Czech Liga (Czechia) 2026/27

The Czech First League, currently branded as the Chance Liga, stands as the premier professional football competition in the Czech Republic. It sits at the first tier of the national football pyramid, having been established in 1993 following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The tournament structure differs from many neighbours by employing a unique split phase after the initial three-match double round-robin regular season. Once the thirty-game regular campaign concludes, the sixteen participating clubs divide into three distinct groups. The top six sides enter the Championship Group, playing a further round-robin to decide the title and primary European qualification spots. Teams finishing between seventh and tenth compete in the Europa League Play-offs for continental access, while the bottom six battle in the Relegation Group. Direct relegation to the Czech National Football League affects the team in sixteenth place, whereas clubs in fourteenth and fifteenth positions face two-legged play-offs against runners-up from the second tier. This format ensures high stakes throughout the latter stages of the season. AC Sparta Prague holds the record for most titles with fourteen, while SK Slavia Prague secured the most recent championship in the 2025–26 season. The competition awards five European places based on UEFA coefficients, with the cup winner also qualifying for continental play. It remains distinct from the MOL Cup, which operates as a knockout tournament involving teams from all levels of the pyramid. The league introduced its current split system during the 2018–19 season, replacing an earlier format where all teams played each other twice. Points for a win changed from two to three in 1994–95, a shift that increased offensive incentives. The league's history includes various sponsorship titles, ranging from Gambrinus liga to Fortuna:Liga, before settling on the current Chance Liga branding.