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Sports play a significant part in the life of manyCzechs who are generally loyal supporters of their favourite teams or individuals.
The two leading sports in theCzech Republic arefootball andice hockey, both of which draw the largest attention of both the media and supporters. The many other sports with professional leagues and structures include basketball, volleyball,team handball,Czech handball, athletics,floorball and others. Sport is a source of strong waves of patriotism, usually rising several days or weeks before an event and sinking several days after.
The events considered the most important by Czech fans are: theIce Hockey World Championship, theOlympic ice hockey tournament, theEuropean football championship, the footballWorld Cup andqualification matches for such events. In general, any international match involving theCzech ice hockey orfootball national team draws attention, especially when played against a traditional rival: Germany in football; Russia, Finland, Sweden, and Canada in ice hockey; and Slovakia in both. Summer and winterOlympic games are also both very popular.
Ice hockey is one of the most popular sports in the Czech Republic.
The Czech national team is one of the top teams in the world, regularly competing in theWorld Championship, theWinter Olympic Games and theEuro Hockey Tour. The national team captured their first Olympic gold at the1998 Winter Games in Nagano. From 1996 to 2001, the Czech Republic won six World Championship medals, including three consecutive gold from1999 to2001. Prominent Czech players includeJaromír Jágr,Dominik Hašek,Patrik Eliáš,Tomáš Plekanec,Aleš Hemský,Tomáš Kaberle,Milan Michálek andRobert Lang, who captained the 2006 Olympic team to a bronze medal. The team last won gold at the2024 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.
The Extraliga is the highest ranking ice hockey competition in the Czech Republic. The league comprises 14 teams and usually runs from September to April.
The teamHC Lev Praha played two seasons in theKontinental Hockey League (KHL) league, beginning with the2012–13 season. The team qualified for the playoffs, but was eliminated byHC CSKA Moscow. In the 2013–2014 season they reached the final, where they lost theGagarin Cup toMetallurg Magnitogorsk.
Football has been a popular sport amongst the locals. Previously the oldCzechoslovakia team were a force to be reckoned with, finishing runners-up twice in the World Cup and winningUEFA Euro 1976. Czech football history includes several world-renowned footballers, such asAntonín Panenka,Josef Bican,Josef Masopust, andIvo Viktor. The sport gained even more support when the national team qualified for their first World Cup since the break-up of Czechoslovakia. In the 2000s, players such asPetr Čech,Tomáš Rosický,Milan Baroš, andPavel Nedvěd achieved great success at top European clubs and became national icons.
In domestic football, theCzech First League is the top-level in theCzech football league system. Domestically, AC Sparta Prague (38 titles), SK Slavia Prague (21 titles), and FK Dukla Prague (11 titles) have been the most successful. For a long time Czech teams have supplied the national team and other top level teams globally with players, includingLibor Sionko,Jaromír Blažek,Zdeněk Grygera,Tomáš Souček, andPatrik Schick.
Floorball became a very popular sport in the last two decades in the Czech Republic. Czech Floorball, which is officially the Czech floorball association and a member ofIFF, was established in 1992. In 2023 it had more than 70,000 members.[2] This places Czech Floorball in third position betweenFinland and Switzerland in number of members worldwide. Since 1996, when the firstMen's World Floorball Championship took place, until 2023, theCzech Republic men's national floorball team have achieved two second place (2004 and2022) and two third place finishes. In the2019 and2021Czech juniors won the gold medal in theU19 world championship in Halifax and Brno. TheSuperliga florbalu andExtraliga žen ve florbale are the highest Czech floorball leagues. Many Czechs also play floorball in their free time at an amateur level.
The domestic leagueCzech League of American Football that features four levels of play and also a woman's division. The Czech Bowl is the final of the top league. ThePrague Black Panthers, founded in 1991, have won 18 Czech league championships and has competed inEuropean Football League. There is also a National team representing the country in international competition.
The national bandy team made itsBandy World Championship debut in 2016. InNymburk an annual internationalrink bandy tournament was organised.[3] In 2017Federation of International Bandy decided to make it an official one.[4] As of 2019, four teams are playing in the national rink bandy league. It is already decided that more will participate in 2019.[5] A variety of rink bandy called short bandy has been invented in Czechia.[6] In terms of licensed athletes,bandy is the second biggest winter sport in the world.[7]
Baseball is growing in popularity but is still considered a minor sport. The Czech Republic hosted the2009 Baseball World Cup. A few Czech have signed contracts and are now playing inMinor League Baseball. The Czech Republic was invited to compete in the qualifying round of the2013 World Baseball Classic.[8]
In September of 2022, the Czech Republic made history by qualifying for the2023 World Baseball Classic.[9] At the2023 World Baseball Classic the Czech Republic beat China in its opening game and finished 4th in its group, thus qualifying for the2026 World Baseball Classic.[10] Later in 2023, the Czech Republic hosted the2023 European Baseball Championship. The Czech Republic finished 5th at the2023 European Baseball Championship after losing its quarterfinal match to Great Britain, then beating Israel and France to secure its placing.[11]
Basketball is a popular sport in the Czech Republic. TheNational Basketball League is the country's top division.
As the heir to the successfulCzechoslovakia men's national basketball team, the Czech national team has at times struggled to meet expectations. Following independence in 1993, the Czech national team did not qualify for theFIBA Basketball World Cup until 2019.
Notable Czech players includeTomáš Satoranský,Jan Veselý,Jiří Welsch andGeorge Zidek.
The country featured national teams inbeach volleyball that competed at the2018–2020 CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup in both the women's and the men's sections.[12]
Cricket has been played in the Czech Republic since 1997, however, as a sports body, joined the ICCInternational Cricket Council in 2000.
TheCzech Cricket Union is the official governing body of the sport of cricket in Czech Republic. Its current headquarters is in Prague. The Czech Cricket Union is the Czech Republic's representative at the International Cricket Council and is an affiliate member. It is also a member of the European Cricket Council.
The Czech Republic has sent national teams to theWorld Lacrosse Championship, theWorld Lacrosse Women's World Championship and theUnder-19 World Lacrosse Championships.[13]
Josef Rössler-Ořovský, who introduced a number of sports in the thenCzechoslovakia, among othersskiing and tennis, was originally credited with starting rugby union as well back in 1895.[14] He went to England and brought back a rugby ball with him. Efforts were made to play the game at the Czech Yacht Club, but a public struggle ensued, and rugby subsequently never really caught on.
Czechoslovakia was a founder member ofFIRA in 1934, and joined the IRB in 1988.[15]
Currently,Brno in Moravia, and the capitalPrague are considered to be the centres for Rugby Union in the country.
Rugby league in the Czech Republic was started in 2006. The Czechs received government funding before a game was played there, and in their first game on August 5, 2006, inPrague, the Czechs went down 34–28 to theNetherlands.
In 2007 the Czech Republic took part in the European Shield tournament. This included two other 2nd tier nations; Germany and Serbia. Czech national team lost both their matches, v Germany 22–44 in Prague (4 August) and v Serbia 16–56 in Belgrade (18 August), and finished third.
In 2011, theCzech Rugby League Association became an affiliate member of theRugby League European Federation after reforming its governance.[16]
Liberec (German:Reichenberg) hosted theFIL European Luge Championships in1914 and1939. The Czech Republic has twice hosted theICF Canoe Sprint World Championships: Prague hosted the1958 Championships andRačice hosted them in2017. In 2009, Liberec hosted theFIS Nordic World Ski Championships and theSki Jumping World Cup always comes here in January.
TheCzech Athletics Federation organises the annualCzech Athletics Championships,Czech Indoor Athletics Championships andCzech Republic Marathon Championships. Regular athletics meetings are held at theJosef Odložil Memorial in Prague, as well as theGolden Spike Ostrava.Half marathons are regularly run in cities includingČeské Budějovice,Karlovy Vary,Olomouc,Prague, andÚstí nad Labem. Annualmarathons are held in places includingKladno,Ostrava, andPrague.
Tomáš Verner is the2008 European champion, a medalist at two other European Championships (2007 silver,2011 bronze), and a ten-time (2002–2004, 2006–2008, 2011–2014)Czech national champion. He has won six senior Grand Prix medals, including the2010 Cup of Russia title. He has represented theCzech Republic at the2006,2010 and2014 Winter Olympics. He has qualified for theGrand Prix Final three times (2008,2009 and2010). His highest placement in the World Championships is fourth which he achieved twice in2007 and2009.
Michal Brezina has represented theCzech Republic at the2010,2014 and2018 Winter Olympics. He is the 2013European bronze medalist, 2011Skate America champion, 2009World Junior silver medalist, and four-timeCzech national champion. He is also the winner of the2014-15 ISU Challenger Series. He has qualified for theGrand Prix Final twice (2011 and2018). His younger sister,Eliška Březinová, competes in ladies' single skating.
Among the most famous horse races in the country are theVelká pardubická in Pardubice, as well as the Czech Triple Crown of flat racing, which takes place atPrague-Velká Chuchle Racecourse.
In 2022,Jiří Procházka became the Czech Republic's firstUFC Champion after defeatingGlover Teixeira for theLight Heavyweight title atUFC 275.[17]
Other notable mixed martial artists from the Czech Republic includeKarlos Vemola,Viktor Pešta,David Dvořák andLucie Pudilová.
TheCzech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix has been held at theBrno Circuit in Brno, since 1965, with a hiatus between 1982 and 1987, as well as between 2020 and 2025.
Since 1995 the West Bohemian town ofLoket has hosted a round of theMotocross World Championship in late July or early August every year.
Speedway has been run as a league system since 1956, with the winner crowned champion of the country when winning theCzech Republic Team Speedway Championship.[18][19]
TheMarkéta Stadium in Prague has hosted theSpeedway Grand Prix of Czech Republic since 1997.[20] Other major venues include theSvítkov Stadium,Slaný Speedway Stadium andSpeedway Stadium Plzeň.
Longtrack racing has always had a major following in the country. The home of longtrack isMariánské Lázně Longtrack Speedway, which is about two hours west of Prague. It hosts both domestic and international meetings and had held many of the World Championship finals and Grand-Prix rounds.[21]
The most successful riders to have competed in the sport areJiří Štancl (12 timesCzech champion),Aleš Dryml Sr. (twice World longtrack silver medallist) andVáclav Milík Jr. (8 times Czech champion).
Sport shooting is the third most widespread sport in the Czech Republic.[22] Among notable shooters isKateřina Emmons, who won the gold in2008 Summer Olympics.
The Czech Republic has produced a number of successful competitors in various skiing disciplines in recent years.Šárka Záhrobská has been a successfulalpine skier, specialising in theslalom. She has won fourWorld Championship medals in the discipline: a gold in2007, a silver in2009 and bronzes in2005 and2015. She also won a bronze in the slalom at the2010 Winter Olympics.
At the2018 Winter Olympics,Ester Ledecká won the gold medal in thesuper-G. Ledecká also took another gold at the same Games in thesnowboard parallel giant slalom, becoming the first woman to take gold medals in two different sports at the Winter Olympics.[23] She also tookSnowboarding World Championship golds inparallel slalom in2015 and inparallel giant slalom in2017. Ledecká also won the overall parallel and parallel giant slalom World Cup titles in2015-16 and took another overall parallel World Cup in2016-17.Eva Samková won the gold medal in thesnowboard cross at the2014 Winter Olympics and was World Cup snowboard cross champion in2016-17.Šárka Pančochová took the overall freestyle and slopestyle World Cup titles in the2013-14 season.
Incross-country skiingKateřina Neumannová andLukáš Bauer have enjoyed success. Neumannová won a gold medal in the 30 kilometre freestyle event at the2006 Winter Olympics, as well as twoWorld Championships in the 10 kilometre race in2005 and2007. She also won 18 races in theFIS Cross-Country World Cup. Bauer won the overall and distance World Cups in the2007–08 seasons, as well as a silver and two bronze medals at the2006 and2010 Winter Olympics, and a silver in the 15 kilometre classical event at the2009 World Championships. He is also a double winner of theTour de Ski in2008 and2010.
In the sport of BiathlonWorld Championship golds have been won byKateřina Holubcová (in the 15 kilometre individual event in2003) andRoman Dostál (in the 20 kilometre individual in2005). More recentlyGabriela Soukalová enjoyed a breakthrough season in2012–13, scoring fourWorld Cup wins. She subsequently took gold medals at the2015 World Championships as part of the Czechmixed relay team, and at the2017 Worlds in thesprint. She was also overall World Cup champion in2015-16.Markéta Davidová became World Champion in the individual in2021.
The Czech Republic hosts a number of tennis events each year, the most notable of which is theWTA Prague Open, which hasWTA International status since 2015. TheCzech Open inProstějov, theProsperita Open inOstrava and thePrague Open are part of theATP Challenger Tour, while the Prague Open is also part of theITF Women's Circuit.
TheCzech Republic Davis Cup team has won twice in 2012 and 2013, whereas theCzech Republic Fed Cup team has won six times in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.
The best tennis players from the Czech Republic includeJaroslav Drobný,Ivan Lendl,Jan Kodeš,Petr Korda,Tomáš Berdych,Radek Štěpánek,Martina Navratilova,Hana Mandlíková,Helena Suková,Jana Novotná,Petra Kvitová,Karolína Plíšková,Lucie Šafářová,Barbora Krejčíková,Kateřina Siniaková andMarkéta Vondroušová.
Important Czech arenas and stadiums:
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Eden Arena – Located in Prague'sVršovice district, it has a seated capacity of 20,800. It is the home stadium of football teamSK Slavia Prague and opened in 2008.
Generali Arena – home toAC Sparta Prague, has a seated capacity of 19,416 and was opened in 1917 and rebuilt in 1994.
O2 Arena – Located in theLibeň district of Prague, the O2 Arena is the largest Czech multi-functional hall. Its capacity is 18,000 seats.HC Sparta Praha play their games there.
Ostravar Aréna – Located inOstrava and opened in 1986, the arena has hostedIce Hockey World Championships three times: in 2004, 2015, and 2024.
Sportovní hala – former home to Sparta Praha, it has a seated capacity of 13,150 and opened in 1962. The venue hosted Ice Hockey World Championships on four occasions: in 1972, 1978, 1985 and 1992.
Štvanice Stadium – hosted the Ice Hockey World Championships on four occasions: 1933, 1938, 1947 and 1959. It opened in 1931 and hosted major events until they all moved to the Sportovní hala when it opened in 1962.
Tennis area Štvanice – The compound located onŠtvanice island in Prague has 14 outdoor courts and 10 indoor courts. Its centre court has a capacity of 8,000 and hostsATP andWTA tournaments on an annual basis.
Among the most attractive events for Czech fans are the Ice hockey Olympics, especially against traditional rivals like Russia, Finland, Sweden, Canada, USA and Slovakia. The greatest achievements include gold medals at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games.
In 2014, just under 340,000 youths were registered with the Czech Union of Sport, representing a fall of more than a third since 1989'sVelvet Revolution.[24]
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