| Competition: | Premijer liga |
| Season: | 2012–13 |
| Winners: | Željezničar 6th Bosnian title 7th Domestic title |
| Relegated: | GOŠK Gradina |
| Continentalcup1: | Champions League |
| Continentalcup1 Qualifiers: | Željezničar |
| Continentalcup2: | Europa League |
| Continentalcup2 Qualifiers: | Široki Brijeg Sarajevo Zrinjski |
| League Topscorer: | Emir Hadžić (20 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | Velež 6–0 Travnik |
| Biggest Away Win: | Zvijezda 1–4 Željezničar Leotar 0–3 Sarajevo Zrinjski 1–4 Olimpic Velež 0–3 Slavija Radnik 0–3 Željezničar Zrinjski 0–3 GOŠK |
| Highest Scoring: | 6 goals Zvijezda 5–1 Gradina Leotar 4–2 GOŠK Velež 6–0 Travnik Borac 5–1 Zrinjski |
| Matches: | 240 |
| Total Goals: | 560 |
| Longest Wins: | 7 matches Sarajevo |
| Longest Unbeaten: | 13 matches Borac |
| Longest Winless: | 27 matches Gradina |
| Longest Losses: | 11 matches Gradina |
| Highest Attendance: | 13,000[1] Sarajevo 1:0 Željezničar |
| Lowest Attendance: | 1001 |
| Attendance: | 315,700 |
| Average Attendance: | 1,3261 |
| Prevseason: | 2011–12 |
| Nextseason: | 2013–14 |
The 2012–13 Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina (known as BH Telecom Premier League for sponsorship reasons)[2] was the thirteenth season of the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the highest football league of Bosnia and Herzegovina, since its original establishment in 2000 and eleventh as a unified country-wide league. The season began on 4 August 2012[3] and ended on 26 May 2013,[4] with a winter break between 26 November 2012[5] and 2 March 2013.[6] The official fixture schedule was released on 3 July 2012.[3]
Željezničar was able to defend the title this season, as they were the defending champions of the last season, having won their seventh domestic league title this season with two rounds left playing. A total of 16 teams contested the league, including 14 sides from the 2011–12 season and one promoted club from each of the two-second-level leagues, Gradina from 2011–12 First League of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Radnik from 2011–12 First League of the Republika Srpska who replace relegated Sloboda and Kozara.
A total of 16 teams contested the league, including 14 sides from the 2011–12 season and two promoted from each of the second-level league, 2011–12 First League of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 2011–12 First League of the Republika Srpska.
While relegation of Kozara was confirmed couple of rounds before the end of the last season, Sloboda were relegated only after all the result of the last round were known. Kozara returned to First League of the Republika Srpska after only one season in top flight, while Sloboda were relegated for the first time after 43 years in the highest tier, including also as part of Yugoslav First League.
The relegated teams were replaced by the champions of the two-second–level leagues, Gradina from the First League of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Radnik from the First League of the Republika Srpska. Radnik returned to the top flight after spending five years in lower tier, while Gradina made their debut in the Premier League.
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity[7] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borac | Banja Luka | Gradski stadion, Banja Luka | 13,730 | |
| Zenica | Bilino Polje1 | 15,292 | ||
| Gabela | Podavala | 3,000 | ||
| Gradina | Srebrenik | Gradski stadion, Srebrenik2 | 8,000 | |
| Leotar | Trebinje | Police | 8,550 | |
| Olimpic | Sarajevo | Otoka3 | 3,000 | |
| Radnik | Bijeljina | Gradski stadion, Bijeljina | 6,000 | |
| Rudar | Prijedor | Gradski Stadion, Prijedor | 5,000 | |
| Sarajevo | Asim Ferhatović Hase | 35,630 | ||
| Slavija | Istočno Sarajevo | Gradski SRC Slavija | 6,000 | |
| Pecara | 5,628 | |||
| Travnik | Pirota | 3,200 | ||
| Velež | Mostar | Vrapčići | 5,294 | |
| Zrinjski | Mostar | Bijeli Brijeg | 20,000 | |
| Zvijezda | Gradačac | Banja Ilidža | 5,000 | |
| Sarajevo | Grbavica | 16,100 |
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Branislav Krunić(Caretaker) | Draško Žarić | m:tel | |||
| Kenan Horić | RM-LH | ||||
| Davor Mladina | Zlatko Kojić | Habitus / Ledo | |||
| Fuad Grbešić | Malik Smajlović | NAAI | — | ||
 Vladimir Gaćinović | Elnos | ||||
| Miloš Vidović | NAAI | Europlakat | |||
| Srđan Bajić | — | ||||
| Goran Kotaran | NAAI | Optima / ArcelorMittal | |||
| Vakufska banka | |||||
| Joma | Nova Banka | ||||
| Široki Brijeg | Jako | Mepas | |||
| Nermin Bašić | Elvedin Varupa | Joma | ADK | ||
| Admir Kajtaz | NAAI | Bosnalijek | |||
| Branko Karačić | Zeus | HT-ERONET | |||
| NAAI | — | ||||
| Željezničar | Amar Osim | Muamer Svraka | Patrick | Sarajevo Osiguranje |
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Replaced by | Date of appointment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zrinjski | Dragan Perić (Caretaker) | Promoted | 19 June 2012[8] | Off-season | Dragan Perić | 19 June 2012 | |
| Čelik | Vlatko Glavaš | Resigned | 22 June 2012[9] | Vlado Jagodić | 22 June 2012 | ||
| GOŠK | Boris Gavran | End of contract | 25 June 2012[10] | Slaven Musa | 26 June 2012[11] | ||
| Travnik | Husnija Arapović | End of contract | 28 June 2012[12] | Nermin Bašić | 28 June 2012 | ||
| Leotar | Borče Sredojević | Resigned | 6 July 2012[13] | Vladimir Gaćinović | 9 July 2012[14] | ||
| Borac | Slaviša Božičić | Sacked | 13 July 2012[15] | Slobodan Starčević (Caretaker) | 13 July 2012[16] | ||
| Borac | Slobodan Starčević (Caretaker) | Promoted | 19 July 2012[17] | Slobodan Starčević | 19 July 2012 | ||
| Široki Brijeg | Marijan Bloudek | Mutual agreement | 6 August 2012[18] | 11th | Slaven Musa | 13 August 2012[19] | |
| GOŠK | Slaven Musa | Signed by Široki Brijeg | 13 August 2012 | 3rd | Dario Zadro | 16 August 2012[20] | |
| Radnik | Darko Nestorović | Resigned | 27 August 2012[21] | 15th | Jovica Lukić (Caretaker) | 28 August 2012[22] | |
| Gradina | Samir Adanalić | Resigned | 27 August 2012[23] | 14th | Denis Sadiković | 29 August 2012[24] | |
| Radnik | Jovica Lukić (Caretaker) | End of tenure as caretaker | 3 September 2012[25] | 15th | Srđan Bajić | 3 September 2012 | |
| GOŠK | Dario Zadro | Resigned | 5 September 2012[26] | 13th | Ivan Katalinić | 5 September 2012 | |
| Olimpic | Nedim Jusufbegović | Sacked | 19 September 2012[27] | 7th | Husref Musemić | 20 September 2012[28] | |
| Gradina | Denis Sadiković | Signed by Sloboda | 20 September 2012[29] | 16th | Boris Gavran | 20 September 2012 | |
| Velež | Asmir Džafić | Mutual agreement | 24 September 2012[30] | 13th | Ibrahim Rahimić | 25 September 2012[31] | |
| Gradina | Boris Gavran | Resigned | 24 September 2012[32] | 16th | Nedžad Bajrović | 24 September 2012[33] | |
| Gradina | Nedžad Bajrović | Sacked | 11 October 2012[34] | 16th | Fuad Grbešić | 11 October 2012 | |
| GOŠK | Ivan Katalinić | Sacked | 27 November 2012[35] | 15th | Davor Mladina | 11 January 2013[36] | |
| Slavija | Vlado Čapljić | Resigned | 10 December 2012[37] | 4th | Milomir Šešlija | 4 January 2013[38] | |
| Zvijezda | Zoran Kuntić | Signed by SzTK-Erima | 19 December 2012[39] | 13th | Milomir Odović | 29 December 2012[40] | |
| Travnik | Nermin Bašić | Resigned | 15 January 2013[41] | 14th | Elvedin Beganović | 17 January 2013 | |
| Olimpic | Husref Musemić | Sacked | 10 February 2013[42] | 3rd | Denis Sadiković | 10 February 2013[43] | |
| Sarajevo | Dragan Jović | Sacked | 16 March 2013[44] | 2nd | Husref Musemić | 19 March 2013[45] | |
| Rudar | Velimir Stojnić | Mutual Agreement | 22 March 2013[46] | 11th | Vlado Čapljić | 24 March 2013[47] | |
| Zrinjski | Dragan Perić | Resigned | 31 March 2013[48] | 7th | Branko Karačić | 1 April 2013[49] | |
| Olimpic | Denis Sadiković | Mutual Agreement | 11 April 2013[50] | 5th | Nedim Jusufbegović | 11 April 2013[51] | |
| Travnik | Elvedin Beganović | Sacked | 22 April 2013[52] | 14th | Nermin Bašić | 22 April 2013[53] | |
| Borac | Slobodan Starčević | Sacked | 21 May 2013[54] | 4th | Branislav Krunić (Caretaker) | 21 May 2013 |
On 31 July 2012, an agreement between Football Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and BH Telecom was reached regarding sponsorship of the league. The contract worth about 2 million KM[55] was signed on two years, officially renaming the league to BH Telecom Premier League.[2] At first, two clubs, Željezničar and Široki Brijeg, didn't want to agree on the terms of the sponsorship contract because it, as they say, was humiliating for their clubs and that not all clubs in the league can be treated the same way regarding sponsorship.[56] [57] In the end, with few adjustments for those two clubs, the contract was officially signed.[58]
On 31 July 2012, the ban on organized attendance of away fans has been lifted.[59] The ban was on power since 8 October 2011[60] [61] after a couple of incidents, all done by Ultras groups. Also, if one club will have their supporters on an away game they must inform the other club and the football federation 4 days prior to the match.[62]
After, once again, ultras groups made serious incidents, including derogatory chanting and attempted attack on away fans on match of round 2 between Željezničar and Borac on Grbavica stadium,[63] the same in round 5 between once again Željezničar and this time Slavija,[64] demolishing a pub by The Maniacs, ultras supporters of Željezničar, who arrived in Herzegovina without announcement to the local police in Mostar. The pub was a gathering point of Ultras Zrinjski, ultras group supporting HŠK Zrinjski Mostar and this happened before a match in round 6 between Zrinjski and Željezničar.[65] In an act of revenge, some of Ultras Zrinjski demolished a pub in another part of the city where they thought The Maniacs were. Also, on the same day, after returning from an away match of round 6 between Čelik and Borac, Lešinari, ultras group supporting Borac, demolished two train wagons, while the next day someone burned down a van in which about 12 supporters of Slavija, so-called Sokolovi, were returning from an away match of round 6 between GOŠK and Slavija (only the driver was slightly injured).[66] After all this, the Football Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina decided to bring up a conditional ban on away fans which will be activated after any serious incident on or before a football match of the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina or in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Cup.[67] Overall, in the first five round of the league the disciplinary commission of Football Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina distributed penalties in the amount of almost €32000.[68] [69]
For the list of transfers involving First League clubs during 2012–13 season, please see: List of Bosnia and Herzegovina football transfers summer 2012 and List of Bosnia and Herzegovina football transfers winter 2012–13.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[70] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emir Hadžić | Sarajevo | 20 |
| 2 | Eldin Adilović | Željezničar | 18 |
| 3 | Krešimir Kordić | Široki Brijeg | 12 |
| Saša Kajkut | Čelik | ||
| Jovica Stokić | Borac | ||
| 6 | Jasmin Mešanović | Čelik | 10 |
| 7 | Marko Basara | Radnik | 9 |
| Rank | Player | Club | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darko Maletić | Borac Banja Luka | 6 |
| 2 | Srđan Grahovac | Borac Banja Luka | 5 |
| Vedran Kantar | Borac Banja Luka | ||
| Jovica Stokić | Borac Banja Luka | ||
| 5 | Almir Bekić | GOŠK | 4 |
| Anel Hebibović | Velež | ||
| Zoran Kokot | Slavija | ||
| Ševko Okić | Velež | ||
| Ivan Sesar | Sarajevo / Elazığspor | ||
| 10 | Zoran Belošević | Sarajevo | 3 |
| Dino Ćorić | Široki Brijeg | ||
| Edin Dudo | Slavija | ||
| Borivoje Filipović | Leotar | ||
| Emir Hadžić | Sarajevo | ||
| Jure Ivanković | Široki Brijeg | ||
| Sabahudin Jusufbašić | GOŠK Gabela | ||
| Marsel Mace | Velež | ||
| Veldin Muharemović | Olimpic | ||
| Dalibor Šilić | Široki Brijeg | ||
| Pero Stojkić | Zrinjski | ||
| Asmir Suljić | Sarajevo | ||
 Wagner | Široki Brijeg |
| Player | For ! | Against | Result | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 4–0 | ||||
| Mirza Ćemalović | 6–0 | ||||
| | 3–2 | ||||
| 4 | 5–1 | ||||
| 4 | 4–0 | ||||
| | 4–0 | ||||
| 5 | 5–0 |