2023–24 Czech First League

Football league season
Czech First League
Season2023–24
Dates22 July 2023 – 26 May 2024
Matches played240
Goals scored689 (2.87 per match)
Top goalscorerVáclav Jurečka & Pavel Šulc (15 goals)
Biggest home winSparta 5–0 Slovácko
17 September 2023
Plzeň 5–0 České Budějovice
10 December 2023
Biggest away winZlín 1–7 Plzeň
17 September 2023
Highest scoringZlín 5–9 Mladá Boleslav
21 October 2023
2024-25 →
All statistics correct as of 28 April 2024.

The 2023–24 Czech First League, known as the Fortuna liga for sponsorship reasons, is the 31st season of the Czech Republic's top-tier football for professional clubs since its establishment, in 1993. Sparta Prague are the reigning champions. The season is scheduled to start in July 2023. The first half of the season will have 19 rounds, finishing in December, and the other half will commence in February 2024. The season is expected to end on 26 May 2024 with two extra play-out fixtures on 29 May and 2 June 2024.[1]

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–Mladá Boleslav, which ended 5–9.[2]

Format

The season format is unchanged from last season, each team will play in the league format home and away matches. 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. This will be the sixth season to use VAR, featuring it in all matches played. The only change in the rules is the limited number of players that can be sent on loan.[1]

Teams

Promotion and relegation (pre-season)

A total of sixteen teams contest the league, including thirteen sides from the 2022–23 season, the winner of last season's second league, and two winners of the play-out, determined on 4 June.

Team promoted to Czech First League

After being relegated in the 2021–22 season, MFK Karviná returns to Czech First League as the champion of the 2022–23 Czech National Football League.[3]

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 Ref.
Bohemians 1905 Prague Ďolíček 6,300 [4]
SK Dynamo České Budějovice České Budějovice Stadion Střelecký ostrov 6,681 [5]
FC Hradec Králové Hradec Králové Malšovická aréna 9,300 [6]
FK Jablonec Jablonec nad Nisou Stadion Střelnice 6,108 [7]
MFK Karviná Karviná Městský stadion (Karviná) 4,833 [8]
FC Slovan Liberec Liberec Stadion u Nisy 9,900 [9]
FK Mladá Boleslav Mladá Boleslav Lokotrans Aréna 5,000 [10]
SK Sigma Olomouc Olomouc Andrův stadion 12,474 [11]
FC Baník Ostrava Ostrava Městský stadion (Ostrava) 15,123 [12]
FC Viktoria Plzeň Plzeň Doosan Arena 11,700 [13]
SK Slavia Prague Prague Fortuna Arena 19,370 [14]
1. FC Slovácko Uherské Hradiště Městský fotbalový stadion Miroslava Valenty 8,000 [15]
AC Sparta Prague Prague epet ARENA 18,944 [16]
FK Teplice Teplice Na Stínadlech 18,221 [17]
FC Zlín Zlín Letná Stadion 5,898 [18]
FK Pardubice Pardubice CFIG Arena 4,620 [19]


Rank Region Number of teams Club(s)
1  Prague 3 Bohemians 1905, Sparta Prague, Slavia Prague
2  Liberec 2 Jablonec, Slovan Liberec
 Moravian-Silesian Baník Ostrava, Karviná
 Zlín Zlín, Slovácko
5  Central Bohemian 1 Mladá Boleslav
 Hradec Králové Hradec Králové
 Olomouc Sigma Olomouc
 Pardubice Pardubice
 Plzeň Viktoria Plzeň
 South Bohemian Dynamo České Budějovice
 Ústí nad Labem 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 Czech Republic Miroslav Koubek[20] End of contract 30 June 2023 Czech Republic Jozef Weber[21] 10 May 2023 Undisclosed
Viktoria Plzeň Czech Republic Michal Bílek[22] End of contract 30 June 2023 Czech Republic Miroslav Koubek[23] 5 June 2023 June 2024
Jablonec Czech Republic David Horejš[24] Sacked 29 May 2023 Czech Republic Radoslav Látal[25] 30 June 2023 Undisclosed
Mladá Boleslav Czech Republic Pavel Hoftych[26] Mutual consent 26 May 2023 Czech Republic Marek Kulič[26] 26 May 2023 Undisclosed

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 Czech Republic Jozef Weber[27] Sacked 18 September 2023 8 11th Czech Republic Václav Kotal[27] 18 September 2023 Undisclosed
Karviná Czech Republic Tomáš Hejdušek[28] Sacked 18 September 2023 8 15th Slovakia Juraj Jarábek[29] 27 September 2023 Undisclosed
Zlín Czech Republic Pavel Vrba[30] Sacked 23 October 2023 12 16th Czech Republic Bronislav Červenka[30] 25 October 2023 Undisclosed
České Budějovice Czech Republic Marek Nikl[31] Sacked 23 November 2023 15 16th None None None
České Budějovice Czech Republic Tomáš Zápotočný[32] Mutual consent 13 December 2023 18 16th Czech Republic Jiří Lerch[33] 13 December 2023 Undisclosed
Mladá Boleslav Czech Republic Marek Kulič[34] Sacked 30 December 2023 19 7th Czech Republic David Holoubek[35] 2 January 2024 June 2028
Sigma Olomouc Czech Republic Václav Jílek[36] Sacked 26 February 2024 22 8th TBA TBA TBA
Hradec Králové Czech Republic Václav Kotal[37] Mutual consent 28 February 2024 22 12th Czech Republic David Horejš[37] 28 February 2024 Undisclosed
Karviná Slovakia Juraj Jarábek[38] Sacked 12 March 2024 25 16th Czech Republic Marek Bielan[39] 12 March 2024 June 2024

Regular season

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Sparta Prague 30 24 4 2 70 26 +44 76 Qualification for the Championship group
2 Slavia Prague 30 22 6 2 62 23 +39 72
3 Viktoria Plzeň 30 19 5 6 67 33 +34 62
4 Baník Ostrava 30 13 6 11 48 39 +9 45
5 Mladá Boleslav 30 12 8 10 50 46 +4 44
6 Slovácko 30 11 8 11 39 40 −1 41
7 Slovan Liberec 30 10 10 10 46 46 0 40 Qualification for the Play-off
8 Sigma Olomouc 30 10 7 13 38 43 −5 37
9 Hradec Králové 30 9 10 11 32 38 −6 37
10 Teplice 30 9 9 12 31 40 −9 36
11 Bohemians 1905 30 8 11 11 29 40 −11 35 Qualification for the Relegation group
12 Jablonec 30 6 12 12 35 45 −10 30
13 Pardubice 30 7 7 16 29 42 −13 28
14 Karviná 30 6 7 17 30 52 −22 25
15 Zlín 30 5 10 15 36 61 −25 25
16 České Budějovice 30 6 6 18 34 62 −28 24
Updated to match(es) played on 28 April 2024. Source: Fortuna Liga
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.[40]

Results

Home \ Away BOH CBU HKR JAB KAR LIB MLA OLO OST PCE PLZ SLA SLO SPA TEP ZLN
Bohemians 1905 — 0–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 3–2 1–1 2–1 0–2 0–2 0–1 1–3 1–2 0–0
České Budějovice 3–0 — 0–2 2–1 1–0 3–2 1–2 2–1 3–0 0–1 2–5 1–3 2–2 0–1 0–1 2–2
Hradec Králové 2–2 5–1 — 1–0 2–1 1–1 0–0 1–3 2–3 2–0 1–1 1–2 1–0 1–3 1–0 2–0
Jablonec 0–1 5–2 1–1 — 0–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–3 2–1 1–2 1–1 2–0 1–5 3–2 0–0
Karviná 1–1 2–1 1–0 1–1 — 5–2 1–2 0–2 1–3 0–3 0–0 0–3 1–3 0–3 0–1 4–1
Slovan Liberec 0–1 1–0 0–0 3–3 1–0 — 2–1 2–0 3–1 1–0 3–0 2–3 4–1 0–2 3–3 5–3
Mladá Boleslav 2–1 3–1 5–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 — 2–1 1–3 1–0 1–3 0–1 0–1 3–1 1–2 3–2
Sigma Olomouc 2–2 2–1 0–0 1–0 3–1 2–0 4–0 — 0–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–4 2–1 0–0
Baník Ostrava 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–1 2–2 2–2 2–0 1–2 — 1–1 0–1 2–3 0–0 0–1 4–1 5–1
Pardubice 0–1 1–1 1–1 0–0 2–1 2–0 1–2 1–1 0–1 — 2–3 0–1 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–1
Viktoria Plzeň 2–0 5–0 1–1 3–2 0–1 1–3 1–1 2–1 3–1 6–2 — 1–0 1–4 4–0 3–0 3–0
Slavia Prague 2–1 2–1 2–0 4–3 5–1 3–0 2–0 2–2 1–0 3–0 1–2 — 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–1
Slovácko 5–2 4–1 0–0 0–1 2–0 1–1 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–2 1–1 1–3 — 1–3 2–0 1–0
Sparta Prague 2–0 4–0 2–1 3–0 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–0 4–3 5–2 2–1 0–0 5–0 — 2–1 2–0
Teplice 1–1 2–2 0–1 0–0 2–2 2–0 1–0 2–0 0–1 0–1 1–0 0–0 1–1 1–1 — 2–1
Zlín 2–2 1–1 4–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 5–9 3–2 0–1 1–1 1–7 1–1 2–1 0–1 2–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on 28 April 2024. Source: Fortuna Liga
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Championship group

Points and goals were carried over in full from the regular season.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts SPA SLA PLZ OST MLA SLO
1 Sparta Prague 30 24 4 2 70 26 +44 76 — 11 May 26 May — —
2 Slavia Prague 30 22 6 2 62 23 +39 72 — — 15 May —
3 Viktoria Plzeň 30 19 5 6 67 33 +34 62 — — —
4 Baník Ostrava 30 13 6 11 48 39 +9 45 — — — —
5 Mladá Boleslav 30 12 8 10 50 46 +4 44 — — — —
6 Slovácko 30 11 8 11 39 40 −1 41 — — — —
Updated to match(es) played on 28 April 2024. Source: Fortuna Liga
Rules for classification: 1) Total points; 2) Points earned in regular season; 3) Head-to-head points (regular season); 4) Head-to-head goal difference (regular season); 5) Head-to-head goals scored (regular season); 5) Goal difference (all matches); 6) Goals scored (all matches); 7) Fair-play ranking; 8) Draw.

Conference League play-off

Teams placed between 7th and 10th position will take part in the Conference League play-off. The best of them will play against the fourth-placed or fifth-placed of the championship play-offs to determine the Conference League play-off winners. The winners will qualify for the second qualifying round of the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League.

First roundSecond round
          
 
Hradec Králové
 
Sigma Olomouc
TBD
 
TBD
Teplice
Slovan Liberec

Relegation group

Points and goals were carried over in full from the regular season.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation BOH JAB PCE KAR ZLN CBU
11 Bohemians 1905 30 8 11 11 29 40 −11 35 — — —
12 Jablonec 30 6 12 12 35 45 −10 30 — — —
13 Pardubice 30 7 7 16 29 42 −13 28 — — —
14 Karviná 30 6 7 17 30 52 −22 25 Qualification for the relegation play-offs — — — —
15 Zlín 30 5 10 15 36 61 −25 25 — — — —
16 České Budějovice 30 6 6 18 34 62 −28 24 Relegation to FNL — — — —
Updated to match(es) played on 28 April 2024. Source: Fortuna Liga
Rules for classification: 1) Total points; 2) Points earned in regular season; 3) Head-to-head points (regular season); 4) Head-to-head goal difference (regular season); 5) Head-to-head goals scored (regular season); 5) Goal difference (all matches); 6) Goals scored (all matches); 7) Fair-play ranking; 8) Draw.

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

As of 28 April 2024[41]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Czech Republic Václav Jurečka Slavia 15
Czech Republic Pavel Šulc Plzeň
3 Serbia Veljko Birmančević Sparta 14
4 Czech Republic Mojmír Chytil Slavia 13
5 Brazil Ewerton Ostrava 12
6 Czech Republic Marek Havlík Slovácko 11
Czech Republic Lukáš Juliš Olomouc
Slovakia Lukáš Haraslín Sparta
Czech Republic Jan Kuchta Sparta
10 Czech Republic Tomáš Chorý Plzeň 10

Clean sheets

As of 28 April 2024[42]
Rank Player Club Clean sheets
1 Czech Republic Martin Jedlička Bohemians 1905 / Plzeň 12
2 Denmark Peter Vindahl Jensen Sparta 10
3 Czech Republic Jiří Letáček Ostrava 8
4 Czech Republic Milan Heča Slovácko 7
Czech Republic Aleš Mandous Slavia
Czech Republic Jan Hanuš Jablonec
7 Czech Republic Tomáš Grigar Teplice 6
Czech Republic Adam Zadražil Hradec Králové
9 Slovakia Pavol Bajza Hradec Králové 5
Czech Republic Jindřich Staněk Plzeň / Slavia
Czech Republic Hugo Jan Bačkovský Liberec
Slovakia Dominik Holec Karviná

See also

References

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  19. ^ "Club info FK Pardubice". Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
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