Yugoslav First League Explained

Country:	Yugoslavia
Confed:	UEFA
Folded:	1992
Levels:	1
Relegation:	Yugoslav Second League
Domest Cup:	Yugoslav Cup
Confed Cup:	European Cup UEFA Cup
Champions:	Red Star Belgrade
Season:	1991–92
Most Successful Club:	Red Star Belgrade (19 titles)
Most Appearances:	Enver Marić (439)
Top Goalscorer:	Slobodan Santrač (218)

The Yugoslav First League (Bosnian: Prva savezna liga u fudbalu, Serbian: Прва савезна лига у фудбалу|Prva savezna liga u fudbalu, Croatian: Prva savezna nogometna liga, Slovenian: Prva zvezna nogometna liga, Macedonian: Прва сојузна фудбалска лига, Albanian: Liga e parë federale e futbollit, Hungarian: Első szövetségi labdarúgó-bajnokság) was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918–1941) and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1945–1992).

The First League Championship was one of two national competitions held annually in Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav Cup being the other.

The league became fully professional in 1967.^[1]

Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1923–1940)

This was the first club competition on a national level for clubs from Kingdom of Yugoslavia (named the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes until 1930). The league was started in 1923 and the first four seasons had a cup tournament format, while the first round-robin league competition was held in 1927. In the period from 1927 to 1940 seventeen seasons were completed, with all the titles won by clubs from Croatia (Građanski Zagreb, Concordia Zagreb, HAŠK Zagreb and Hajduk Split) or Serbia (BSK Belgrade and Jugoslavija Belgrade).

It was governed at first by the Croatian-named Nogometni Savez Jugoslavije (Football Association of Yugoslavia), founded in April 1919 in Zagreb,^[2] until in late 1929 disagreements arose between the Zagreb and Belgrade branches of the association. This resulted in the association headquarters being moved to Belgrade in May 1930 where it adopted the Serbian name Fudbalski Savez Jugoslavije and continued operating the league until it was suspended due to the outbreak of World War II.^[3] Consequently, with the moving of headquarters, Croatian players and coaches boycotted Yugoslavia national team. With the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia, separate Croatian and Serbian leagues were established, which operated during the World War II.

Champions and top scorers

Season	Format	Champions	Runners-up	Top scorer(s)	Goals
1923	Cup tournament (One-legged knockout; 6 clubs)	Građanski Zagreb (1)	SAŠK Sarajevo	Dragan Jovanović (Jugoslavija Beograd)	4
1924	Cup tournament (One-legged knockout; 7 clubs)	Jugoslavija Beograd (1)	Hajduk Split	Dragan Jovanović (Jugoslavija Beograd)	6
1925	Cup tournament (One-legged knockout; 7 clubs)	Jugoslavija Beograd   (2)	Građanski Zagreb	Dragan Jovanović (Jugoslavija Beograd)	4
1926	Cup tournament (One-legged knockout; 7 clubs)	Građanski Zagreb (2)	Jugoslavija Beograd	Dušan Petković (Jugoslavija Beograd)	4
1927	League (Single round-robin; 6 clubs)	Hajduk Split (1)	BSK Beograd	Kuzman Sotirović (BSK Beograd)	6
1928	League Performance by clubs Club Champions Runners-up   1    BSK Beograd  5 4 2 Građanski Zagreb 5 2 3 Hajduk Split 2 5 4 Jugoslavija Beograd 2 3 5 Concordia Zagreb 2 1 6 HAŠK 1 0 7 Slavija Sarajevo 0 1 8 SAŠK Sarajevo 0 1 World War II competitions Serbian Football League (1940–44), in Serbia (Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia) SFR Yugoslavia (1945–1992) Champions and top scorers Season Champions Runners-up Third place Top scorer(s) Goals scope=row SR Serbia (1) JNA SR Croatia Stjepan Bobek (JNA) 8 1946–47 scope=row Partizan (1) Dinamo Zagreb Red Star Franjo Wölfl (Dinamo Zagreb) 28 1947–48 scope=row Dinamo Zagreb (1) Hajduk Split Partizan Franjo Wölfl (Dinamo Zagreb) 22 1948–49 scope=row Partizan (2) Red Star Hajduk Split Frane Matošić (Hajduk Split) 17 1950 scope=row Hajduk Split (1) Red Star Partizan Marko Valok (Partizan) 17 1951 scope=row Red Star (1) Dinamo Zagreb Hajduk Split Kosta Tomašević (Red Star) 16 1952 scope=row Hajduk Split (2) Red Star Lokomotiva Stanoje Jocić (BSK Belgrade) 13 1952–53 scope=row Red Star (2) Hajduk Split Partizan Todor Živanović (Red Star) 17 1953–54 scope=row Dinamo Zagreb (2) Partizan Red Star Stjepan Bobek (Partizan) 21 1954–55 scope=row Hajduk Split (3) BSK Belgrade Dinamo Zagreb Predrag Marković (BSK Belgrade) Kosta Tomašević (Spartak Subotica) Bernard Vukas (Hajduk Split) 20 1955–56 scope=row Red Star (3) Partizan Radnički Belgrade Muhamed Mujić (Velež Mostar) Tihomir Ognjanov (Spartak Subotica) Todor Veselinović (Vojvodina) 21 1956–57 scope=row Red Star (4) Vojvodina Hajduk Split Todor Veselinović (Vojvodina) 28 1957–58 scope=row Dinamo Zagreb (3) Partizan Radnički Belgrade Todor Veselinović (Vojvodina) 19 1958–59 scope=row Red Star (5) Partizan Vojvodina Bora Kostić (Red Star) 25 1959–60 scope=row Red Star (6) Dinamo Zagreb Partizan Bora Kostić (Red Star) 19 1960–61 scope=row Partizan (3) Red Star Hajduk Split Zoran Prljinčević (Radnički Belgrade) Todor Veselinović (Vojvodina) 16 1961–62 scope=row Partizan (4) Vojvodina Dinamo Zagreb Dražan Jerković (Dinamo Zagreb) 16 1962–63 scope=row Partizan (5) Dinamo Zagreb Željezničar Mišo Smajlović (Željezničar) 18 1963–64 scope=row Red Star (7) OFK Belgrade Dinamo Zagreb Asim Ferhatović (FK Sarajevo) 19 1964–65 scope=row Partizan (6) FK Sarajevo Red Star Zlatko Dračić (NK Zagreb) 23 1965–66 scope=row Vojvodina (1) Dinamo Zagreb Velež Mostar Petar Nadoveza (Hajduk Split) 21 1966–67 scope=row FK Sarajevo (1) Dinamo Zagreb Partizan Mustafa Hasanagić (Partizan) 18 1967–68 scope=row Red Star (8) Partizan Dinamo Zagreb Slobodan Santrač (OFK Belgrade) 22 1968–69 scope=row Red Star (9) Dinamo Zagreb Partizan Vojin Lazarević (Red Star) 22 1969–70 scope=row Red Star (10) Partizan Velež Mostar Slobodan Santrač (OFK Belgrade) Dušan Bajević (Velež Mostar) 20 1970–71 scope=row Hajduk Split (4) Željezničar Dinamo Zagreb Petar Nadoveza (Hajduk Split) Božo Janković (Željezničar) 20 1971–72 scope=row Željezničar (1) Red Star OFK Belgrade Slobodan Santrač (OFK Belgrade) 33 1972–73 scope=row Red Star (11) Velež Mostar OFK Belgrade Slobodan Santrač (OFK Belgrade) Vojin Lazarević (Red Star) 25 1973–74 scope=row Hajduk Split (5) Velež Mostar Red Star Danilo Popivoda (Olimpija Ljubljana) 17 1974–75 scope=row Hajduk Split (6) Vojvodina Red Star Dušan Savić (Red Star) Boško Đorđević (Partizan) 20 1975–76 scope=row Partizan (7) Hajduk Split Dinamo Zagreb Nenad Bjeković (Partizan) 24 1976–77 scope=row Red Star (12) Dinamo Zagreb Sloboda Tuzla Zoran Filipović (Red Star) 21 1977–78 scope=row Partizan (8) Red Star Hajduk Split Radomir Savić (Sarajevo) 21 1978–79 scope=row Hajduk Split (7) Dinamo Zagreb Red Star Dušan Savić (Red Star) 24 1979–80 scope=row Red Star (13) FK Sarajevo Radnički Niš Safet Sušić (Sarajevo) Dragoljub Kostić (Napredak Kruševac) 17 1980–81 scope=row Red Star (14) Hajduk Split Radnički Niš Milan Radović (Rijeka) 26 1981–82 scope=row Dinamo Zagreb (4) Red Star Hajduk Split Snješko Cerin (Dinamo Zagreb) 19 1982–83 scope=row Partizan (9) Hajduk Split Dinamo Zagreb Sulejman Halilović (Dinamo Vinkovci) 18 1983–84 scope=row Red Star (15) Partizan Željezničar Darko Pančev (Vardar) 19 1984–85 scope=row FK Sarajevo (2) Hajduk Split Partizan Zlatko Vujović (Hajduk Split) 25 1985–86 scope=row Partizan^[4] (10) Red Star Velež Mostar Davor Čop (Dinamo Vinkovci) 20 1986–87 scope=row Partizan^[5] (11) Velež Mostar Red Star Radmilo Mihajlović (Željezničar) 23 1987–88 scope=row Red Star (16) Partizan Velež Mostar Duško Milinković (Rad Belgrade) 16 1988–89 scope=row Vojvodina (2) Red Star Hajduk Split Davor Šuker (Osijek) 18 1989–90 scope=row Red Star (17) Dinamo Zagreb Hajduk Split Darko Pančev (Red Star) 25 1990–91 scope=row Red Star (18) Dinamo Zagreb Partizan Darko Pančev (Red Star) 34 1991–92 scope=row Red Star (19) Partizan Vojvodina Darko Pančev (Red Star) 25 Titles by club Club Titles Winning seasons scope=row Red Star 19 1951, 1952–53, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1963–64, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92 scope=row Partizan 11 1946–47, 1948–49, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1985–86, 1986–87 scope=row Hajduk Split 7 1950, 1952, 1954–55, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1978–79 scope=row Dinamo Zagreb 4 1947–48, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1981–82 scope=row Vojvodina 2 1965–66, 1988–89 scope=row Sarajevo 2 1966–67, 1984–85 scope=row Željezničar 1 1971–72 Titles by republic Republic Titles Clubs scope=row SR Serbia 32 Red Star, Partizan, Vojvodina scope=row SR Croatia 11 Hajduk Split, Dinamo Zagreb scope=row SR Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 Sarajevo, Željezničar scope=row SR Macedonia 0 – scope=row SR Montenegro 0 – scope=row SR Slovenia 0 – Performance by club Club Champions Runners-up Third place Total top three finishes scope=row Red Star Belgrade 19 9 7 35 scope=row Partizan 11 9 8 28 scope=row Hajduk Split 7 6 8 21 scope=row Dinamo Zagreb 4 11 7 22 scope=row Vojvodina 2 3 2 7 scope=row Sarajevo 2 2 0 4 scope=row Željezničar 1 1 2 4 scope=row Velež Mostar 0 3 4 7 scope=row OFK Belgrade 0 2 2 4 scope=row Radnički Belgrade 0 0 2 2 scope=row Radnički Niš 0 0 2 2 scope=row Lokomotiva Zagreb 0 0 1 1 scope=row Sloboda Tuzla 0 0 1 1 *Known as BSK Belgrade before 1957 All-Time First Yugoslav League table Top 12 only:^[6] Rank Club MP W D L GF GA GD P 1 Red Star 1335 719 328 288 2560 1415 +1145 1766 2 Partizan 1335 657 354 324 2285 1428 +857 1668 3 Dinamo Zagreb 1302 597 366 339 2151 1495 +656 1560 4 Hajduk Split 1302 587 346 369 2088 1486 +602 1520 5 Vojvodina 1221 465 311 445 1670 1595 +75 1241 6 Sarajevo 1228 447 311 470 1674 1773 -99 1205 7 Velež Mostar 1174 435 309 430 1668 1615 +53 1179 8 Željezničar 1063 403 274 386 1456 1424 +32 1080 9 OFK Beograd 977 343 281 353 1355 1355 0 967 10 Radnički Niš 979 339 250 390 1088 1244 -156 928 11 Vardar 1005 328 251 426 1195 1459 -264 907 12 Rijeka 898 310 252 336 1083 1163 -80 857 Best finish in Europe by club Table only shows best-finish achievements in major European/Intercontinental competitions during the SFR Yugoslavia period (1945–1992). No minor European tournaments (like Mitropa Cup) included. Table sorted by success at European Cup / UEFA Champions League first and foremost. Club European Cup / UEFA Champions League UEFA Cup / Europa League UEFA Cup Winners' Cup UEFA Super Cup Intercontinental Cup Inter-Cities Fairs Cup UEFA Intertoto Cup scope=row Red Star Belgrade – scope=row Partizan (3) 1974–75; 1984–85; 1990–91 1989–90 – – 1967–68 – scope=row Hajduk Split 1975–76; 1979–80; 1994-1995 – – 1970–71 – scope=row Vojvodina 1966–67 – – – – 1961–62 as Novi Sad XI bgcolor="gold" 1976 scope=row Sarajevo 1967–68 1982–83 – – – – (2) 1962–63; 1964–65 scope=row Željezničar 1972–73 – – – 1970–71 1965–66 scope=row Dinamo Zagreb 1982–83 (3) 1971–72; 1976–77; 1988–89 – – – scope=row Vardar 1987–88 1985–86 1961–62 – – – – scope=row Radnički Niš – – – – – (2) 1964–65; 1965–66 scope=row OFK Beograd – 1972–73 – – – scope=row Velež Mostar – 1974–75 (2) 1981–82; 1986–87 – – – (2) 1962–63; 1963–64 scope=row Rijeka – 1984–85 1979–80 – – – 1962–63 scope=row Sloboda Tuzla – 1977–78 – – – – bgcolor="gold" 1983 scope=row Rad Belgrade – 1989–90 – – – – bgcolor="silver" 1988 scope=row Borac Banja Luka – – 1975–76 – – – – scope=row Olimpija Ljubljana – - 1970–71 – – (2) 1966–67; 1968–69 bgcolor="silver" 1990 scope=row Bor – – 1968–69 – – – – scope=row Budućnost – – – – – – bgcolor="gold" 1981 scope=row Čelik Zenica – – – – – – bgcolor="gold" 1975 While the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup is recognised as the predecessor to the UEFA Cup, it was not organised by UEFA.^[7] Consequently, UEFA do not consider clubs' records in the Fairs Cup to be part of their European record.^[8] However, FIFA do view the competition as a major honour.^[9] All time top goalscorers Complete list of players who scored 100 goals or more in the 1946-1992 SFR Yugoslavia period. Source: RSSSF; Last updated 14 December 2007^[10] Name First League goals First League matches Goals per match ratio Clubs First League career 1 Slobodan Santrač 218 365 0.60 OFK Beograd, Partizan, Galenika 1965 - 1974, 1976 - 1980, 1982 - 1983 2 Darko Pančev 168 243 0.69 Vardar, Red Star Belgrade 1982 - 1992 3 Dušan Bajević 166 322 0.51 Velež Mostar 1966 - 1977, 1981 - 1983 4 Bora Kostić 158 257 0.61 Crvena Zvezda 1951 - 1961, 1962 - 1966 5 Frane Matošić 149 Hajduk Split 1946 - 1953 6 Toza Veselinović 145 227 0.64 Vojvodina, Partizan, Proleter Zrenjanin 1948 - 1949, 1951 - 1961, 1967 - 1968 7 Stjepan Bobek 129 201 0.64 Partizan 1945 - 1956 =7 Zoran Prljinčević 129 FK Radnički Beograd, Crvena Zvezda 9 Dušan Savić 120 202 0.59 Red Star Belgrade 1973 - 1982 10 Dragan Džajić 113 306 0.37 Red Star Belgrade 1963 - 1975, 1977 - 1978 11 Vojin Lazarević 112 188 0.60 Sutjeska Nikšić, Red Star Belgrade 1964 - 1965, 1966 - 1970, 1972 - 1974 12 Josip Bukal 111 258 0.43 Željezničar 1963 - 1973, 1977 - 1978 13 Petar Nadoveza 108 217 0.50 Hajduk Split 1963 - 1973 14 Kosta Tomašević 104 156 0.67 Red Star Belgrade, Spartak Subotica 1946 - 1956 15 Vahid Halilhodžić 103 207 0.50 Velež Mostar 1972 - 1981 16 Snješko Cerin 103 Dinamo Zagreb 1976–1986 17 Petar Nikezić 102 301 0.34 Vojvodina, Osijek 1967–1978, 1979–1982 18 Zlatko Vujović 101 240 0.42 Hajduk Split 1977–1986 All time top appearances Name First League appearances Clubs First League career 1 Enver Marić 429 Velež Mostar 1967 - 1976, 1978 - 1985 2 Slavko Vlahović 413 Budućnost 1977 - 1991 3 Slobodan Janjuš 403 Željezničar, Vojvodina, Sarajevo, Olimpija Ljubljana, Dinamo Zagreb, Sutjeska Nikšić 1970 - 1977, 1985 - 1988, 1977 - 1978, 1981 - 1982,, 1982 - 1983, 1983 - 1984, 1984 - 1985 4 Nedžad Verlašević 397 Sloboda Tuzla, Željezničar 1975 - 1983, 1983 - 1985, 1987 - 1990, 1985 - 1986 5 Momčilo Vukotić 395 Partizan 1968 - 1978, 1979 - 1984 6 Vili Ameršek 392 Olimpija Ljubljana 1966 - 1976, 1979 - 1984 7 Slobodan Santrač 365 OFK Beograd, Partizan, Galenika 1965 - 1974, 1976 - 1977, 1977 - 1980, 1980 - 1983 8 Franjo Vladić 361 Velež Mostar 1968 - 1979, 1981 - 1985 9 Tone Rožič 360 Olimpija Ljubljana 1970 - 1984 10 Ilija Petković 354 OFK Beograd 1964 - 1973, 1976 - 1983 11 Kočo Dimitrovski 336 Vardar Skopje 1968 - 1985 12 Mustafa Hukić 332 Sloboda Tuzla 1968 - 1978, 1983 - 1985 13 Ivica Miljković 327 Dinamo Zagreb, Osijek 1969 - 1977, 1977 - 1980 14 Dušan Bajević 322 Velež Mostar 1966 - 1977, 1981 - 1983 15 Ibrahim Biogradlić 318 FK Sarajevo 1951 - 1967 16 Milovan Obradović 312 Radnički Niš, Vojvodina 1974 - 1985, 1985 - 1986 17 Ivica Hlevnjak 312 Hajduk Split 1962 - 1973 18 Dragan Holcer 310 Radnički Niš, Hajduk Split 1963 - 1967, 1967 - 1975 19 Ratomir Dujković 308 Red Star Belgrade, Osijek, Galenika 1962 - 1974, 1977 - 1980, 1980 - 1983 20 Dragan Džajić 306 Red Star Belgrade 1963 - 1975, 1977 - 1978 Notable clubs (at least 10 top-flight seasons or at least one title) Over the years the Yugoslav First League featured many different teams, but there were always a number of teams that stood out, typically from the bigger cities. Among these were: FK Sarajevo, Sarajevo (43 seasons, 2 titles) Velež, Mostar (38 seasons) Željezničar, Sarajevo (34 seasons, 1 title) Sloboda, Tuzla (25 seasons) Čelik, Zenica (17 seasons) Borac, Banja Luka (14 seasons) Slavija, Sarajevo (11 seasons) Hajduk, Split (62 seasons, 9 titles) Dinamo, Zagreb (45 seasons, 4 titles) NK Rijeka, Rijeka (29 seasons) NK Zagreb, Zagreb (18 seasons) Građanski, Zagreb (14 seasons, 5 titles) NK Osijek, Osijek (13 seasons) Concordia, Zagreb (9 seasons, 2 titles) HAŠK, Zagreb (8 seasons, 1 title) Vardar, Skopje (33 seasons) Budućnost, Podgorica (26 seasons) OFK Beograd, Belgrade (50 seasons) Red Star Belgrade, Belgrade (46 seasons, 19 titles) Partizan, Belgrade (46 seasons, 11 titles) Vojvodina, Novi Sad (44 seasons, 2 titles) Radnički, Niš (29 seasons) Jugoslavija, Belgrade (14 seasons, 2 titles) Spartak, Subotica (16 seasons) Olimpija, Ljubljana (22 seasons) UEFA coefficients See also: UEFA coefficient. The following data indicates historical Yugoslav coefficient rankings among European football leagues.^[11] Successor leagues The 1990–91 season was the last season held in its usual format, with clubs from all federative units participating in the championship. The breakup of the country also broke up its top-flight league into several smaller ones. The UEFA recognised the First League of FR Yugoslavia as its successor league. Slovenia and Croatia depart In June 1991 Slovenia declared independence and Croatia followed suit in October of the same year. This meant that their football associations separated from the Football Association of Yugoslavia so they both started their own football leagues. The Slovenian PrvaLiga was launched in late 1991, while the Croatian Prva HNL saw its first edition in 1992. Affected by the ongoing war in Croatia, the season was held over the course of a single calendar year, from February to June 1992. Both leagues have been going on ever since. 1991–92 season The 1991–92 season was the last season held officially under the name of SFR Yugoslavia, even though Slovenian and Croatian clubs have already abandoned the competition to play in their own leagues. Clubs from the remaining four federative units all took part in the competition, but since the Bosnian War broke out towards the end of the season, Bosnian clubs never finished it, with Željezničar of Sarajevo only managed to play 17 out of 33 scheduled fixtures, while Sloboda Tuzla and Velež Mostar ended the season with a few games short of completing the season. Still, since most of the games were played as planned, Crvena Zvezda of Belgrade is credited with winning the last Yugoslav First League championship. Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia Macedonian clubs abandoned the competition after the 1991–92 season because the new Macedonian First League was launched the following season. For the 1992–93 season Bosnian clubs were all on hiatus due to full blown fighting that developed there, with the sole exception of Borac of Banja Luka (the strongest Bosnian Serb side at the time) which temporarily moved to Belgrade and joined the newly formed league featuring clubs from Serbia and Montenegro, this time restyled as the First League of FR Yugoslavia. (Serbia and Montenegro, the only ones left after other four member republics declared independence, renamed their country Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.) The league lasted under that name until the 2002–03 season, when the country changed its name so the league was renamed First League of Serbia and Montenegro. Finally, in June 2006 Montenegro declared independence and peacefully departed the union, so from the 2006–07 season onwards Montenegro started operating separate top-flight football league supervised by its football association. On the other hand, as the legal successor of Serbia-Montenegro state union, Serbia also got the continuity of the country's league that was formed as Prva liga (First League) in 1992, and renamed and rebranded as Superliga in summer 2005. Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina proclaimed independence in late winter 1992, and already in April same year N/FSBiH applied for membership with FIFA and UEFA.^[12] Meanwhile, due to the outbreak of Bosnian War in April 1992 no games were played in the 1992–93 season. In late 1993 some parts of the country re-launched football competitions with reduced scope. But just as the country was divided along ethnic lines, so was football. In 1993 Bosnian Croats launched the First League of Herzeg-Bosnia in which only Croatian clubs competed on parochial scale within the limits of West Herzegovina and few other enclaves. In the same year Bosnian Serbs also organized their own First League of the Republika Srpska, on a territory held by Republika Srpska regime at the time.Only football on a territory under the control of then Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions and auspices of N/FSBiH, at the time consequently with Bosniak majority, apart from a brief competition for the season 1994–95 (won by Čelik Zenica), came to a standstill.Competition under auspices of N/FSBiH did not resume until 1995–96 season when the First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina was launched. These three separate football leagues were operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina until 1998, and 2000. Since FIFA and UEFA showed support only for the association operating under patronage of the official and internationally recognized state institutions, during the war and prior to Dayton Peace Agreement as well as after its signage, they endorsed unification of all three organizations as N/FSBiH. This also came as a consequence of FIFA decision to recognize N/FSBiH already in July 1996, while in the same year UEFA admitted N/FSBiH as an adjacent member until 1998 when they recognized its full membership. This meant that only N/FSBiH clubs and its national team could compete at the international and official level. Final unification has been preceded by several stages. At first was created a playoff where clubs were playing for the champion under N/FSBiH auspices. Idea was that playoff under unified N/FSBiH auspices should bring together clubs competing under three separate organizations for the first time but was rejected by Serb association, leaving clubs from Croat football association and N/FSBiH participating playoff for the seasons 1997–98 and 1999–00, while 1998–99 playoff was canceled due to Croat's association hesitation on the decision on which stadiums games should be played. Next season playoff was resumed for the last time prior to full and final agreement on unified N/FSBiH and its competition, Premier League BiH (Premijer Liga), in the fall 2000. However, the first 2000–01 season seen clubs from Federation of BiH only, while clubs from Republic of Srpska entity continue to compete in their own separate league as their entity association still refused to join agreed unified N/FSBiH and its new competition. However, UEFA and FIFA never intended to recognize this separate organization nor its competition, which meant clubs couldn't compete outside territory of the entity and wouldn't see any international football. This situation forced clubs to insist that their organization also join N/FSBiH, and two years later they became part of the competition for the season 2002–03. Ever since the year 2000 Premier League is the top tier of Bosnia and Herzegovina football, with two entity-based leagues, First League of Republika Srpska and First League of the Federation of BiH, being pushed to the second tier of the football pyramid and serve as feeder leagues to Premier League. Today's top flight successors → Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2000–present; from 1994 to 2000 had a First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina) → HNL (1992–present) → Football Superleague of Kosovo (2016–present)^[13] → Macedonian First League (1992–present) → Montenegrin First League (2006–present; from 1992 to 2006 had a joint league with Serbia) → Serbian SuperLiga (2006–present, from 1992 to 2006 had a joint league with Montenegro) → Slovenian PrvaLiga (1991–present) UEFA recognised FR Yugoslavia and subsequently Serbia as the only official successor of Yugoslavia^[14] ^[15] ^[16] and consequently the clubs from FR Yugoslavia kept the ranking and ponctuation within UEFA. See also Yugoslav Cup Serbian Football League (1940–44) Football Association of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia national football team Notes and references References

Notes and References

1. https://books.google.com/books?id=1ZdIcMR4a4UC&dq=bask+gradjanski&pg=PA133 Moving with the ball: the migration of professional footballers
2. Web site: Povijest – počeci . . 2008-06-28 . hr . 27 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200927122703/https://hns-cff.hr/?ln=hr&w=o_hns&d=povijest_poceci . live .
3. Web site: Fudbalski savez Srbije – History . . 2008-06-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090402053928/http://www.fss.rs/cms/item/home/sr/istorijat/HISTORY.html . 2 April 2009 .
4. The Yugoslav FA decided that the last round of fixtures had to be replayed, after accusations that certain results had been fixed. Partizan, who had won the title with a 4-0 over Zeljeznicar Sarajevo, refused, after which the game was awarded 3-0 to Zeljeznicar, which gave Crvena zvezda the title. Crvena zvezda played in the 1986/87 European Champions Cup. However, after a sequence of legal processes, the original final table, with Partizan as champions, was officially recognized, in 1987.
   Web site: Yugoslavia list of champions . 28 May 2008 . . 2008-06-26 . 23 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230223153359/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesj/joegchamp.html . live .
5. Ten clubs had started the 1986/87 season with a deduction of 6 points, among them Partizan and Red Star Belgrade, because of the events in the previous season. Vardar, who had not been deducted 6 points, won the title, and participated in the 1987/88 Champions Cup, but the points deduction was later annulled after more legal proceedings, and the title was given to Partizan, who headed the table with the deduction.
   Web site: Yugoslavia list of champions . 28 May 2008 . . 2008-06-26 . 23 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230223153359/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesj/joegchamp.html . live .
6. Web site: All-Time Yugoslav First League Standings . 29 July 2014 . 9 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120309170148/http://www.bihsoccer.com/?s=all_tabele_prve_i_drugih_yu_liga . live .
7. Web site: UEFA Cup: All-time finals . UEFA . 30 June 2005 . 30 September 2010 . 31 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150831110235/http://en.archive.uefa.com/uefa/news/kind%3D1/newsid%3D2571.html . dead .
8. Web site: UEFA Europa League: History: New format provides fresh impetus . UEFA . 14 August 2014 . 25 October 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101025002405/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/history/index.html . live .
9. Web site: Classic Football: Clubs: FC Barcelona . FIFA . 14 August 2014 . 29 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150429022457/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/clubs/club%3D1903416/index.html . dead .
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14. http://www.fss.rs/sr/savez/istorijat.html History
15. https://web.archive.org/web/20070603185848/http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=srb/index.html Serbia
16. http://www.uefa.com/under17/news/newsid=1610531.html News: Serbia