About Český pohár (1960-93)

The Czech Cup, as a separate national competition, began to take shape in 1969, when the Czechoslovak football system was reorganized and the Czech and Slovak cups were split. From this moment, the Czech Cup functioned as the main knockout tournament for Czech clubs, while still being linked to a broader Czechoslovak system that determined qualification for European competitions. Its early purpose was not only to crown a domestic cup winner but also to provide access to the Cup Winners’ Cup.

During the period from the late 1960s to 1993, the Czech Cup became a regular but secondary competition compared to the league, often seen as a stepping stone toward the more prestigious Czechoslovak Cup finals against Slovak teams. However, it still featured strong participation from top Czech clubs. AC Sparta Prague was the dominant force, winning the competition 11 times in this era, while other successful teams included Baník Ostrava and Dukla Prague, each collecting multiple trophies.

Although the Czech Cup did not initially have the same prestige as the combined Czechoslovak Cup final, it gradually became an established national tournament with its own identity. It provided smaller clubs with opportunities to face top-tier opposition and occasionally produce surprise results. After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the competition became fully independent as the modern Czech Cup (Pohár FAČR), continuing the tradition established during this transitional period.