Slovak First Football League

The Slovak First Football League, shortly just 1st League (1. liga), currently Niké liga for sponsorship reasons, is the highest league in the Slovak football league system. It was formed in 1993 following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The record for most titles is thirteen, held by Slovan Bratislava, who are the current title holders.

History

The current independent top football division in Slovakia was formed in 1993 as a result of the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The predecessors of the current top football division in Slovakia were Zväzové Majstrovstvá Slovenska (1925–1933) and Slovenská liga (1938–1944).

Slovakia was part of Czechoslovakia (1918–1939 and 1945–1993) and the best Slovak clubs played in the joint Czechoslovak league. Three Slovak clubs managed to win it.

Zväzové Majstrovstvá Slovenska (1925–1933)

Slovenská liga (1938–1944)

Slovak winners of the Czechoslovak 1. League (1945–1993)

Competition format

Over the years, the number of teams competing in the top division has varied. The current number of 12 teams has been in effect since the 2006–07 season. However, there were also changes in the playing format afterwards. In the current format, which has been in effect since the 2017–18 season, teams play home-and-away against every other team in the regular stage, for a total of 22 matches each. The table is then divided into two halves of 6 teams each – the top 6 play in the championship group and the bottom 6 play in the relegation group. Within these groups, teams play home-and-away each other again, for a total of 10 matches each.

Sponsorship

Clubs

Champions

Source for list of championship winners:

Performance by club

Clubs in bold currently play in the top division.

Titles by city

2023–24 season

Twelve clubs compete in the 2023–24 season.

All-time league table

The all-time league table is an overall record of all match results, points, and goals of every team that has played in Slovak I. liga since its inception in 1993. The table as of the end of 2022–23 season. Teams in bold are part of the 2023–24 Niké liga. There is no club that played all seasons in top-flight. The best clubs in that respect - Žilina and Spartak Trnava - missed 1 season, Slovan Bratislava missed 2 seasons.

S = Number of seasons; P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
^aSpartak Myjava withdrew from the league on 21 December 2016, and their results from season 2016-17 were expunged.

• DAC had 6 points deducted in 2013/14 season.

League or status:

European competitions

UEFA coefficients

The following data indicates Slovak coefficient rankings between European football leagues.

Players

The clubs sell their players to financially stronger clubs from western Europe. Examples of players that have succeeded in notable leagues are Marek Hamšík, who was captain of Italian club SSC Napoli, Peter Pekarík who captains Bundesliga side Hertha BSC or Martin Škrtel, a well-known former Liverpool centre-back currently playing for Fenerbahçe. Moreover, over the last few years more and more youngsters have been given chances to perform regularly in the league and as the result, many transfers were to be seen. For example Leon Bailey, Milan Škriniar, Stanislav Lobotka or Samuel Kalu could have been seen playing football at Slovak stadiums recently.

Top scorers

As of the end of the 2017–18 season.

References