2017–18 Croatian First Football League


The 2017–18 Croatian First Football League was the 27th season of the Croatian First Football League, the national championship for men's association football teams in Croatia, since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 14 July 2017 and ended on 19 May 2018. Rijeka were the defending champions, who have won their first Croatian league title and ended Dinamo Zagreb's consecutive 11-season reign the previous season. Dinamo Zagreb ultimately reclaimed the title by May 2018, their 19th since the league's inception, with Rijeka ending close second.
The league was contested by 10 teams.

Teams

On 21 April 2017, Croatian Football Federation announced that the first stage of licensing procedure for 2017–18 season was complete. For the 2017–18 Prva HNL, only seven clubs were issued a top level license: Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Inter Zaprešić, Lokomotiva, Osijek, Rijeka and [NK NK Slaven Belupo|Slaven Belupo|Slaven Belupo]. All of these clubs except Inter Zaprešić were also issued a license for participating in UEFA competitions. In the second stage of licensing, clubs that were not licensed in the first stage can appeal on the decision. On 23 May 2017, it was announced that all remaining Prva HNL clubs except RNK Split were granted top level license. Four teams from Druga HNL acquired the top level license: Gorica, Rudeš, Solin and NK Zagreb.

Stadia and locations

1 Lokomotiva and Rudeš host their home matches at Stadion Kranjčevićeva as their own grounds failed to get license for top level football. The stadium was originally the home ground of third-level side NK Zagreb.

Teams by county

RankCounties of CroatiaNumber of teamsClub
1 City of Zagreb3Dinamo Zagreb, Lokomotiva, and Rudeš
2 Istria1Istra 1961
2 Koprivnica-Križevci1Slaven
2 Osijek-Baranja1Osijek
2 Primorje-Gorski Kotar1Rijeka
2 Split-Dalmatia1Hajduk Split
2 Vukovar-Srijem1Cibalia
2 Zagreb County1Inter Zaprešić

League table


Results

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

Relegation play-offs

At the end of the season, ninth placed team Istra 1961 will contest a two-legged relegation play-off tie against Varaždin, runners-up of the 2017–18 Croatian Second Football League.

Second leg

''Istra 1961 won 3–2 on aggregate.''

Statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1

Attendances

#ClubAverageChangeHighest
1Hajduk Split11,99943.9%31,751
2Rijeka4,8361.7%7,134
3Dinamo Zagreb4,108-8.3%13,500
4Osijek3,2143.1%8,054
5Cibalia1,331-23.4%3,196
6Istra1,286-25.0%3,119
7Slaven Belupo971-11.4%2,403
8Lokomotiva7018.9%2,293
9Inter Zaprešić572-32.8%2,169
10Rudeš46122.5%2,102