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Czech First League

Czech First League (Fortuna Liga)


Czech First League, officially known as Fortuna Liga, is the top division of football in the Czech Republic. It was founded in 1993 after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and the end of the former Czechoslovak First League.

History and facts

Football has a long and rich tradition in Czech lands, dating back to the early 1900s. Before 1993, Czech clubs competed in the Czechoslovak First League, which was one of the strongest leagues in Eastern Europe.

After the creation of the Czech Republic, the Czech First League (later rebranded as Fortuna Liga) became the country’s primary competition. The league typically includes 16 teams with a season split into regular matches and a playoff-style championship/relegation phase.

Historically, Sparta Prague and Slavia Prague have been the dominant clubs, with the Prague derby being one of the biggest rivalries in Central Europe.

League system


The Czech First League sits at the top of the national football pyramid. Relegation and promotion connect it with the FNL – Czech National Football League (second tier).


Table 1. Czech football tiers
League Tier
Czech First League (Fortuna Liga)1
FNL – Czech National Football League2
ČFL / MSFL (Moravian-Silesian Football League)3
Divize (Regional Divisions)4
Below tier 4, football continues through local amateur leagues.

Stats

Teams with most titles


These clubs have won the Czech First League since 1993:

Table 2. Czech First League champions
Club Titles
Sparta Prague13+
Slavia Prague9+
Viktoria Plzeň6+
Slovan Liberec3
Baník Ostrava1
Sparta and Slavia Prague have dominated since the league’s creation.

Teams with most league participation


These clubs have spent the most seasons in the Czech First League:

Table 3. Clubs and league participation
Club Seasons
Sparta Prague30+
Slavia Prague30+
Slovan Liberec25+
Viktoria Plzeň20+
Baník Ostrava30+
Dozens of clubs have played at least one season since 1993.

Audience

Stadium capacities


These are some of the largest stadiums used in the Czech First League:

Table 4. Major stadium capacities in the Czech Republic
Team Stadium Capacity
Sparta PragueLetná Stadium18,887
Slavia PragueEden Arena19,370
Baník OstravaMěstský stadion15,123
Viktoria PlzeňDoosan Arena11,700
Dynamo České BudějoviceStřelecký Ostrov6,746

Players

Top goalscorers & appearances


Famous Czech league scorers include David Lafata — one of the all-time top scorers of Fortuna Liga. Other legendary forwards include Horst Siegl and Milan Baroš.

Top appearance makers include long-serving Sparta and Slavia players such as Vladimír Šmicer and Karel Poborský.

Famous players

  • Pavel Nedvěd
  • Tomáš Rosický
  • Vladimír Šmicer
  • Milan Baroš
  • Petr Čech
  • Jan Koller
  • Karel Poborský
  • David Lafata
  • Patrick Schick
  • Antonín Panenka

Czech First League timeline



1925 Czechoslovak First League is established.
1993 Czech First League is founded after the split of Czechoslovakia.
2008 Eden Arena opens — one of the best stadiums in the region.
2014 League adopts new playoff and relegation format.
2020 COVID-19 impacts season schedule and attendance.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_First_League
https://www.fortunaliga.cz/
https://www.rsssf.org

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