# 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:

## Men's league system

Update: January 2024
| Tier | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues |
| 1 | HNL 10 clubs | HNL 10 clubs | HNL 10 clubs | HNL 10 clubs | HNL 10 clubs | HNL 10 clubs | HNL 10 clubs | HNL 10 clubs |
| 2 | Prva NL 12 clubs | Prva NL 12 clubs | Prva NL 12 clubs | Prva NL 12 clubs | Prva NL 12 clubs | Prva NL 12 clubs | Prva NL 12 clubs | Prva NL 12 clubs |
| 3 | Druga NL 16 clubs | Druga NL 16 clubs | Druga NL 16 clubs | Druga NL 16 clubs | Druga NL 16 clubs | Druga NL 16 clubs | Druga NL 16 clubs |
| 4 | Treća NL West 14 clubs | Treća NL Center 18 clubs | Treća NL North 10 clubs | Treća NL North 10 clubs | Treća NL East 16 clubs | Treća NL East 16 clubs | Treća NL South 16 clubs |
| 5 | Četvrta NL Rijeka 14 clubs | Četvrta NL Zagreb 32 clubs (2 groups) | without inter-county league | 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 14 clubs First League of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County 12 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 11 clubs First League of Krapina-Zagorje County 10 clubs | Premier League of Međimurje County 14 clubs Elite League of Varaždin County 11 clubs | First League of Bjelovar-Bilogora County 14 clubs First League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 14 clubs Premier 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 12 clubs | First League of Dubrovnik-Neretva County 12 clubs First League of Split-Dalmatia County 14 clubs League of Šibenik-Knin County 9 clubs First League of Zadar County 14 clubs |
| 7 | Second League of Istria County 14 clubs Second League of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County 8 clubs | Second League of Zagreb 13 clubs First League of Zagreb County 42 clubs(3 groups) Second League of Sisak-Moslavina County 33 clubs(3 groups) Second League of Karlovac County 12 clubs Second League of Krapina-Zagorje County 11 clubs | First League of Međimurje County 14 clubs First League of Varaždin County 12 clubs | Second League of Bjelovar-Bilogora County 14 clubs Second League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 14 clubs First League of Virovitica-Podravina County 14 clubs | Second league of Osijek-Baranja County 74 club(6 groups) Second League of Vukovar-Syrmia County 28 club(3 groups) | Second League of Brod-Posavina County 48 clubs(4 groups) Second League of Požega-Slavonia County 10 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 16 clubs(2 groups) | | Second League of Međimurje County 14 clubs Second League of Varaždin County 14 clubs | Third League of Bjelovar-Bilogora County 25 clubs(2 groups) Third League of Koprivnica-Križevci County 19 clubs(2 groups) Second League of Virovitica-Podravina County 21 clubs(2 groups) | Third League of Osijek-Baranja County 42 clubs(5 groups) Third League of Vukovar-Syrmia County 16 clubs(2 groups) | | Championship of the island of Hvar 10 clubs |
| 9 | | | Third League of Međimurje County 19 clubs(2 groups) Third League of Varaždin County 18 clubs(2 groups) | | | | |

### 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 | Prva HNL | Prva HNL | HNL |
| 2 | Druga HNL | Prva B HNL | Druga HNL | Druga HNL | Druga HNL | Prva NL |
| 3 | Treća HNL | Druga HNL | Treća HNL | Treća HNL | Treća HNL | Druga NL |
| 4 | Lower | Treća HNL | Lower | Četvrta HNL | Lower | Treća NL |
| 5 | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower |
| 6 | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower |
| 7 | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower |
| 8 | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower | Lower |

## Women's league system

Update: January 2024
| Tier | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues |
| 1 | Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs | Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs | Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs | Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs | Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs | Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs | Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs | Prva HNLŽ 8 clubs |
| 2 | Druga HNLŽ Group A 8 clubs | Druga HNLŽ Group B 6 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: January 2024
| Tier | Men's leagues | Men's leagues | Men's leagues | Men's leagues | Men's leagues | Men's leagues | Men's leagues |
| 1 | HMNL 10 clubs | HMNL 10 clubs | HMNL 10 clubs | HMNL 10 clubs | HMNL 10 clubs | HMNL 10 clubs | HMNL 10 clubs |
| 2 | Prva HMNL 10 clubs | Prva HMNL 10 clubs | Prva HMNL 10 clubs | Prva HMNL 10 clubs | Prva HMNL 10 clubs | Prva HMNL 10 clubs | Prva HMNL 10 clubs |
| 3 | Druga HMNL Center 8 clubs | Druga HMNL East 6 clubs | Druga HMNL South 12 clubs |
| 4 | 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 8 clubs and at this moment is only women's futsal league in country.