Czech Cup
The Czech Cup is the premier knockout football competition in the Czech Republic, run by the Football Association of the Czech Republic. Featuring clubs from the Fortuna:liga down to amateur sides, it has been a stage for upsets since 1993, allowing underdogs to challenge the elite and dream of European glory.
History and foundation
Rooted in the 1905 Mitropa Cup era under Austria-Hungary, the modern Czech Cup began in 1961 as the Czechoslovak Cup. Post-1993 Velvet Divorce, it became the Czech Cup. Highlights include Baník Ostrava's 2004 shock win, Sparta Prague's 15 titles, and Slavia Prague's 2023 double. The 2020 pandemic final cancellation was a rare interruption.
Tournament format
Single-elimination format with one-leg ties from the round of 64 in August, involving around 128 teams. Top clubs get byes for seeding. The final, typically in spring on neutral ground like Doosan Arena in Plzeň, sends the winner to UEFA Conference League qualifiers, runner-up to Europa League qualifiers.
Interesting facts
Average goals per match hover at 2.8, spiking to 3.5 in early rounds. Top scorers: Milan Müller (25 goals), Tomáš Pojar (20). Stars like Patrik Schick (key goal for Sparta in 2019), Tomáš Souček (Slavia 2018 hero), and current standouts Václav Jurečka (Sigma) and Ladislav Krejčí (Sparta) have shone, launching careers to bigger leagues.