Croatian football league system

The Croatian football league system is a series of connected leagues for club football in Croatia. This system has hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues at different levels. Last revision of league system was made in 2022:^[1][2]

Men's league system

Update: 19 September 2022

Tier	Leagues
1	HNL 10 clubs
2	Prva NL 12 clubs
3	Druga NL 16 clubs
4	Treća HNL West 13 clubs	Treća HNL Center 18 clubs	Treća HNL North 10 clubs		Treća HNL East 16 clubs		Treća HNL South 16 clubs
5	Četvrta NL Rijeka 14 clubs	Četvrta NL Zagreb 32 clubs (2 groups)	Četvrta NL Čakovec-Varaždin 14 clubs	Četvrta NL Bjelovar-Koprivnica-Virovitica 14 clubs	MŽNL Osijek-Vinkovci 18 clubs	MŽNL Brod-Požega 14 clubs	without inter-county league
6	First League of Istria County 13 clubs First League of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County 10 clubs League of Lika-Senj County 7 clubs	First League of Zagreb 16 clubs JŽNL Zagreb County 16 clubs First League of Sisak-Moslavina County 14 clubs First League of Karlovac County 10 clubs First League of Krapina-Zagorje County 12 clubs	Premier League of Međimurje County 16 clubs Elite League of Varaždin County 12 clubs	First League of Bjelovar-Bilogora County 15 clubs First League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 14 clubs First League of Virovitica-Podravina County 14 clubs	First league of Osijek-Baranja County 16 clubs First league of Vukovar-Syrmia County 16 clubs	First League of Brod-Posavina County 14 clubs First League of Požega-Slavonia County 14 clubs	First League of Dubrovnik-Neretva County 12 clubs First League of Split-Dalmatia County 14 clubs League of Šibenik-Knin County 8 clubs First League of Zadar County 14 clubs
7	Second League of Istria County 14 clubs Second League of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County 10 clubs	Second League of Zagreb 13 clubs First League of Zagreb County 29 clubs(2 groups) Second League of Sisak-Moslavina County 36 clubs(3 groups) Second League of Karlovac County 12 clubs Second League of Krapina-Zagorje County 8 clubs	First League of Međimurje County 16 clubs First League of Varaždin County 12 clubs	Second League of Bjelovar-Bilogora County 14 clubs Second League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 14 clubs Second League of Virovitica-Podravina County 22 clubs(2 groups)	Second league of Osijek-Baranja County 75 club(6 groups) Second League of Vukovar-Syrmia County 25 club(3 groups)	Second League of Brod-Posavina County 46 clubs(4 groups) Second League of Požega-Slavonia County 9 clubs	Second League of Dubrovnik-Neretva County 10 clubs Second League of Split-Dalmatia County 11 clubs Second League of Zadar County 7 clubs
8	Third League of Istria County 20 clubs(2 groups)	Second League of Zagreb County 15 clubs(2 groups)	Second League of Međimurje County 16 clubs Second League of Varaždin County 14 clubs	Third League of Bjelovar-Bilogora County 23 clubs(2 groups) Third League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 12 clubs Third League of Virovitica-Podravina County 16 clubs(2 groups)	Third League of Osijek-Baranja County 46 clubs(5 groups) Third League of Vukovar-Syrmia County 18 clubs(2 groups)		Championship of the island of Hvar 10 clubs
9			Third League of Međimurje County 16 clubs(2 groups) Third League of Varaždin County 17 clubs(2 groups)	Fourth League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 7 clubs

Evolution of the Croatian league system

Tier\Years	1992–95	1995–97	1997–2006	2006–12	2012–22	2022–present
1	Prva HNL	Prva A HNL	Prva HNL			HNL
2	Druga HNL	Prva B HNL	Druga HNL			Prva NL
3	Treća HNL	Druga HNL	Treća HNL			Druga NL
4	Lower	Treća HNL	Lower	Četvrta HNL	Lower	Treća NL
5		Lower		Lower		Lower
6
7
8

Women's league system

Update: 19 September 2022

Tier	Leagues
1	Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs
2	Druga HNLŽ Group A 8 clubs	Druga HNLŽ Group B 8 clubs

Group A consist of counties in central, south and west Croatia. Group B consist of counties in east and north Croatia.

Futsal league system

Update: 5 December 2022

Tier	Men's leagues
1	Prva HMNL 10 clubs
2	Druga HMNL West 12 clubs	Druga HMNL East 8 clubs	Druga HMNL South 12 clubs
3	League of Jastrebarsko 10 clubs		League of Dubrovnik-Neretva County 11 clubs League of Split-Dalmatia County 10 clubs League of Šibenik-Knin County 12 clubs

Prva HMNLŽ (women futsal league) has 6 clubs and at this moment is only women's futsal league in country.

External links

• League321.com – Croatian football league tables, records & statistics database. (in English)
• RSSSF.com – Croatian football league tables and results 2015–16. (in English)

References

1. "Održana sjednica izvršnog odbora HNS-a" [A session of the HNS executive board was held]. HNS (in Croatian). 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
2. "HNS konačno prelomio: Evo kako će se zvati najviši rang nogometa u Hrvatskoj, ali i niže lige" [HNS finally broke: Here is the name of the highest ranking football in Croatia, but also the lower league]. gol.hr (in Croatian). 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.