The 2023–24 Czech First League, known as the Fortuna liga for sponsorship reasons, was the 31st season of the Czech Republic's top-tier football for professional clubs since its establishment in 1993. Sparta Prague were the reigning champions. The season started in July 2023. The first half of the season had 19 rounds, finishing in December, and the other half commenced in February 2024. The season ended on 31 May 2024, with two extra play-out fixtures on 29 May and 2 June 2024.
In the 12th round, the highest number of goals in one game in the history of the Czech First League was seen in the match Zlín against Mladá Boleslav, which ended 5–9.
Format The season format remained unchanged from last season, 16 clubs played each other home and away, until the league was split up in championship, Conference League and relegation groups. The lowest-ranked team was relegated directly to the second league, and the two teams positioned 14th and 15th played a play-off with two teams from the second league positioned 2nd and 3rd in a home and away format. This was the sixth season to use VAR, featuring it in all matches played. The only change in the rules was the limited number of players that could be sent on loan.
Teams
Promotion and relegation (pre-season) A total of sixteen teams contested the league, including fifteen sides from the 2022–23 season and the winner of last season's second league.
Team promoted to Czech First League After being relegated in the 2021–22 season, MFK Karviná returned to Czech First League as the champion of the 2022–23 Czech National Football League.
Teams relegated from Czech First League The lowest positioned team from the last season, Zbrojovka Brno, was relegated to the Czech National Football League.
Locations and stadiums
Team Location Stadium Capacity Bohemians 1905 Prague Ďolíček 6,300 SK Dynamo České Budějovice České Budějovice Stadion Střelecký ostrov 6,681 FC Hradec Králové Hradec Králové Malšovická aréna 9,300 FK Jablonec Jablonec nad Nisou Stadion Střelnice 6,108 MFK Karviná Karviná Městský stadion (Karviná) 4,833 FC Slovan Liberec Liberec Stadion u Nisy 9,900 FK Mladá Boleslav Mladá Boleslav Lokotrans Aréna 5,000 SK Sigma Olomouc Olomouc Andrův stadion 12,474 FC Baník Ostrava Ostrava Městský stadion (Ostrava) 15,123 FK Pardubice Pardubice CFIG Arena 4,620 FC Viktoria Plzeň Plzeň Doosan Arena 11,700 SK Slavia Prague Prague Fortuna Arena 19,370 1. FC Slovácko Uherské Hradiště Městský fotbalový stadion Miroslava Valenty 8,000 AC Sparta Prague Prague epet ARENA 18,944 FK Teplice Teplice Na Stínadlech 18,221 FC Zlín Zlín Letná Stadion 5,898
Rank Region Number of teams Club(s)1 3 Bohemians 1905, Sparta Prague, Slavia Prague2 2 Jablonec, Slovan Liberec Baník Ostrava, Karviná Zlín, Slovácko5 1 Mladá Boleslav Hradec Králové Sigma Olomouc Pardubice Viktoria Plzeň Dynamo České Budějovice Teplice
Managerial changes Ahead of the season: Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Contract valid until Hradec Králové End of contract Undisclosed Viktoria Plzeň June 2024 Jablonec Sacked Undisclosed Mladá Boleslav Mutual consent
During the season: Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Match-week Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment Contract valid until Hradec Králové Sacked 8 11th Undisclosed Karviná 8 15th Zlín 12 16th České Budějovice 15 None None None Mutual consent 18 Undisclosed Mladá Boleslav Sacked 19 7th June 2028 Sigma Olomouc 22 8th Undisclosed Hradec Králové Mutual consent 12th Karviná Sacked 25 16th June 2024
Regular season League table
Results
Championship group Points and goals were carried over in full from the regular season.
Conference League play-off Teams placed between 7th and 10th position took part in the Conference League play-off. The play-off winner faced the fifth-placed team of the championship group to determine the Conference League play-off winners. The winners qualified for the second qualifying round of the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League.
Final
Relegation group Points and goals were carried over in full from the regular season.
Relegation play-offs Teams placed 14th and 15th in the relegation group faced the teams placed 2nd and 3rd in the Czech National Football League for two spots in the next season.
Season statistics
Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Václav Jurečka Slavia192 Pavel Šulc Plzeň183 Jan Kuchta Sparta174 Veljko Birmančević16 Mojmír Chytil Slavia6 Ewerton Ostrava147 Lukáš Haraslín Sparta12 Marek Havlík Slovácko Lukáš Juliš Olomouc Tomáš Chorý Plzeň
Hat-tricks Matchweek Date Player For Against Result 4 Plzeň České Budějovice 5–2 (A) 18 4 Slovácko Bohemians 1905 5–2 (H) 22 Slavia Pardubice 3–0 (H) 32 Plzeň Slovácko 4–2 (H) 34 4 Sparta Mladá Boleslav 5–0 (A) 34 Pardubice Karviná 4–0 (H)
Notes 4 Player scored 4 goals(H) – Home team(A) – Away team
Clean sheets
RankPlayerClubClean sheets1 Martin Jedlička Bohemians 1905 / Plzeň132 Peter Vindahl Sparta123 Jiří Letáček Ostrava94 Milan Heča Slovácko8 Jindřich Staněk Plzeň / Slavia Aleš Mandous Slavia Adam Zadražil Hradec Králové8 Jan Hanuš Jablonec79 Tomáš Grigar Teplice610 Pavol Bajza Hradec Králové5 Hugo Jan Bačkovský Liberec Dominik Holec Karviná Antonín Kinský Pardubice
Attendances
Rank Club Average 1 Slavia Praha 17,688 2 Sparta Praha 17,084 3 Baník Ostrava 9,366 4 Viktoria Plzeň 8,778 5 Hradec Králové 7,303 6 Teplice 5,641 7 Slovácko 5,299 8 Bohemians 4,998 9 Sigma Olomouc 4,540 10 Zlín 3,740 11 Pardubice 3,346 12 České Budějovice 3,335 13 Slovan Liberec 3,092 14 Mladá Boleslav 2,837 15 Karviná 2,686 16 Jablonec 2,342
Source:https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/archive/cze/avecze24.htm
See also 2023–24 Czech National Football League 2023–24 Czech Cup
References