Czechia have included Lyon attacking midfielder Pavel Sulc in their squad for next Thursday's World Cup play-off semi-final against the Republic of Ireland.
Sulc, 25, had been an injury concern for new Czech manager Miroslav Koubek after sustaining a hamstring injury in late February.
However, while the 18-cap international has yet to return to action for Lyon, he in his country's 25-man squad for the play-off in Prague. Koubek previously coached him at Viktoria Plzen in his homeland.
Prior to his injury, Sulc had been in excellent form in his first season in the French top flight, contributing 14 goals and 10 assists in 35 games across all competitions.
The Czechs are also boosted by the availability of key striker Patrik Schick. The Bayer Leverkusen forward had been sidelined with a muscular issue earlier this month.
But the centre-forward, who has 24 goals in 50 caps, returned to action against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Pro baráž o MS 2026 nominoval Miroslav Koubek tyto hráče! 🇨🇿⚽💪 #ROUTE2026
— Česká fotbalová reprezentace (@ceskarepre_cz) March 17, 2026
Více https://t.co/V8Kg90dijc pic.twitter.com/eecXXad46e
Also included in the squad are West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek, who was stripped of the national team captaincy in November, and his ex-Hammers team-mate Vladimir Coufal who is now on the books at German side Hoffenheim.
Meanwhile, veteran Vladimir Darida's return from international retirement has also been confirmed with the Hradec Kralove midfielder in the squad for the first time since Euro 2020.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Martin Jedlicka (Banik Ostrava), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven).
Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Hoffenheim), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Martin Vitik (Bologna), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolves).
Midfielders: Pavel Bucha (Cincinnati), Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Adam Karabec (Lyon), Tomas Ladra (Viktoria Plzen), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Pavel Sulc (Lyon), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzen).
Forwards: Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kliment (Sigma Olomouc).
