The Czech First League (), also known as the Chance Liga for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in the Czech Republic and the highest level of the Czech Republic football league system. Seasons typically run from August to May, most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays with few games played on Fridays. All Chance Liga clubs qualify for the Czech Cup.
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. 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. The league announced that due to time pressure the relegation group would remain unfinished and as a consequence, no team could be relegated. As the winner of the second league should be promoted, and to avoid playing the 2020–21 season with an odd number of teams, automatic promotion was granted to the second placed team as well. There were 18 clubs in the league, each club played 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 returned to its previous format.
Champions
Year by year Season Champions Runners-up Third place Top goalscorer(s) (goals) Club(s) 1993–94 Sparta Prague (1) Slavia Prague Baník Ostrava Horst Siegl (20) Sparta Prague 1994–95 Sparta Prague (2) Slavia Prague Boby Brno Radek Drulák (15) Drnovice 1995–96 Slavia Prague (1) Sigma Olomouc Jablonec Radek Drulák (22) Drnovice 1996–97 Sparta Prague (3) Slavia Prague Jablonec Horst Siegl (19) Sparta Prague 1997–98 Sparta Prague (4) Slavia Prague Sigma Olomouc Horst Siegl (13) Sparta Prague 1998–99 Sparta Prague (5) Teplice Slavia Prague Horst Siegl (18) Sparta Prague 1999–00 Sparta Prague (6) Slavia Prague Drnovice Vratislav Lokvenc (22) Sparta Prague 2000–01 Sparta Prague (7) Slavia Prague Sigma Olomouc Vítězslav Tuma (15) Drnovice 2001–02 Slovan Liberec (1) Sparta Prague Viktoria Žižkov Jiří Štajner (15) Slovan Liberec 2002–03 Sparta Prague (8) Slavia Prague Viktoria Žižkov Jiří Kowalík (16) 1. FC Synot 2003–04 Baník Ostrava (1) Sparta Prague Sigma Olomouc Marek Heinz (19) Baník Ostrava 2004–05 Sparta Prague (9) Slavia Prague Teplice Tomáš Jun (14) Sparta Prague 2005–06 Slovan Liberec (2) Mladá Boleslav Slavia Prague Milan Ivana (11) Slovácko 2006–07 Sparta Prague (10) Slavia Prague Mladá Boleslav Luboš Pecka (16) Mladá Boleslav 2007–08 Slavia Prague (2) Sparta Prague Baník Ostrava Václav Svěrkoš (15) Baník Ostrava 2008–09 Slavia Prague (3) Sparta Prague Slovan Liberec Andrej Kerić (15) Slovan Liberec 2009–10 Sparta Prague (11) Jablonec Baník Ostrava Michal Ordoš (12) Sigma Olomouc 2010–11 Viktoria Plzeň (1) Sparta Prague Jablonec David Lafata (19) Jablonec 2011–12 Slovan Liberec (3) Sparta Prague Viktoria Plzeň David Lafata (25) Jablonec 2012–13 Viktoria Plzeň (2) Sparta Prague Slovan Liberec David Lafata (20) Jablonec / Sparta Prague 2013–14 Sparta Prague (12) Viktoria Plzeň Mladá Boleslav Josef Hušbauer (18) Sparta Prague 2014–15 Viktoria Plzeň (3) Sparta Prague Jablonec David Lafata (20) Sparta Prague 2015–16 Viktoria Plzeň (4) Sparta Prague Slovan Liberec David Lafata (20) Sparta Prague 2016–17 Slavia Prague (4) Viktoria Plzeň Sparta Prague Milan Škoda / David Lafata (15) Slavia Prague / Sparta Prague 2017–18 Viktoria Plzeň (5) Slavia Prague Jablonec Michael Krmenčík (16) Viktoria Plzeň 2018–19 Slavia Prague (5) Viktoria Plzeň Sparta Prague Nikolay Komlichenko (29) Mladá Boleslav 2019–20 Slavia Prague (6) Viktoria Plzeň Sparta Prague Libor Kozák / Petar Musa (14) Sparta Prague / Slavia Prague 2020–21 Slavia Prague (7) Sparta Prague Jablonec Jan Kuchta / Adam Hložek (15) Slavia Prague / Sparta Prague 2021–22 Viktoria Plzeň (6) Slavia Prague Sparta Prague Jean-David Beauguel (19) Viktoria Plzeň 2022–23 Sparta Prague (13) Slavia Prague Viktoria Plzeň Václav Jurečka (20) Slavia Prague 2023–24 Sparta Prague (14) Slavia Prague Viktoria Plzeň Václav Jurečka (19) Slavia Prague 2024–25 Slavia Prague (8) Viktoria Plzeň Baník Ostrava Jan Kliment (18) Sigma Olomouc 2025–26 Slavia Prague (9) Sparta Prague Viktoria Plzeň Tomáš Chorý (17) Slavia Prague
Performance by club Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Sparta Prague 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 1995–96, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2024–25, 2025–26 Viktoria Plzeň 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2021–22 Slovan Liberec 2001–02, 2005–06, 2011–12 Baník Ostrava 2003–04 Sigma Olomouc Teplice Mladá Boleslav Jablonec
Participating teams in 2026–27
Map
2026–27 season The following 16 clubs are competing in the 2026–27 Czech First League.
Team Location Stadium Capacity SK Artis Brno Brno Městský fotbalový stadion Srbská 10,785 Bohemians 1905 Prague Ďolíček 6,300 FC Hradec Králové Hradec Králové Malšovická aréna 9,300 FK Jablonec Jablonec nad Nisou Stadion Střelnice 5,690 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) 15,081 FK Pardubice Pardubice CFIG Arena 4,620 FC Viktoria Plzeň Plzeň Doosan Arena 11,597 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 18,349 FK Teplice Teplice Na Stínadlech 17,078 FC Zbrojovka Brno Brno Městský fotbalový stadion Srbská 10,785 FC Zlín Zlín Letná Stadion (Zlín) 5,898
Managers . ClubCoachAppointed Slavia Prague Viktoria Plzeň Baník Ostrava Sparta Prague Jablonec Sigma Olomouc Hradec Králové Bohemians 1905 Slovan Liberec Teplice Mladá Boleslav Slovácko Pardubice Zlín Zbrojovka Brno Artis Brno
Sponsorship
In 1997 the league started a sponsorship deal with Pilsner Urquell Brewery and became known as the Gambrinus liga (after the company's Gambrinus beer). 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 , ePojisteni.cz terminated the contract prematurely in May 2017. The league was then renamed HET liga for the 2017–18 season, after paint manufacturer HET.
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.
In April 2024, a new partnership deal was announced with the betting company Chance. In accordance with this deal, the Czech First League will be called Chance Liga from the 2024–25 season.
All time table After the 2025–26 season.
The table counts all the seasons since the Czech First League was founded in 1993. Highlighted teams will be competing in the 2026–27 Czech First League.
Level (2026–27)1AC Sparta Prague 33 1029 644 214 171 1960 881 +1079 21281st tier2SK Slavia Prague 33 1029 582 254 193 1832 908 +924 19841st tier3FC Viktoria Plzeň 29 909 454 211 244 1431 989 +442 15611st tier4FC Slovan Liberec 33 1020 428 281 311 1370 1131 +239 15541st tier5FK Jablonec 32 999 392 280 327 1353 1193 +160 14011st tier6SK Sigma Olomouc 31 959 362 267 330 1231 1139 +92 13391st tier7FC Baník Ostrava 32 1000 352 282 366 1321 1271 +50 13241st tier8FK Teplice 30 933 326 266 341 1140 1183 −43 12441st tier9FK Mladá Boleslav 22 696 271 184 241 1031 940 +91 9971st tier101. FC Slovácko 24 756 254 199 303 868 970 −102 9611st tier11FC Zbrojovka Brno 26 789 255 206 328 914 1069 −155 9611st tier12Bohemians 1905 24 754 216 213 325 781 1043 −262 8531st tier13SK Dynamo České Budějovice 24 740 200 196 344 768 1160 −3927853rd tier14FK Příbram 22 672 191 172 309 697 986 −289 7452nd tier15FC Zlín 20 631 173 172 286 637 915 −278 6811st tier16FC Hradec Králové 19 593 171 158 264 589 815 −226 6621st tier17FK Viktoria Žižkov 14 420 144 106 170 478 539 −61 5262nd tier18FK Drnovice 10 300 114 67 119 392 398 −6 396Dissolved in 200619FK Dukla Prague 11 345 90 97 158 382 526 −144 3661st tier20SFC Opava 11 342 83 89 170 347 532 −185 3382nd tier21MFK Karviná 9 298 74 74 150 334 485 −151 2962nd tier22FK Chmel Blšany 8 240 67 63 110 255 350 −95 264Dissolved in 201623FK Pardubice 6 206 64 43 99 227 326 −99 2351st tier24FC Vysočina Jihlava 7 210 55 61 94 221 315 −94 2262nd tier25SK Kladno 4 120 28 30 62 99 173 −74 1142nd tier26FC Union Cheb 3 90 29 26 35 95 121 −26 1004th tier27FK SIAD Most 3 90 19 30 41 96 140 −44 87Dissolved in 201628FK Bohemians Prague 2 60 14 8 38 60 111 −51 50Dissolved in 201629FC Karviná 2 60 12 12 36 53 105 −52 48Merged with MFK Karviná in 2008301. SC Znojmo FK 1 30 6 9 15 32 49 −17 274th tier31FK Ústí nad Labem 1 30 4 7 19 22 67 −45 192nd tier32Slovácká Slavia Uherské Hradiště1 30 3 8 19 19 65 −46 17Merged with Slovácko in 200033MFK Vítkovice 1 30 3 7 20 22 64 −42 133rd tier34FK Švarc Benešov 1 30 3 3 24 23 78 −55 123rd tier35AFK Atlantic Lázně Bohdaneč 1 30 2 5 23 18 61 −43 11Dissolved in 200036SK Artis Brno 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01st tier