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. This system is used from season 2020−21 .

Men's system

Tier	Leagues
1	Prva HNL 10 clubs
2	Druga HNL 18 clubs
3	Treća HNL West 14 clubs	Treća HNL Center 18 clubs	Treća HNL North 12 clubs		Treća HNL East 18 clubs		Treća HNL South 17 clubs
4	Četvrta NL Rijeka 10 clubs	Četvrta NL Zagreb 18 clubs	Četvrta NL Čakovec-Varaždin 16 clubs	Četvrta NL Bjelovar-Koprivnica-Virovitica 15 clubs	MŽNL Osijek-Vinkovci 18 clubs	MŽNL Brod-Požega 14 clubs	without inter-county league
5	First League of Istria County 14 clubs First League of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County 12 clubs League of Lika-Senj County 7 clubs	First League of Zagreb 17 clubs JŽNL Zagreb County 18 clubs First League of Sisak-Moslavina County 18 clubs First League of Karlovac County 10 clubs First League of Krapina-Zagorje County 14 clubs	First League of Međimurje County 17 clubs First League of Varaždin County 14 clubs	First League of Bjelovar-Bilogora County 14 clubs First League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 14 clubs First League of Virovitica-Podravina County 16 clubs	First league of Osijek-Baranja County 16 clubs First league of Vukovar-Syrmia County 18 clubs	First League of Brod-Posavina County 28 clubs(2 groups) 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 7 clubs First League of Zadar County 14 clubs
6	Second League of Istria County 14 clubs Second League of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County 9 clubs	Second League of Zagreb 16 clubs First League of Zagreb County 33 clubs(2 groups) Second League of Sisak-Moslavina County 38 clubs(3 groups) Second League of Karlovac County 14 clubs Second League of Krapina-Zagorje County 11 clubs	Second League of Međimurje County 32 clubs(2 groups) Second League of Varaždin County 16 clubs	Second League of Bjelovar-Bilogora County 14 clubs Second League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 14 clubs Second League of Virovitica-Podravina County 20 clubs(2 groups)	Second league of Osijek-Baranja County 68 club(5 groups) Second League of Vukovar-Syrmia County 24 club(3 groups)	Second League of Brod-Posavina County 41 clubs(4 groups) Second League of Požega-Slavonia County 8 clubs	Second League of Dubrovnik-Neretva County 8 clubs Second League of Split-Dalmatia County 11 clubs Second League of Zadar County 7 clubs
7	Third League of Istria County 19 clubs(2 groups)	Second League of Zagreb County 18 clubs(2 groups)	Third League of Međimurje County 9 clubs Third League of Varaždin County 19 clubs(2 groups)	Third League of Bjelovar-Bilogora County 20 clubs(2 groups) Third League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 20 clubs(2 groups) Third League of Virovitica-Podravina County 15 clubs(2 groups)	Third League of Osijek-Baranja County 50 clubs(5 groups) Third League of Vukovar-Syrmia County 17 clubs(2 groups)	Third League of Brod-Posavina County 28 clubs(3 groups) Third League of Požega-Slavonia County 9 clubs	Third League of Split-Dalmatia County 10 clubs

Croatian Football League System.

Evolution of the Croatian league system

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

Women's system

Tier	Leagues
1	Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs
2	Druga HNLŽ 15 clubs(2 groups)

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)