785 | 342 | 221 | 222 | 1050 | 834 | 216 | 1236 |
4 | FK Jablonec | 25 | 755 | 297 | 212 | 246 | 1020 | 867 | 153 | 1103 |
5 | FC Viktoria Plzeň | 22 | 665 | 308 | 162 | 195 | 973 | 747 | 226 | 1074 |
6 | SK Sigma Olomouc | 24 | 722 | 282 | 196 | 244 | 919 | 829 | 90 | 1028 |
7 | FC Baník Ostrava | 25 | 756 | 258 | 222 | 276 | 967 | 961 | 6 | 982 |
8 | FK Teplice | 23 | 692 | 258 | 203 | 231 | 875 | 809 | 66 | 977 |
9 | FC Zbrojovka Brno | 24 | 720 | 242 | 186 | 292 | 840 | 948 | -108 | 902 |
10 | 1. FK Příbram | 20 | 605 | 180 | 155 | 270 | 650 | 866 | -216 | 695 |
11 | FK Mladá Boleslav | 15 | 455 | 190 | 122 | 143 | 683 | 567 | 116 | 692 |
12 | 1. FC Slovácko | 17 | 515 | 162 | 140 | 213 | 568 | 651 | -83 | 626 |
13 | SK Dynamo České Budějovice | 18 | 540 | 151 | 153 | 236 | 551 | 798 | -247 | 595 |
14 | Bohemians 1905 | 17 | 515 | 138 | 149 | 228 | 496 | 707 | -211 | 555 |
15 | FK Viktoria Žižkov | 14 | 420 | 144 | 106 | 170 | 478 | 539 | -61 | 526 |
16 | FC Fastav Zlín | 14 | 424 | 124 | 116 | 184 | 408 | 568 | -160 | 478 |
17 | FC Hradec Králové | 14 | 420 | 105 | 113 | 202 | 374 | 601 | -227 | 419 |
18 | FK Drnovice | 10 | 300 | 114 | 67 | 119 | 392 | 398 | -6 | 396 |
19 | FK Dukla Prague | 9 | 275 | 77 | 76 | 122 | 325 | 420 | -95 | 306 |
20 | SFC Opava | 9 | 275 | 75 | 71 | 129 | 307 | 411 | -104 | 296 |
21 | FK Chmel Blšany | 8 | 240 | 67 | 63 | 110 | 255 | 350 | -95 | 264 |
22 | FC Vysočina Jihlava | 7 | 210 | 55 | 61 | 94 | 221 | 315 | -94 | 226 |
23 | SK Kladno | 4 | 120 | 28 | 30 | 62 | 99 | 173 | -74 | 114 |
24 | FC Union Cheb | 3 | 90 | 29 | 26 | 35 | 95 | 121 | -26 | 100 |
25 | MFK Karviná | 3 | 95 | 25 | 21 | 49 | 113 | 147 | -34 | 96 |
26 | FK SIAD Most | 3 | 90 | 19 | 30 | 41 | 96 | 140 | -44 | 87 |
27 | FK Bohemians Praha | 2 | 60 | 14 | 8 | 38 | 60 | 111 | -51 | 50 |
28 | FC Karviná | 2 | 60 | 12 | 12 | 36 | 53 | 105 | -52 | 48 |
29 | 1. SC Znojmo | 1 | 30 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 32 | 49 | -17 | 27 |
30 | FK Ústí nad Labem | 1 | 30 | 4 | 7 | 19 | 22 | 67 | -45 | 19 |
31 | FC Slovácká Slavia Uherské Hradiště | 1 | 30 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 19 | 65 | -46 | 17 |
32 | MFK Vítkovice | 1 | 30 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 22 | 64 | -42 | 13 |
33 | FK Švarc Benešov | 1 | 30 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 23 | 78 | -55 | 12 |
34 | AFK Atlantic Lázně Bohdaneč | 1 | 30 | 2 | 5 | 23 | 18 | 61 | -43 | 11 |
- Point deductions are not counted into this historical table.
- In season 1993–94 wins were awarded by 2 points.
- Highlighted teams will be competing in the 2019–20 Czech First League.
Statistics
UEFA coefficients
The following data indicates Czech coefficient rankings between European football leagues.;Country ranking:
UEFA League Ranking as of 5 January 2020:
- 12. Austrian Football Bundesliga
- 13. Danish Superliga
- 14. Czech First League
- 15. Cypriot First Division
- 16. Scottish Premiership
UEFA 5-year Club Ranking as of 5 January 2020:
- 44. Viktoria Plzeň
- 51. Sparta Prague
- 59. Slavia Prague
- 150. Slovan Liberec
- 169. Jablonec
- 208. Mladá Boleslav
Attendance
Player records
Following statistics count only seasons of Czech First League since its inception in 1993.Clubs are in order of the first appearance.
Highlighted players currently plays in the Czech First League.