Slavia Prague team to beat as new Czech football season begins
The 2026/2027 season in Czech football kicks off after the summer break on Saturday. Slavia Prague look like the team to beat, as they go for three championship titles in a row, while their city rivals Sparta will be out to end a two-year trophy drought.
The most dramatic moment of last season in the Chance Liga came in May, when – with their club minutes from securing the title against Sparta – Slavia supporters invaded the pitch at their stadium.
The incident led to a hefty fine for Slavia and the closure of the Fortuna Arena for four games.
Nevertheless, Slavia sealed their second title in two years only a week later.
After the disgrace-hit derby, the club dropped two players who had been sent off during the game from their squad, signaling their end at the club.
However, one of them, Tomáš Chorý, looks set to remain for the 2026/2027 season, after Slavia’s billionaire owner Pavel Tykač this week ordered that he be welcomed back into the fold. Club chairman Jaroslav Tvrdík explained the situation.
“The owner appreciates the fact that Tomáš helped the club win two titles and has decided to give him another chance. This morning I received an order to return Tomáš Chorý to Slavia Prague’s A team. He has a valid contract and we will act on the basis of that contract.”
The other player dropped after the May derby, David Douděra, is still set to exit the club.
Meanwhile coach Jindřich Trpišovský has been at Slavia since 2017 and will be hoping to cement his achievements there with a second hat-trick of titles (the first was in the 2019 to 2021 period). The bookies certainly fancy his chances, making Slavia clear favourites.
Second favourites are Sparta Prague, who have not won a trophy since the Czech Cup in 2024.
Coach Brian Friske, who returned 12 months ago for his second stint on the Sparta bench, said this week that the country’s most successful club historically was “hungrier than ever” for title glory.
Viktoria Plzeň, who last won the championship back in 2021/2022, are regarded as the best of the rest. Their head coach, Martin Hyský, says the West Bohemian side are ready for their opening game on Saturday early evening.
“Many of our players took part in the World Cup. We were waiting to get them all back and now we have them. I think our preparations have been good. We faced some good opponents and had a great camp in Austria, and I believe we are prepared for Liberec in our first game of the season.”
Along with Viktoria Plzeň, Baník Ostrava are expected to be in the mix for European places come the end of the season.
Fighting it out at the other end of the table may be the newly promoted Zbrojovka and their Brno rivals Artis, who gained promotion through an administrative decision and are favourites for the drop.
