Country Croatia Founded 1991 Feeder to 2. HNL | Confederation UEFA Level on pyramid 3 | |
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Relegation to First County Football League (Croatia) | ||
The Croatian Third Football League (Croatian: Treća hrvatska nogometna liga, or commonly Treća HNL or 3. HNL) is the third tier of the football league system in Croatia. The league was established in 1991 following the dissolution of the Yugoslav League. It is operated by the Croatian Football Federation.
Contents
Subdivisions
The teams are divided into three divisions: West, East and South, competing in a double round-robin format. At the end of each season, the bottom teams are relegated to the regional leagues while the winners of each league are either promoted directly to Druga HNL or enter a two-legged playoff to gain promotion.
Subdivisions are organized geographically and composed of the following Croatian counties:
Winning clubs
Since its inception in 1992 the league changed formats several times. In its inaugural season the league had four divisions (North, Center, South and West). In the 1992–93 a fifth division was added (East). The five-group league continued until the 2006–07 season when the league was re-organised and reduced to three geographical divisions with 18 clubs in each group. Official tables for the period between 1992 and 1998 are incomplete.
As for promotion to 2. HNL, at first it was automatic with all five winners entering next season's 2.HNL. A playoff system was later introduced, along with the requirement that 2.HNL hopefuls must meet second level competition standards. Therefore, some clubs finished top of their groups but then declined promotion as they were unable to provide suitable ground for home matches, while others were knocked out in inter-division playoffs. Furthermore, the 2. HNL format also changed several times: from 1998–99 to 2000–01 seasons 2.HNL was played as a single nationwide league; from 2001–02 to 2005–06 the league was organised in two geographical groups (North and South); from 2006–07 onwards the league reverted to a single nationwide league format. From season 2014–15 winners of division west, south and east are directly promoted into 2.HNL, while last three team from 2.HNL are relegated without play-off matches.
Key
2016-17 Clubs
The following teams are competing in 2016-17, split according to regional division.
East:
| Bedem Ivankovo | Belišće | Bjelovar | Bijelo Brdo | Đakovo-Croatia | NK Koprivnica | Marsonia | Međimurje Čakovec | Mladost Ždralovi | Oriolik Oriovac | Osijek II | Slavija Pleternica | Slavonija Požega | Varaždin | Višnjevac | Vukovar
South:
| Croatia Zmijavci | GOŠK Dubrovnik | Hajduk Split II | Hrvace | Jadran LP | Junak | Kamen Ivanbegovina | Neretva Metković | Neretvanac Opuzen | Omiš | Orkan | Otok | Primorac Stobreč | Primorac Biograd | Val Kaštel Stari | Zadar | Zmaj Blato | Zmaj Makarska
West:
| Dubrava Zagreb | Dugo Selo | HAŠK | Jadran Poreč | Krk | Kustošija | Maksimir Zagreb | Opatija | Samobor | Segesta Sisak | Stupnik | Trnje | Vinogradar | Vrapče Zagreb | Vrbovec | Zagorec