3rd Bohemian Football League (Czech: 3. Česká fotbalová liga; ČFL) is one of the third level football leagues of the Czech Republic (the other is the Moravian-Silesian Football League). The league comprises teams from the historic Bohemia region.
The league was formed in 1991 during the Czechoslovakia era, replacing the former II. ČNL (II. Česká národni liga; Second Czech National League) at the third tier of Czechoslovak football alongside sister league MSFL.[1] In 2024, the league was renamed 3. Česká fotbalová liga to include a number indicating the level in the system of Czech football competitions in accordance with the new regulations.[2]
The format of the league was unconventional in that it did not allow draws. As of the 2014–15 season, if a match is tied, the winner is decided by a penalty shootout. The winner of the shootout gets two points and the loser gets one.[3] From season 2019–20 on, Junior league (with B teams of first-league clubs) was canceled and the B teams were moved into the ČFL and MSFL. The competition was divided into two groups with 16 teams in each.[4]
Since the 2021–22 season, the teams are again awarded by 3 points for a win and 1 point for a tie.[5]
As FK Robstav's relegation to the lower leagues was canceled by the court, the league system was adjusted for the 2024–25 season. In that season, 17 participants will therefore exceptionally play in each group instead of the usual 16.[6] After FAČR appealed to the Supreme Court, the court ruled in favor of FAČR. FK Robstav thus became the first relegated team from Group A, and it will therefore be played with 16 teams.[7]
^Jeřábek, Luboš (2007). Český a československý fotbal - lexikon osobností a klubu (in Czech). Prague: Grada Publishing. pp. 34–35. ISBN978-80-247-1656-5.
