2025–26 Croatian Football League

SuperSport Hrvatska nogometna liga
Season2025–26
Dates1 August 2025 – 23 May 2026
2026–27

The 2025–26 Croatian Football League (officially SuperSport Hrvatska nogometna liga for sponsorship reasons) will be the 35th season of the Croatian top division football, the national championship for men's association football teams in Croatia, since its establishment in 1992. The season will start on 1 August 2025.

The league will be contested by 10 teams.

Teams

The following teams will compete in the 2025–26 HNL.

Changes

Vukovar 1991 (promoted after a twenty-five years absence) was promoted from the 2024–25 Prva NL. Šibenik (relegated after one season in the top flight) was relegated to 2025–26 Prva NL.

Stadia and locations

Dinamo Zagreb Gorica Hajduk Split Istra 1961
Stadion Maksimir Gradski stadion Velika Gorica Stadion Poljud Stadion Aldo Drosina
Capacity: 24,851 Capacity: 4,536 Capacity: 33,987 Capacity: 9,921
Lokomotiva Osijek
Stadion Maksimir Opus Arena
Capacity: 24,851 Capacity: 13,005
Rijeka Slaven Belupo Varaždin Vukovar 1991
Stadion Rujevica Stadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš Stadion Varteks Stadion HNK Cibalia
Capacity: 8,191 Capacity: 3,054 Capacity: 8,818 Capacity: 10,000
Team City Stadium Capacity Ref.
Dinamo Zagreb Zagreb Maksimir 24,851 [1]
Gorica Velika Gorica ŠRC Velika Gorica 4,536 [2]
Hajduk Split Split Poljud 33,987 [3]
Istra 1961 Pula Stadion Aldo Drosina 9,921 [4]
Lokomotiva Zagreb Maksimir 24,851 [1]
Osijek Osijek Gradski vrt 18,856 [5]
Rijeka Rijeka Rujevica 8,191 [6]
Slaven Belupo Koprivnica Stadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš 3,054 [7]
Varaždin Varaždin Stadion Varteks 8,818 [8]
Vukovar 1991 Vukovar Stadion HNK Cibalia 10,000
Rank Counties of Croatia Number of teams Club(s)
1 City of Zagreb 2 Dinamo Zagreb, Lokomotiva
2 Istria 1 Istra 1961
Koprivnica-Križevci Slaven Belupo
Osijek-Baranja Osijek
Primorje-Gorski Kotar Rijeka
Split-Dalmatia Hajduk Split
Varaždin Varaždin
Vukovar-Srijem Vukovar 1991
Zagreb County Gorica

Personnel and kits

Club Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Sponsors
Dinamo Zagreb Mario Kovačević Castore PSK
Gorica Mario Carević Jurica Pršir Alpas Kömmerling
Hajduk Split Gonzalo García Marko Livaja Adidas Tommy
Istra 1961 Goran Tomić Joma Germania
Lokomotiva Nikica Jelavić Fran Karačić Macron Favbet
Osijek Simon Rožman Vedran Jugović 2Rule Mészáros és Mészáros Kft.
Rijeka Radomir Đalović Martin Zlomislić Joma Favbet
Slaven Belupo Mario Gregurina Tomislav Božić Jako Belupo
Varaždin Nikola Šafarić Oliver Zelenika Capelli Sport BURAI
Vukovar 1991 Gordon Schildenfeld Fotex

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment
Dinamo Zagreb Sandro Perković (caretaker) End of caretaker spell 4 June 2025 Pre-season Mario Kovačević 4 June 2025
Slaven Belupo Mario Kovačević Signed by Dinamo Zagreb 4 June 2025 Mario Gregurina 6 June 2025
Hajduk Split Gennaro Gattuso Mutual consent 5 June 2025 Gonzalo García 13 June 2025
Istra 1961 Gonzalo García Signed by Hajduk Split 13 June 2025 Goran Tomić 13 June 2025
Lokomotiva Mario Cvitanović End of contract 17 June 2025 Nikica Jelavić 17 June 2025

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[a]
1 Dinamo Zagreb 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round
2 Gorica 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification to Conference League second qualifying round
3 Hajduk Split 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Istra 1961 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Lokomotiva 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Osijek 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Rijeka 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Slaven Belupo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Varaždin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Vukovar 1991 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to First Football League
First match(es) will be played: 1 August 2025. Source: SuperSport HNL
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 to international competition or teams for relegation and in that case criteria 6 will not be used).[9]
Notes:
  1. ^ The 2025–26 Croatian Football Cup winners qualify for the Europa League first qualifying round (or the second-placed team if the Croatian Cup winners finish first). If the Croatian Cup winners finish in the top three, the second Conference League second qualifying round spot will be passed to the fourth-placed team.

Results

Each team plays home-and-away against every other team in the league twice, for a total of 36 matches each played.

Home \ Away DIN GOR HAJ IST LOK OSI RIJ SLA VAR VUK DIN GOR HAJ IST LOK OSI RIJ SLA VAR VUK
Dinamo Zagreb a a
Gorica
Hajduk Split a a a a
Istra 1961
Lokomotiva
Osijek
Rijeka a a
Slaven Belupo
Varaždin
Vukovar 1991
First match(es) will be played: 1 August 2025. Source: SuperSport HNL (in Croatian)
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Statistics

References

  1. ^ a b "Stadion". gnkdinamo.hr. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Povijest kluba". hnk-gorica.hr. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Poljud Stadium". hajduk.hr. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Stadion Aldo Drosina". nkistra.com. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Stadion Gradski vrt". nk-osijek.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Stadion HNK Rijeka". hnl.hr. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Gradski stadion "Ivan Kušek Apaš"". nk-slaven-belupo.hr. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Stadion Anđelko Herjavec". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Propozicije natjecanja za prvenstvo SuperSport Hrvatske nogometne lige za natjecateljsku godinu 2022/2023" (PDF). hns-cff.hr (in Croatian). 1 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.