2026–27 Czech First League
Football league season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026–27 Czech First League, known as the Chance Liga for sponsorship reasons, will be the 34th season of the Czech Republic's top-tier football for professional clubs since its establishment, in 1993. Slavia Prague are the reigning champions. The season is scheduled to start in July 2026. The first half of the season will have 18 rounds, finishing in December, and the other half will commence on 30 January 2027. The season is expected to end on 29 May 2027 with two extra play-out fixtures on 3–6 June 2027.[1][2]
| Season | 2026–27 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 25 July 2026 – 29 May 2027 |
← 2025–26 2027–28 → | |
Format
The general season format is unchanged from last season. The 16 clubs will play each other home and away, until the league is split up in championship, play-off and relegation groups. The lowest-ranked team will be relegated directly to the second league, and the two teams positioned 14th and 15th will play a play-out with two teams from the second league positioned 2nd and 3rd in a home and away format. VAR will be featured at all matches played. There are no changes in the rules. The only adjustment compared to last season is the match schedule, which has been adapted to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and therefore only 18 rounds are planned for the autumn part of the league instead of the usual 19.[2]
Teams
Promotion and relegation (pre-season)
A total of sixteen teams contest the league, including thirteen sides from the 2025–26 season, the winner of last season's second league, and two winners of the play-out, determined on 30–31 May 2026.
- Team promoted to Czech First League
After being relegated in the 2022–23 season, FC Zbrojovka Brno returns to Czech First League as the champion of the 2025–26 Czech National Football League.[3]
- Teams relegated from Czech First League
The lowest positioned team from the last season, FK Dukla Prague, was relegated to the Czech National Football League.
- Karviná match-fixing
On 15 June 2026, MFK Karviná was administratively relegated to the second-tier FNL by the Ethics Committee of the FAČR due to alleged match-fixing.[4] The club appealed the decision and the fixtures of the 2026–27 season were drawn with Karviná as a member of the league. On 28 June 2026, the club decided to withdraw its appeal and leave the Czech First League. Because the 2025–26 season was officially concluded on 22 June, the Karviná's place in the league was preferentially offered to the Czech National Football League's last season best teams. After FC Silon Táborsko rejected the offer, Karviná was replaced by SK Artis Brno.[5]
Locations and stadiums
Managerial changes
Pre-season:
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Contract valid until |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slovácko |  Roman Skuhravý[22] | End of contract | 10 June 2026 | Jan Jelínek[23] | 16 June 2026 | 2029 |
| Baník Ostrava | Josef Dvorník[24] | Sacked | 10 June 2026 | Roman Skuhravý[24] | 10 June 2026 | Undisclosed |
| Slovan Liberec | Radoslav Kováč[25] | Sacked | 18 June 2026 |  Branislav Fodrek[26] | 18 June 2026 | Undisclosed |
Regular season
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slovan Liberec | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 | Qualification for the championship group |
| 2 | Teplice | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 | |
| 3 | Zbrojovka Brno | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 | |
| 4 | Baník Ostrava | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 | |
| 5 | Artis Brno | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Hradec Králové | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Jablonec | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for the middle group |
| 8 | Mladá Boleslav | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Sigma Olomouc | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Pardubice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Slavia Prague | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Qualification for the relegation group |
| 12 | Slovácko | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Zlín | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | |
| 14 | Bohemians 1905 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 | |
| 15 | Viktoria Plzeň | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 | |
| 16 | Sparta Prague | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Fair-play ranking; 8) Draw.[27]