The Prva nogometna liga ( en, First football league), commonly Prva NL or 1. NL, is the second tier of the
football league system
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
in
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
. The league was formed in 1991 with the
breakup of Yugoslavia and the dissolution of the
Yugoslav Second League
Yugoslav or Yugoslavian may refer to:
* Yugoslavia, or any of the three historic states carrying that name:
** Kingdom of Yugoslavia, a European monarchy which existed 1918–1945 (officially called "Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes" 1918–1 ...
. The 1. NL is operated by the
Croatian Football Federation, which also was formed in 1991, contributing (along with the newly formed
Football Association of Slovenia
The Football Association of Slovenia ( sl, Nogometna zveza Slovenije or NZS) is the governing body of football in Slovenia. It organizes the first division (1. SNL), second division (2. SNL), third division (East and West), Slovenian Cup, Sl ...
) to the dissolution of the
Football Association of Yugoslavia
The Football Association of Yugoslavia (FSJ) ( sr, Фудбалски савез Југославије, Fudbalski savez Jugoslavije, hr, Nogometni savez Jugoslavije; bs, Fudbalski savez Jugoslavije; sl, Nogometna zveza Jugoslavije; mk, Фуд ...
.
Between the 2001–02 season and 2005–06 season, the league was split in two divisions, one being the Northern Croatian Second League and the other being the Southern Croatian Second League. Each of these two leagues comprised twelve teams playing under a system pretty much identical to the one in the
HNL. However, since the start of the 2006–07 season, the First Football League consisted of at least twelve teams from the entire country. Relegation from this division is into the
2. NL.
From the inaugural merged season in
2006–07 until
2021–22, the division was known as the Second Football League ( hr, Druga nogometna liga), but was renamed as were the other leagues of the
Croatian football system for the start of the 2022–23 season.
Winning clubs
Key
References
External links
*
2. HNL at Soccerway
{{UEFA second leagues
2
Second level football leagues in Europe
Professional sports leagues in Croatia