# 2022–23 First Football League (Croatia)

The 2022–23 First Football League (also known as Prva nogometna liga and 1. NL) was the 32nd season of the second-level football competition for men's association football teams in Croatia, since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 13 August 2022 and concluded on 3 June 2023.
The league was contested by 12 teams, four less than the previous season, and played in a triple round robin format.
This was the first season that the second level of men's football in Croatia was named First football league (Prva nogometna liga).

## Teams
### Changes

Varaždin was promoted to the 2022–23 HNL, while Croatia Zmijavci, Osijek II, Sesvete and Opatija were relegated to 2022–23 Druga NL. Dinamo Zagreb II was disbanded.
New clubs were Hrvatski Dragovoljac (relegated after single season in the top flight), relegated from 2021–22 Prva HNL and Vukovar 1991, winner of playoff between winners of five third tier leagues.
Before the start of the season, Inter Zaprešić ended up in bankruptcy and was dissolved. Instead of them, Croatia Zmijavci, originally relegated, was returned to the league.

### Stadia and locations

| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| BSK Bijelo Brdo | Bijelo Brdo | Stadion BSK | 1,200 |
| Cibalia | Vinkovci | Stadion Cibalia | 9,958 |
| Croatia Zmijavci | Zmijavci | Stadion Marijan Šuto Mrma | 2,000 |
| Dubrava | Zagreb | Stadion Kustošija | 2,550 |
| Dugopolje | Dugopolje | Stadion Hrvatski vitezovi | 5,200 |
| Hrvatski Dragovoljac | Zagreb | Stadion NŠC Stjepan Spajić | 4,500 |
| Jarun | Zagreb | Stadion Lučko | 1,500 |
| Kustošija | Zagreb | Stadion Kustošija | 2,550 |
| Orijent | Rijeka | Stadion Krimeja | 3,500 |
| Rudeš | Zagreb | Stadion SC Rudeš | 2,500 |
| Solin | Solin | Stadion Hrvatski vitezovi | 5,200 |
| Vukovar 1991 | Vukovar | Stadion u Borovu naselju | 3,550 |
| Rank | Counties of Croatia | Number of teams | Club(s) |
| 1 | City of Zagreb | 5 | Dubrava, Hrvatski Dragovoljac, Jarun, Kustošija, Rudeš |
| 2 | Split-Dalmatia | 3 | Croatia Zmijavci, Dugopolje, Solin |
| 3 | Vukovar-Syrmia | 2 | Cibalia, Vukovar 1991 |
| 4 | Osijek-Baranja | 1 | BSK Bijelo Brdo |
| 4 | Primorje-Gorski Kotar | 1 | Orijent |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Rudeš (C, P) | 33 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 56 | 26 | +30 | 64 | Promotion to the Croatian Football League |
| 2 | Vukovar 1991 | 33 | 17 | 12 | 4 | 57 | 25 | +32 | 63 | |
| 3 | Cibalia | 33 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 37 | 26 | +11 | 54 | |
| 4 | BSK Bijelo Brdo | 33 | 12 | 8 | 13 | 41 | 37 | +4 | 44 | |
| 5 | Jarun | 33 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 43 | 57 | −14 | 44 | |
| 6 | Orijent | 33 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 45 | 45 | 0 | 43 | |
| 7 | Croatia Zmijavci | 33 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 37 | 44 | −7 | 43 | |
| 8 | Solin | 33 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 47 | 55 | −8 | 43 | |
| 9 | Dubrava | 33 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 42 | |
| 10 | Dugopolje | 33 | 9 | 14 | 10 | 30 | 35 | −5 | 41 | |
| 11 | Kustošija (R) | 33 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 35 | 50 | −15 | 34 | Relegation play-off |
| 12 | Hrvatski Dragovoljac (R) | 33 | 4 | 10 | 19 | 31 | 58 | −27 | 22 | Relegation to the Second Football League |

## Results

| Home \ Away | BSK | CIB | CRO | DUB | DUG | HRV | JAR | KUS | ORI | RUD | SOL | VUK |
| BSK Bijelo Brdo | — | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Cibalia | 4–0 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 |
| Croatia Zmijavci | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Dubrava | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 5–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 |
| Dugopolje | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Hrvatski Dragovoljac | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–3 | 0–1 |
| Jarun | 3–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 | — | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–4 |
| Kustošija | 5–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–2 | — | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–0 |
| Orijent | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–3 | 1–0 | — | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Rudeš | 2–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Solin | 0–3 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 |
| Vukovar 1991 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | — |
| Home \ Away | BSK | CIB | CRO | DUB | DUG | HRV | JAR | KUS | ORI | RUD | SOL | VUK |
| BSK Bijelo Brdo | — | | | | 3–1 | | 1–2 | 1–0 | | | 6–0 | 2–1 |
| Cibalia | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | | 0–0 | | | | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | |
| Croatia Zmijavci | 2–0 | | — | | 1–2 | | 1–0 | | | | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Dubrava | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | — | 1–1 | | | | 0–3 | 0–4 | | |
| Dugopolje | | | | | — | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | | 0–4 | 0–1 |
| Hrvatski Dragovoljac | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | | — | | | | 2–2 | | |
| Jarun | | 2–1 | | 1–0 | | 3–2 | — | 2–1 | | 0–1 | | |
| Kustošija | | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | | 3–0 | | — | | 2–1 | | |
| Orijent | 0–1 | | 2–0 | | | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | — | | | |
| Rudeš | 1–0 | | 4–1 | | 1–1 | | | | 3–1 | — | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Solin | | | | 4–0 | | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–3 | | — | 2–5 |
| Vukovar 1991 | | 1–1 | | 1–1 | | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | | | — |

## Relegation play-offs

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Kustošija | 2–2 | Zrinski Jurjevac | 2–1 | 0–1 |