3. HNL
| 3. HNL | |
| Association | HNS |
| First edition | 1991 |
| hierarchy | 3rd league |
| Current season | 2016/17 |
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↑ 2. HNL (II) ↓ 1. ŽNL (IV)
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The 3rd HNL or Treća HNL is the third highest division in Croatian club football. The Treća HNL has existed since 1991 after Croatia broke away from the Yugoslav confederation. The Treća HNL is hosted and organized by the Croatian football umbrella organization HNS .
mode
The clubs are divided into three leagues and play for promotion to the 2nd HNL (Druga HNL) in the two legs . The last teams in the three leagues are relegated to the fourth-class regional leagues, while the champions of the 3rd HNL are promoted directly or play off the promoted players in a relegation game.
Initially, each relay champion rose directly to the 2nd HNL. The relegation mode was introduced later. In addition, the rule was introduced that the club that wants to move up to the second Croatian league must meet certain criteria in order to receive a license. This regulation meant that clubs that were promoted from a sporting point of view had to withdraw their claim to a place in the second division, because, for example, the stadiums were unsuitable.
The three leagues cover the following regions
- Treca HNL West : Zagreb (City), County of Karlovac , Krapina-Zagorje , Sisak-Moslavina , Zagreb (region), Lika-Senj , Primorje-Gorski Kotar , Istria County
- Treca HNL East : Brod-Posavina , Osijek-Baranja County , Požega-Slavonia County , Vukovar-Srijem , Bjelovar-Bilogora , Koprivnica-Križevci County , Međimurje County , Varaždin County , Virovitica-Podravina
- Treca HNL South : Zadar County , Šibenik-Knin , Split-Dalmatia , Dubrovnik-Neretva County
history
Treća HNL was founded in 1991, but had its first edition a year later. The league format has changed several times since it was founded; most recently for the 2012/13 season. Originally the Treća HNL had four leagues. In the 1992/93 season, a fifth league was introduced to the Treća HNL with the East Season . In this mode, the 3rd HNL took place until the 2006/07 season, before a reclassification into three leagues of 18 teams took place. In 2012/13 and 2013/14 the 3rd HNL had five tracks, and since the 2014/15 season there have been three leagues (West, East and South).