2025–26 First Football League (Croatia)
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 16 August 2025 – May 2026 |
← 2024–25 2026–27 →
All statistics correct as of 3 July 2025. | |
The 2025–26 First Football League (also known as Prva nogometna liga and 1. NL) is the 35th season of the second-level football competition for men's association football teams in Croatia, since its establishment in 1992. The league is contested by 12 teams and played in a triple round robin format.[1] This is the fourth season that the second level of men's football in Croatia is named First football league (Prva nogometna liga).[2]
Teams
Changes
Vukovar 1991 was promoted to the 2025–26 HNL, while Zrinski was relegated to 2025–26 Druga NL.
Newcomers from lower level (2. NL) are champions Hrvace and second-placed Karlovac 1919.
Stadia and locations
| Team | City | Stadium[3] | Capacity[4] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 NŠC Stjepan Spajić | 5,000 |
| Dugopolje | Dugopolje | Stadion Hrvatski vitezovi | 5,200 |
| Hrvace | Hrvace | Gradski stadion | 3,075 |
| Jarun | Zagreb | Ivan Laljak-Ivić Stadium | 5,228 |
| Karlovac 1919 | Karlovac | Stadion Branko Čavlović-Čavlek | 12,000 |
| Opatija | Opatija | Stadion Kantrida | 10,600 |
| Orijent | Rijeka | Stadion Krimeja | 3,500 |
| Rudeš | Zagreb | Stadion SC Rudeš | 2,500 |
| Sesvete | Sesvete | Stadion Sveti Josip radnik | 2,000 |
| Rank | Counties of Croatia | Number of teams | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  City of Zagreb
|
4 | Dubrava, Jarun, Rudeš, Sesvete |
| 2 |  Split-Dalmatia
|
3 | Croatia Zmijavci, Dugopolje, Hrvace |
| 3 |  Osijek-Baranja
|
3 | BSK Bijelo Brdo, Zrinski Jurjevac |
 Primorje-Gorski Kotar
|
Opatija, Orijent | ||
| 5 |  Vukovar-Syrmia
|
1 | Cibalia |
 Karlovac
|
Karlovac 1919 |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rudeš | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 16 | +6 | 32 | Promotion to the Croatian Football League |
| 2 | Dugopolje | 17 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 14 | +4 | 30 | |
| 3 | Cibalia | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 12 | +7 | 29 | |
| 4 | Karlovac 1919 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 26 | 17 | +9 | 27 | |
| 5 | Dubrava | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 26 | |
| 6 | BSK Bijelo Brdo | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 16 | +4 | 23 | |
| 7 | Orijent | 17 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 20 | 18 | +2 | 20 | |
| 8 | Sesvete | 17 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 12 | +1 | 23 | |
| 9 | Jarun | 17 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 19 | |
| 10 | Hrvace | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 26 | −8 | 17 | |
| 11 | Croatia Zmijavci | 17 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 24 | −8 | 14 | Relegation play-off |
| 12 | Opatija | 17 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 24 | −14 | 14 | Relegation to the Second Football League |
Updated to match(es) played on 5 December 2025. Source: Prva NL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored (at home if two teams tied); 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-off
(Note: Criteria 2-4 and 7 is only used if deciding champion, teams for promotion or relegation and in that case criteria 6 will not be used).[5]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored (at home if two teams tied); 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-off
(Note: Criteria 2-4 and 7 is only used if deciding champion, teams for promotion or relegation and in that case criteria 6 will not be used).[5]
Results
Statistics
Top scorers
References
- ^ "Velika nogometna reforma: Pogledajte što nas čeka u sljedeće dvije sezone". dalmatinskinogomet.hr (in Croatian). 16 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "SEZONA 2022/23 Prva HNL dobiva naziv Elitna liga, druga liga postaje Prva liga, jedinstvena treća liga postaje Druga liga". sportcom.hr. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "ZAVRŠEN SREDIŠNJI POSTUPAK LICENCIRANJA ZA SEZONU 2023./2024". hns-cff.hr. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Venues - First NL". Soccerway. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Propozicije natjecanja za prvenstvo Druge hrvatske nogometne lige za natjecateljsku 2021/2022 godinu" (PDF). druga-hnl.com (in Croatian). 28 June 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.