The 2024–25 Czech First League, known as the Chance Liga for sponsorship reasons, was the 32nd season of the Czech Republic's top-tier football for professional clubs since its establishment in 1993. Sparta Prague were the reigning champions. The first half of the season had 19 rounds, starting in July 2024 and finishing in December. The second half commenced in February 2025. The season ended on 25 May 2025 with two extra play-out fixtures on 29 May and 1 June 2025.
Format From the start of the 2024–25 season, the league became known as the "Chance Liga" after its new main sponsor, Chance betting office. The general season format was unchanged from the last season; the 16 clubs played each other home and away, until the league was split up in championship, play-off and relegation groups. The lowest-ranked team were relegated directly to the second league, and the two teams positioned 14th and 15th played a play-out with two teams from the second league positioned 2nd and 3rd in a home and away format. The change was the cancellation of the Conference League play-off final between the team finishing 5th and the team winning the play-off group. The winner of the middle group (i.e. the team placed 7th) only received a financial bonus.
This is the seventh season to use VAR, featuring it in all matches played. The VAR central workplace in the Michle district of Prague was used for the first time. VAR had offside line technology available for the first time.
In the 2024–25 season, three new rules were introduced. The first is the ability for teams to use a sixth substitution if there is a head injury or concussion. Secondly, the punishment for a player in a situation where that player spoils a clear scoring opportunity with his hand was changed, and only a yellow card was awarded instead of a red card. Finally, the assessment of premature running of players into the penalty area during a penalty also changed.
Other changes concern the dates of matches, which is partly due to the new format of the European competitions. The spring part started a week earlier than in previous years (on 1 February) and the exact dates of the matches were determined further in advance than three weeks, as has been the case so far.
Events SK Dynamo České Budějovice became the first team in the history of the Czech First League to not win any match in the regular season. After continuing the run in the season-ending relegation group, in which they picked up a solitary point, the club finished their 35-game season without winning (29 losses, 6 draws).
Teams
Promotion and relegation (pre-season) A total of sixteen teams contest the league, including 15 sides from the 2023–24 season and the winner of last season's second league.
Team promoted to Czech First League After being relegated in the 2018–19 season, FK Dukla Prague returned to Czech First League as the champion of the 2023–24 Czech National Football League.
Teams relegated from Czech First League The lowest positioned team from the last season, FC Zlín, was relegated to the Czech National Football League.
Locations and stadiums
Team Location Stadium Capacity Bohemians 1905 Prague Ďolíček 6,300 SK Dynamo České Budějovice České Budějovice Stadion Střelecký ostrov 6,681 FK Dukla Prague Prague Stadion Juliska 8,150 FC Hradec Králové Hradec Králové Malšovická aréna 9,300 FK Jablonec Jablonec nad Nisou Stadion Střelnice 6,108 MFK Karviná Karviná Městský stadion (Karviná) 4,833 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) 15,123 FK Pardubice Pardubice CFIG Arena 4,620 FC Viktoria Plzeň Plzeň Doosan Arena 11,700 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 18,944 FK Teplice Teplice Na Stínadlech 18,221
Rank Region Number of teams Club(s)1 4 Bohemians 1905, Dukla Prague,Sparta Prague, Slavia Prague2 2 Jablonec, Slovan Liberec Baník Ostrava, Karviná4 1 Mladá Boleslav Hradec Králové Sigma Olomouc Pardubice Viktoria Plzeň Dynamo České Budějovice Teplice Slovácko
Personnel and sponsoring +TeamsManagerCaptainKit makerMain sponsorBohemians Jaroslav Veselý Josef JindřišekPumaBALshopČeské Budějovice Jiří Lerch Zdeněk OndrášekAdidasTipsportDukla Prague Petr Rada Jan PeterkaAdidasCarbounionHradec Králové David Horejš Petr KodešJakoHradec KrálovéJablonec Nemanja TekijaškiCapelli Sport24liveKarviná Jaroslav SvozilJomaOKDSlovan Liberec Jan MikulaNikeTipsportMladá Boleslav Marek MatějovskýPumaŠkoda AutoSigma Olomouc Radim BreiteAdidasTipsportBaník Ostrava Pavel Hapal EwertonMacronFortunaPardubice Kamil VacekJomaČPP ServisViktoria Plzeň Miroslav Koubek Lukáš KalvachMacronDoosan Škoda PowerSlavia Prague Jindřich Trpišovský Jan BořilPumaeToroSlovácko Tomáš Palinek Stanislav HofmannPumaZ-GroupSparta Prague Filip PanákAdidasBetanoTeplice Zdenko Frťala Lukáš MarečekMacronAGC Glass Europe
Managerial changes Ahead of the season: Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Contract valid until Slovan Liberec End of contract Undisclosed Pardubice Mutual consent Undisclosed Sigma Olomouc Sacked Undisclosed Karviná Sacked Undisclosed Sparta Prague Mutual consent Undisclosed Slovácko Mutual consent Undisclosed Jablonec Sacked 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 České Budějovice Sacked 2 16th Undisclosed Mladá Boleslav Mutual consent 5 10th Undisclosed Pardubice Sacked 13 15th Undisclosed Slovácko Sacked 13 8th Summer 2027 České Budějovice Sacked 19 16th Undisclosed Slovácko Sacked 27 13th End of the season Mladá Boleslav Mutual consent 28 10th End of the seasonSparta Prague Sacked15 May 2025334th 15 May 2025End of the season
Regular season League table
Results
Championship group Points and goals were carried over in full from the regular season.
Middle group Teams will play a group for placement. Starting in the 2024–25 season, the group winner will no longer be awarded the Conference League play-off against the fourth-placed or fifth-placed of the championship group and will only receive a financial bonus.
Relegation group Points and goals were carried over in full from the regular season.
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 Final standings Rank Player Club Goals1 Jan Kliment Olomouc182 Pavel Šulc Plzeň153 Tomáš Chorý Slavia144 Filip Vecheta Karviná13 Ewerton Ostrava Vasil Kušej Mladá Boleslav / Slavia7 Lukáš Haraslín Sparta118 Matyáš Vojta Mladá Boleslav10 Amar Memić Karviná / Plzeň Matěj Vydra Plzeň
Hat-tricks Matchweek Date Player For Against Result 2 Mladá Boleslav Slovácko 3–0 (H) 15 Slavia Karviná 5–1 (H) 16 Liberec Olomouc 4–1 (A) 18 Mladá Boleslav České Budějovice 4–0 (A) 19 Plzeň České Budějovice 7–2 (H) 22 Sparta Karviná 3–2 (A) 26 Karviná České Budějovice 3–2 (A) 31 Slavia Olomouc 5–1 (H)
Notes (H) – Home team, (A) – Away team
Clean sheets Final standings RankPlayerClubClean sheets1 Jan Hanuš Jablonec162 Matouš Trmal Mladá Boleslav / Teplice133 Antonín Kinský Slavia12 Adam Zadražil Hradec Králové5 Matúš Hruška Dukla106 Martin Jedlička Plzeň9 Jindřich Staněk Slavia7 Peter Vindahl Sparta89 Milan Heča Slovácko7 Jakub Markovič Ostrava / Slavia Jakub Lapeš Karviná Dominik Holec Ostrava
Attendances
Rank Club Average 1 SK Slavia Praha 18,306 2 AC Sparta Praha 15,865 3 FC Baník Ostrava 10,276 4 FC Viktoria Plzeň 8,922 5 FC Hradec Králové 6,225 6 SK Sigma Olomouc 5,267 7 Bohemians Praha 1905 5,101 8 1. FC Slovácko 4,188 9 FK Teplice 4,078 10 FC Slovan Liberec 3,430 11 FK Dukla Praha 3,048 12 FK Jablonec 3,007 13 SK Dynamo České Budějovice 2,898 14 FK Pardubice 2,547 15 MFK Karviná 2,416 16 FK Mladá Boleslav 2,231
Source:https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/archive/cze/avecze25.htm
See also 2024–25 Czech National Football League 2024–25 Czech Cup
References