Kess Elmore signs for Sparta Prague to become first English player in Czech league

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·9 July 2026

Kess Elmore signs for Sparta Prague to become first English player in Czech league

Sparta Prague have secured the services of English winger Kess Elmore, who arrives from Austrian side St. Pölten. This historic move sees Elmore become the first English player to compete in the Czech women’s top flight.

Sparta Prague are coming off a highly successful season. They completed a domestic double, ended Slavia Prague’s four-year reign as champions, and reached the semi-finals of the inaugural UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, which is an unprecedented achievement for a Czech club.

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If their activity in the transfer market is anything to go by, Sparta have no intention of slowing down. First, they secured one of the biggest stars, including Michaela Khýrová. The Czech forward scored five goals in the UEFA Europa Cup, making her the second-best goal-scorer.

The Czech champions have now unveiled the first of their summer signings. The first arrival was 17-year-old Eliška Nechutová, who joined from 1. FC Slovácko. Sparta have already shown they know how to identify and develop some of the country’s brightest young talents. Two seasons ago, the club signed then 16-year-old Denisa Rancová from Viktoria Pilsen, and by the age of 18, she had become the league’s top scorer.

Sparta’s biggest signing was announced shortly afterwards as they secured the signature of Elmore.

After last season’s success in the Europa Cup, Sparta will now turn their attention to qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League. A player like Elmore, who gained valuable experience in Europe’s premier club competition last season, could prove to be a major asset as the Czech champions.

Good experience with the Austrian league

Sparta, and the Czech league as a whole, have built strong ties with the Austrian market in recent years. It was Austrian head coach Michael Steiner who guided Sparta to a domestic double and a memorable European campaign after taking charge of the Prague club in the summer of 2025.

During that run, Sparta eliminated Austria Wien in the quarter-finals of the Europa Cup. Meanwhile, their city rivals Slavia Prague narrowly missed out on qualification after losing to the same opposition.

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The Austrian connection extends beyond Sparta. Last summer, Slavia strengthened their squad by signing former Czech Footballer of the Year Kamila Dubcová from St. Pölten. During her time in Austria, Dubcová gained valuable UWCL experience and even found the net against Manchester City.

While Czech women’s football still has ground to make up compared with Europe’s leading leagues, there are clear signs of progress. Major clubs are playing more matches at their main stadiums, attendances are steadily increasing, and the arrival of players like Elmore shows that clubs are taking their women’s teams increasingly seriously.