Historical Crests FC Zlin

Name: ​ ​FC Zlin

Nickname(s): Ševci (The Cobblers)

Founded: 1919

Stadium: Stadion Letná

Capacity: 5,898

FC Zlin Crest History

In 1997, while competing as FK Svit Zlín, the club introduced a circular crest centred around a football carrying the distinctive Svit script logo. A yellow outer ring displayed the words Fotbalový klub Zlín, combining the club's traditional yellow-and-blue colours with the branding of its title sponsor. The badge reflected the close relationship between the club and the Svit industrial company during a period of financial rebuilding and remained in use until the beginning of the new millennium.

Following a new sponsorship agreement in 2002, the club adopted the name FC Tescoma Zlín and introduced a completely redesigned crest. The circular badge featured a large football above the Tescoma wordmark, with green, white and red colours replacing the club's traditional palette to reflect the branding of the new title sponsor. Although dramatically different in appearance, the crest accompanied one of the club's most stable periods in the Czech First League, including memorable UEFA Intertoto Cup campaigns against clubs such as Atlético Madrid.

In 2012, after Fastav replaced Tescoma as title sponsor, the club returned to a more traditional football identity. A new circular crest featured a gold football above the bold Zlín wordmark, with the foundation year 1919 added beneath. The classic yellow-and-blue colours were restored, reconnecting the club with its historic image while marking the beginning of the FC Fastav Zlín era. This badge accompanied the club through one of the most successful periods in its history, including victory in the 2016–17 Czech Cup and qualification for the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League group stage.

A major visual rebrand followed in 2022, when the arrival of Trinity Bank as title sponsor saw the club renamed FC Trinity Zlín. The traditional football emblem was abandoned in favour of a modern minimalist identity centred on a stylised FCZ monogram integrated into the shape of a shield. According to the club, the design was inspired by the concepts of a protective shield, a labyrinth symbolising life's journey, and the initials FCZ, while retaining the club's historic yellow-and-blue colours. The new logo represented a significant departure from previous crests and was designed to create a stronger contemporary identity across digital and commercial platforms.

In 2023, after the partnership with Trinity Bank ended, the club reverted to the name FC Zlín. The modern FCZ crest was retained, but the reference to Trinity was removed from the surrounding text, resulting in the simplified version that remains in use today. By preserving the contemporary emblem while restoring the traditional club name, the redesign maintained continuity with the visual identity introduced in 2022 while reaffirming the club's historic identity.

FC Zlin Club History

Founded in 1919, FC Zlín is one of the oldest football clubs in Moravia. Although organised football had been played in the city since around 1910, the club officially traces its origins to the post-First World War re-establishment of football in Zlín. In 1924, the club came under the patronage of the rapidly expanding Baťa shoe company and adopted the name SK Baťa Zlín. Supported by one of the world's leading industrial enterprises, the club developed rapidly, constructing a new stadium and establishing itself among the strongest teams in Moravia.

The club reached the Czechoslovak First League for the first time in 1938 and quickly became one of the country's leading provincial sides. During the late 1930s and throughout the Second World War, Baťa Zlín regularly challenged the traditional powers, finishing third in the league in both 1943 and 1944. The club's greatest achievement of the era came in 1946–47, when it finished second in the Czechoslovak First League, the highest league finish in its history. However, the following season ended in controversy when Zlín was forcibly relegated after a match-fixing scandal, bringing one of the club's most successful periods to an abrupt end.

Following the communist takeover in 1948, the club underwent numerous name changes, including Botostroj Zlín, Jiskra Gottwaldov and TJ Gottwaldov, reflecting both political changes and the renaming of the city to Gottwaldov. In 1958, the city's two leading clubs merged to form a single representative team, and although Zlín returned periodically to the Czechoslovak First League, sustained success proved difficult to achieve. A memorable highlight came in 1970, when the club won the Czechoslovak Cup, defeating Slovan Bratislava on penalties and qualifying for the European Cup Winners' Cup, where it eliminated Bohemians Dublin before narrowly losing to PSV Eindhoven.

After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the club restored its historic connection with the city, competing as SK Zlín, FC Svit Zlín, FC Tescoma Zlín, FC Fastav Zlín and eventually FC Zlín. Promotion back to the Czech First League in 2002 marked the beginning of a long period of top-flight stability. The club became known for its disciplined football and impressive performances in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, including memorable victories over Atlético Madrid and Westerlo.

The greatest achievement in the club's modern history came in 2017, when Zlín won the Czech Cup for the second time by defeating SFC Opava in the final. The triumph secured qualification for the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League, where the club competed in the group stage against FC Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow and Sheriff Tiraspol. Despite operating with one of the Czech First League's smaller budgets, Zlín has continued to establish itself as a respected club, renowned for its youth development and strong regional identity. After winning the 2024–25 Czech National Football League, the club earned promotion back to the Czech First League, beginning another chapter in its long history.

FC Zlín's principal rivalry is with 1. FC Slovácko in the East Moravian Derby, a fixture that reflects the traditional sporting rivalry between the neighbouring regions of Zlín and Slovácko. The club also shares competitive rivalries with FC Fastav Zbrojovka Brno and FC Baník Ostrava, while matches against FC Trinity Zlín's fellow Moravian clubs remain among the highlights of each league season.

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