Czech Republic - Czech First League

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The Czech Football League, or Fortuna Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the top-tier division of football established by the Czech Football Federation. Just like all leagues in Europe, this league works under a promotion-relegation system, where up to three clubs can be relegated to the Druha Liga. This league was founded in 1993 and has been renamed several times: it started out as Gambrinus Liga (1993 to 2014), then, it was known as Synot Liga (2014-2016). It was called ePojisteni.cz liga in the 2016-17 season, and then it took the name HET Liga for the following season. Since 2018, the league has been known as Fortuna Liga, being ranked as the thirteenth best in Europe by UEFA’s coefficient system.

The tournament’s format had a major uplift in recent dates. All sixteen teams play 30 regular-season games before they are divided into three groups: the top six teams battle for the championship, while those who finish in seventh to tenth place will fight for a spot in a UEFA Europa League playoff. The six lower-ranked teams after the regular season enter the relegation group, where the worst team will be immediately relegated. Two more teams will fight for their survival against Druha Liga teams in promotion playoffs.

The Czech First League has two spots up for grabs to play the preliminary rounds of the UEFA Champions League, which are allocated to the champion and to the runners-up. Added to those, three more spots to play the preliminary rounds of the UEFA Europa League are available, which go to the third and fourth-ranked teams in the championship group, while the last spot is played for between the winner of the UEFA Europa League group and the team that finishes fifth in the championship group.

The 2018-19 season of the Fortuna Liga ended with Slavia Prague winning their fifth title in history, and second in the past three years. Viktoria Plzen concluded as runner-up, which saw these teams entering the preliminary rounds of the UEFA Champions League. Sparta Prague and Jablonec won their spots in the UEFA Europa League due to their performance in the championship group, while Mlada Boleslav earned the last European ticket after defeating Banik Ostrava in the final UEFA Europa League playoff. On the other side of the table, Dukla Prague was relegated to the Druha Liga, as both Karvina and Pribram won their relegation playoff matches against teams from that league.

The 2019-20 season of the Czech First League will begin on July 12, 2019. The conclusion of this competition is expected to take place in May of 2020. Ceske Budejovice will return to the league after a five-year stay in the Druha Liga.

Did you know…? Sparta Prague is the most winning team in Czech history, with 12 titles to their name. Slavia Prague and Viktoria Plzen are next with five titles each, although the latter has been able to rise through the ranks with five titles in the course of the present decade.