FC Zbrojovka Brno is a professional football club based in the city of Brno, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic and named after Zbrojovka Brno, a firearms manufacturer. Founded in 1913 as SK Židenice, the club later became known as Zbrojovka Brno. Brno won the Czechoslovak First League in the 1977–78 season and finished as runners-up in 1979–80.
The club, initially known as SK Židenice, played in the top tier of Czechoslovak football from 1933 until suffering relegation in the 1946–47 Czechoslovak First League.[1] During this period, the club entered the Mitropa Cup three times, reaching the quarter-finals in 1935 as well as taking part in the competition in 1936 and 1938.
Between 1950 and 1962 the club played outside the top tier, returning in the 1962–63 Czechoslovak First League.[1] Five seasons elapsed before the club was again relegated, in 1967.[1] They then spent four years in the second tier of Czechoslovak football before returning to the top flight.[1] In the 1970s the club was a strong force in the country, winning the Czechoslovak First League in 1978, finishing third the following season and being runners up in 1980.
The 1980s were less spectacular for Brno, as the club was relegated in 1983, playing until 1989 in the second tier. After just two seasons in the top tier, the club finished last in 1991 and was again relegated.[1]
Between 1992 and 2011, Brno played in the top tier of the Czech Republic for 19 consecutive seasons, the longest such spell in the club's history.[1] In 2011, the club was relegated to the second division.[1] In the 2011–12 Czech 2. Liga, the club only managed to finish fourth, missing out on the promotion places. However, due to the stadium requirements of the Czech First League, champions FK Ústí nad Labem as well as third-placed FK Baník Sokolov were ineligible for promotion. As a result, Brno won promotion immediately back to the top tier.[2] In 2018, the club was relegated to the second division.[3] In the 2018–19 Czech Second League, the club managed to finish third but lost the promotion play-off to Příbram.[4]
Source: [5]
In 1962, there was an amalgamation between Rudá Hvězda Brno (1956–62) and Spartak ZJŠ Brno.
Brno (then SK Židenice) competed in the Mitropa Cup three times before World War II, reaching the quarter-finals in 1935.
Because Brno was a major fairs city of Czechoslovakia, teams from Brno played in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in the 1960s. It was Spartak KPS Brno who participated first, then Spartak ZJŠ Brno (Zbrojovka) played five times in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in a row, reaching the quarter-finals in 1963–64.
In their only appearance to date in the competition, Brno reached the second round of the 1978–79 European Cup. The club played in the 1993–94 European Cup Winners' Cup but lost in the first round. Brno took part in the UEFA Cup three times, reaching the quarter-finals in 1979–80 and also playing in 1980–81 and 1997–98.
Brno have played at Městský fotbalový stadion Srbská since 2001, when they moved from previous home Stadion Za Lužánkami.[6] In the 1990s, Brno attracted record crowds to their football matches, with Za Lužánkami as the venue for all of the top ten most-attended Czech First League matches.[7] The highest attendance for a Brno match is 44,120, set in a league match against Slavia Prague.[7]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
As of 2024–25, the club's reserve team FC Zbrojovka Brno B plays in the Moravian-Silesian Football League (3rd tier of Czech football system). The reserve team played in three consecutive seasons of the Czech National Football League (2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06).
Some of the biggest Czech football legends played for Brno briefly:[9]
Highlighted players are in the current squad.