May 4, 2022 - A historic Croatian football contract was signed today by the Croatian Football Federation, Hrvatski Telekom, and SuperSport. 

Today in Zagreb, the leaders of the Croatian Football Federation, Hrvatski Telekom, and SuperSport signed an agreement on television and marketing rights for matches under the auspices of the Croatian Football Federation, announced HNS.

The contract signing ceremony by which Hrvatski Telekom became the owner of television and SuperSport marketing rights for matches owned by the Croatian Football Federation was organized in the Opera Hall of the Westin Hotel in Zagreb. Contracts run from the beginning of the 2022/23 competition year until the end of the 2025/26 competition year.

HNS

It is the most valuable agreement for television and marketing rights in the history of domestic club football. During the four contracted years, Hrvatski Telekom will invest EUR 36 million for television rights, while SuperSport will invest a total of EUR 8 million for marketing and betting rights. The Croatian Football Federation has thus provided 44 million euros in four years for domestic football.

"I thank the present management of Hrvatski Telekom and SuperSport for their trust and the respect they have shown for such a significant investment in domestic football. We are especially pleased to sign such vital contracts with companies that are proven friends and partners of Croatian football, which gives us additional faith that together, we will make our First League but also other competitions even stronger, more attractive, and better.

It is unnecessary to emphasize how much these funds will mean for our first leagues and other clubs in Croatia - this is the most crucial contract related to domestic club football in history and confirms its market value. I am sure that this value will continue to grow thanks to this agreement and that this significant investment will pay off for our partners as well," said HNS President Marijan Kustić.

"I am delighted to continue our long-term cooperation with HNS. We always strive to provide our customers with the best sports content, and Croatian football falls into that category because it is about content close to the fans of all Croatian clubs. With our renewed four-year partnership with HNS, we are laying the foundations for the further development of Croatian football clubs, to enjoy even more competitive competition and better matches in production and on the leading pay-TV platform in Croatia," said the President of the Management Board of Hrvatski Telekom Kostas Nebis, while the member of the Management Board Nataša Rapaić added:

"Croatia is a sports nation in which football has a special status and significance, and the Croatian Football League has never been so interesting. We are pleased that HT can convey this excitement and positive emotions to the Croatian audience. We stand for these values as a company - connectivity, positivity, and creating new opportunities."

SuperSport has become the owner of marketing and betting rights, and satisfaction with the signed contract was expressed by a member of the SuperSport Management Board, Goran Đurić:

"We are proud that SuperSport has become a direct partner of Croatian football, in which we have invested significantly before. I believe we all agree that our football league has never been more interesting, and we are convinced that this agreement will allow further development of clubs and domestic competitions. We trust HNS, and we are looking forward to working with the Federation and Hrvatski Telekom on the further marketing, commercial, and media development of domestic football."

"Football is the most popular, important, and most-watched sport in Croatia. The First League is equally watched and important to both spectators and our players as the strongest football competitions in the world, such as the Champions League. That is why we are thrilled that today we signed such a valuable contract that will enable our football to continue to grow, which is visible by all criteria. We are proud to provide our players with the highest quality content as market leaders," added SuperSport Board Member Radim Haluza.

HNS

"For HNS, and especially Croatian clubs, the contract we signed today is truly of historical importance. I want to thank our partners, Hrvatski Telekom and SuperSport, for their trust and congratulate all clubs that have raised the level of quality and the curiosity of the competition to the level that we can sign a contract like this. An important role in increasing the league's attractiveness was played by HNS's first league turf project, which shows that for all of us - clubs, federations, and local communities - further development of stadium infrastructure should be a strategic determinant so that the value of our 'product' continues to grow," HNS Executive Director Tomislav Svetina emphasized.

After signing the contract, the leaders of HNS handed over one home and one reserve jersey of the 2018 World Cup finalists to the leaders of Hrvatski Telekom and SuperSport with the numbers 2022 and 2026, which together show the duration of the contract signed today.

To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

April 30, 2022 - Hrvatski Dragovoljac has officially dropped out of the Croatian First League.

With Friday's 2:1 defeat to Hajduk, they remained at 18 points, nine less than Istra 1961, which is in second-to-last place. It is important to note that the head-to-head ratio is the second criterion for ranking in the event two teams have the same number of points.

In the previous four meetings, Istria defeated Dragovoljac three times and drew once. In the first game, Istra won 3:1, in the second 1:0, and in the third 3:0. The fourth meeting finished 0:0. In the end, the influx of players from Rijeka did not help Dragovoljac.

After entering the First HNL this season, they will leave Croatia's top league after 36 rounds.

Recall that in the first round of licensing for the next football season, the Croatian Football Federation's Club Licensing Department did not give Dragovoljac a license for the First or Second HNL.

Varaždin and Rudeš are fighting to enter the highest rank of Croatian football.

Rudeš is currently five points behind Varaždin in first place The two teams meet today in Varaždin, which has gained serious interest among fans of both teams. 

After NK Varaždin invited all fans to visit Zagreb for Saturday's match, the interest in the derby against Rudeš became higher than planned.

"Dear friends of the club, due to a large number of inquiries regarding tickets for Saturday's match against NK Rudeš in Zagreb, we inform you that the club received information today that the host will sell tickets and the club took over some of them on Friday afternoon. Rudeš received more tickets than the percentage described in the HNS propositions, but the number cannot cover the interest due to the capacity of the Rudeš stadium. The club still has a part of the tickets for friends that are intended for visiting fans, so we ask those who are interested to contact us directly. Due to the situation - please contact us only if you are sure of your arrival because they will be available in the parking lot of the stadium after confirmation in your inbox. Also - we hope that tickets for the grandstand will be available at the stadium, but we do not have official confirmation or information. If we have more information - we will inform the public through this channel of communication. Thank you for your understanding and support!" reads the official Facebook page of NK Varaždin.

Rudeš still must face Osijek II, Jarun, Sesvete, and Dugopolje before the end of the Second HNL season. Varaždin must face Jarun, Sesvete, Dugopolje, and Dubrava Zagreb. 

To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - President of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) Marijan Kustić and his close associates have hosted a high-level delegation from the Dinamo Kyiv Football Club headed by the club's President Igor Surkis, the HNS said on Thursday.

The Kyiv club will play a charity match against Dinamo Zagreb at Maksimir Stadium on Thursday evening and all the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards assisting Ukrainian refugees and the Ukrainian people.

Surkis thanked the HNS leadership for their hospitality and support.

Surkis, former president of the Ukrainian Football Association and vice president of UEFA, particularly thanked Croatia's U-20 coach Ognjen Vukojević for his engagement in arranging this visit.

Ukraine's Ambassador to Croatia Vasyl Kyrylych also thanked Croatia for its support for Ukraine.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

April 28, 2022 - Great news from Germany - Igor Matanović, a forward for St. Pauli and the U-19 national team of Germany, has decided to play for Croatia!

He is a great talent, a 194 cm tall center forward who has all the characteristics of a modern player, and many experts are convinced that he has a brilliant career ahead of him. At the end of March, Matanović led the attack of the German U-19 team, scored a great goal in the Euro qualifying match against Italy, and recorded an assist against Belgium. However, he chose to play for Croatia a month later, reports Jutarnji List. 

Matanović agreed after a long and synchronized campaign led by Stipe Pletikosa - with the support of HNS President Marijan Kustić. The HNS technical director visited the young striker and his family for months. Matanović should already receive an invitation from the U-21 national team coach Igor Bišćan at the next national team gathering. Bišćan has long indicated that Matanović is a great talent he certainly sees among his chosen ones.

Matanović attracted a lot of attention for the first time two years ago when as a 17-year-old, he made his debut for the St. Pauli senior team against Werder (4:2), in which he immediately scored a goal and remained listed as the youngest scorer in the history of the club. Coach Timo Schultz announced him as a top attacking talent and a great future for the club. Although he only recently turned 19 (born on March 31, 2003), Matanović has already registered 33 games for St. Pauli. Unfortunately, he did not manage to score after that goal in his debut because he entered most of those games only in the final minutes, but few players play in the Bundesliga 2 at the age of 17 and 18. 

Matanović is technically a player of Eintracht, who bought him this summer for 500,000 euros but decided to loan him to St. Pauli for the next two seasons. 

“Igor is a very talented player who is technically talented and physically strong. He has great talent and great potential. It is important for his development to play as much as possible. We believe that the best decision is to leave him on loan because he will be able to help an ambitious second-division team. Still, he will also make important steps in his development this and next season," said Eintracht sports director Markus Krösche.

St. Pauli is fiercely fighting to enter the Bundesliga; it is fourth in the standings, only three points behind second place, and only one behind third. The second-place leads directly to the Bundesliga, and the third to the playoffs. As much as Timo Schultz praised Matanović, the role of the first center forward is played by the experienced Guido Burgstaller (32), who has already scored 18 championship goals this season with seven assists and is the third top scorer in the league. Bundesliga 2 is tough, and it is challenging for young players to break through.

Matanović's family arrived in Germany from Kotor Varos near Banja Luka. Interestingly, Mate Kovačić's parents are also from there. As a child, Igor played for St. Pauli, in which he passed all the selections. He showed great talent as a 16-year-old, who scored 19 goals in 27 games for the U-17 team, with seven assists.

Igor played for the Croatia U-14 side, then for the youth national teams of Germany from U-17 to U-19. He scored five goals in eight appearances for those selections. He would have had more if injuries hadn't plagued him.

"Members of my family were refugees during the war in Krapinske Toplice, so Croatia gave them refuge when it was most difficult for us, and it is not forgotten. However, I came to Germany in the late '80s, got a job, so both countries gave me a lot," explained Igor's father, Ranko Matanovic, two years ago.

The German Football Federation will not be happy that Igor Matanović chose Croatia, as Germany lacks center forwards. But in the end, love for Croatia prevailed.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

April 18, 2022 - The 31st round of the Croatian First League was held during Easter weekend - April 15 and 16, 2022. This round saw routine wins for Dinamo, Osijek, and Hajduk, while Rijeka is now out of the title fight after losing to Lokomotiva. Here is our HNL round 31 recap.

Dinamo v. Istra 1961 (3:0)

Dinamo and Istra opened the 31st round on Friday, April 15, 2022, at Maksimir Stadium in front of 2607 fans. 

Orsic scored Dinamo's first goal in the 8th minute for 1:0. Orsic scored again off of an Ademi assist in the 2nd minute of stoppage time, making it 2:0 going into halftime. Emreli secured Dinamo's victory just 5 minutes into the second half with a goal for 3:0. 

Dinamo is currently in 1st place with 66 points and a game in hand, while Istra is in 9th with 26. 

Hajduk v. Gorica (1:0)

Hajduk and Gorica played the second match on Friday, April 15, 2022, at Poljud in front of 11,482 fans. 

Hajduk's only goal of the match came in the 13th minute. Vukovic's shot deflected off Jovicic for a Gorica own goal and 1:0 Hajduk. The rest of the match went without goals. 

Hajduk is currently in 3rd place with 59 points and a game in hand, while Gorica is in 6th with 40. 

Sibenik v. Slaven Belupo (2:1)

Sibenik and Slaven Belupo met on Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Sibenik.

Vidovic scored Sibenik's first goal in the 14th minute for 1:0. Delic increased Sibenik's lead to 2:0 in the 37th minute. Krstanovic missed a penalty for Belupo in the 53rd minute, though Crnac was about to get a goal for Belupo in the 66th for the final 2:1. 

Sibenik is currently in 8th place with 29 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 30. 

Osijek v. Hr. Dragovoljac (2:1)

Osijek and Dragovoljac met on Saturday, April 16, 2022, at City Garden Stadium. 

Zaper scored Osijek's first goal in the 3rd minute before Galesic equalized for 1:1 in the 32nd. Topcagic secured Osijek's victory with a goal in the 2nd minute of stoppage time for 2:1 at the half. Neither team was able to score in the second half. 

Osijek is currently in 2nd place with 64 points, while Dragovoljac is in last place with 15. 

Lokomotiva v. Rijeka (2:1)

Lokomotiva and Rijeka closed out the 31st round on Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Zagreb. 

Lokomotiva scored their first goal in the 18th minute though VAR ultimately ruled it offside to keep the match 0:0. Stojkovic scored in the 38th minute for 1:0 Lokomotiva at the half. Kacavenda increased Lokomotiva's lead in the 46th minute, while Drmic got one goal for Rijeka in the 2nd minute of stoppage time for the final 2:1. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 5th place with 43 points, while Rijeka is in 4th with 55. 

***Hajduk and Dinamo will play the crucial 9th round makeup match on Wednesday, April 20 at Poljud. Hajduk must win in order to stay in the title fight.

You can see the HNL table HERE.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 13, 2022 - 2022 World Cup tickets for Croatia fans in Qatar opened on April 13, and applications will be accepted until April 28.

After more than 800,000 World Cup tickets were sold in the first phase, a ticket sale period has opened on https://www.fifa.com/tickets (with random draws in the event of more entries than available) ticket), which runs until Thursday, April 28 at 11:00 Central European Time.

From April 13, fans can apply for tickets for the Croatia national team matches. Recall, Croatia will play in Group F against Morocco (November 23), Canada (November 27), and Belgium (December 1). All national teams are entitled to eight percent of the stadium capacity in the group stage and approximately eight percent of the stadium capacity in the continuation of the competition (depending on the stadium configuration). Fan tickets can be applied for via the following link: www.fifa.com/fanticketingportals.

In this sales period, there will be no difference whether applications are submitted on the first, last, or any other day as all tickets will be awarded after the end of the application period. In cases where the number of registered tickets exceeds the available contingent, tickets will be allocated through a random selection procedure.

All fans will be notified of the outcome of their applications no later than Tuesday, May 31, with the steps to follow if they can purchase tickets and the deadline by which they must pay for the tickets awarded.

The prices of individual tickets for the first phase of the competition are 250 (3rd category), 600 (2nd category), and 800 (1st category) Qatari riyals. Prices for the round of 16 are 385, 825 and 1,100 riyals, for the quarterfinals 825, 1,155 and 1,705, for the semifinals 1,430, 2,640 and 3,828, for the third-place match 825, 1,210 and 1,705, and for the final 2,420, 4,015 and 6,435 riyals.

All ticket information can be found at https://www.fifa.com/tickets, and ticket prices here.

Source: HNS

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 12, 2022 - HNS and UEFA met in Nyon, where they discussed several challenges in today's European football and presented the idea of creating a Croatian football house to President Aleksander Čeferin.

A high delegation of the Croatian Football Federation led by President Marijan Kustić visited Uefa President Aleksandar Čeferin and his closest associates, reports HNS. 

A meeting of the Uefa and HNS leaders was held on Monday at the headquarters of the umbrella European football federation in Nyon. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin received a high-level HNS delegation, including President Kustić, Executive Director Tomislav Svetina, and Technical Director Stipe Pletikosa. In addition to Čeferin, the Croatian delegation was hosted by UEFA's head of football, Zvonimir Boban, and the director of national associations, Zoran Laković.

UEFA

"Thanks to President Čeferin and his closest associates, Mr. Boban and Mr. Laković, for a delightful reception and constructive and open conversation. We are proud that Croatian football is highly valued within the umbrella federation of European football and that HNS has such quality cooperation with Uefa. We are pleased that the President of Uefa is following an exciting competition in the Croatian First League. We discussed several challenges of today's European football, from the so-called Super League to the pandemic to the war in Ukraine. We presented the idea of creating a house of Croatian football in Veslačka to President Čeferin, and we are glad that Uefa will support this project if we succeed in its realization. We are honored with such a pleasant reception.

We look forward to returning the hospitality at the meeting of the Uefa Executive Committee, which will be held in September on Hvar," said HNS President Marijan Kustić.

"We were pleased to receive the HNS delegation, which is on and off the field is undoubtedly one of the most successful medium-sized federations in Europe. The Croatia national team's silver medal in Russia is the best inspiration to any small country that football dreams can come true if you show great togetherness with football talent and skill. Club football is also getting better, confirmed by the recently signed record contract for TV rights.

HNS has made great strides in recent years in building quality infrastructure across the country and will undoubtedly continue to have strong Uefa support in the same direction. This also applies to a potential camp or football house in Zagreb, which would be an excellent solution for HNS. I am looking forward to a new arrival in Croatia. Hvar is an ideal destination for the session of our Executive Board, and the HNS will undoubtedly be a great host," said Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin.

UEFA

The HNS delegation presented the hosts with personalized jerseys of 2018 World Cup finalists with the #9 to Aleksandar Čeferin, #11 to Zoran Laković, and the well-known jersey #10 to Zvonimir Boban, the legendary Vatreni captain who led Croatia to the bronze medal at the 1998 World Cup in France. 

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 11, 2022 - The 30th round of the Croatian First League was held from April 8 to 10, 2022. This round saw Hajduk and Osijek narrowly win against Šibenik and Slaven Belupo, while Dinamo came back to beat Rijeka in the 86th minute. Here is our HNL round 30 recap. 

Gorica v. Istra 1961 (1:1)

Gorica and Istra opened the 30th round on Friday, April 8, 2022, in front of 1,086 fans in Velika Gorica.

While the first half went without goals, Drena Belo put Istra in the lead for 0:1 in the 55th minute. Less than 10 minutes later, Mitrovic equalized for 1:1, which was the final score. 

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 40 points, while Istra is in 8th with 26. 

Hr. Dragovoljac v. Lokomotiva (1:1)

Dragovoljac and Lokomotiva met on Saturday, April 9, 2022, in front of 50 fans in Zagreb. 

Peric put Dragovoljac in the lead in the 24th minute for 1:0 at the half. However, Maric didn't equalize for Lokomotiva until the 82nd minute for the final 1:1.

Dragovoljac is currently in the last place with 15 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 40. 

Hajduk v. Sibenik (2:1)

Hajduk and Sibenik met on Saturday, April 9, 2022, in front of 8,645 fans at Poljud Stadium in Split. 

Krovinovic put Hajduk in the lead in the 31st minute for 1:0 at the half. Curic equalized for Sibenik in the 54th minute for 1:1. A Krovinovic corner sent into the penalty area in the 87th minute found the back of Elez's head for the final 2:1 for Hajduk. 

Hajduk is currently in 3rd place with 56 points and a game in hand, while Sibenik is in 9th with 26. 

Slaven Belupo v. Osijek (0:1)

Belupo and Osijek met on Sunday, April 10, 2022, in front of 669 fans in Koprivnica. 

The match's only goal came in the 33rd minute when Caktas scored for 0:1.

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 30 points, while Osijek is in 2nd with 61. 

Rijeka v. Dinamo (1:2)

Rijeka and Dinamo closed out the 30th round with the highly anticipated derby on Sunday, April 10, 2022, at Rujevica Stadium.

Cerin gave Rijeka the early lead in the 6th minute for 1:0 at the half. Emreli and Ademi scored within 7 minutes of one another in the 79th and 86th minutes to put Dinamo ahead at 1:2. Rijeka's Kresic was shown a red card in the 4th minute of stoppage time. 

Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 55 points, while Dinamo is in first place with 63 and a game in hand. 

You can see the full HNL table HERE. 

To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

April 7, 2022 - Could Croatian First League foreign referees take the pitch already next season? A closer look. 

The idea of ​​foreign referees in the Croatian First League (HNL) is gaining more attention. Head of the Croatian Refereeing Commission Bruno Marić confirmed in Croatian media earlier this week that foreign referees in Croatia could become a reality as early as next season. 

"This is still not a topic we want to publish in detail. At HNS, we are working together to conclude business cooperation with some of the foreign federations, which would include the exchange of refs," Marić told Slobodna Dalmacija. 

And this wouldn't put any Croatian referees out of work, but rather exchange them.

"It would be exclusively about an exchange, and not about foreign refs coming to ref in our country," Marić underlined.

Marić was a guest on the same topic on Dnevnik Nova TV, where he emphasized that the idea could be realized as early as next season, because in the current season it is technically impossible.

"We will look for countries with a similar profile. I would not like to speculate now on which refs are in question," Marić told Dnevnik Nova TV.

As Ivan Forjan has learned for Gol.hr, very serious names in the reffing world are among the options.

Namely, Gol.hr reports that the first picks would definitely be Slovenian judges. Among them is one of UEFA's elite category refs, Slavko Vinčić. Romanian Ovidiu Hategan, also of elite UEFA status, is too in the spotlight. Along with them, referees from Austria, Hungary, and Israel would also be an option. 

A little over two weeks ago, Osijek coach Nenad Bjelica made his point clear about this topic. 

"Exchanging referees with other countries would also be good because you are taking the pressure off your domestic referees and why not bring quality refs from the countries around us?" Bjelica wondered.

Rijeka also liked this idea:

"The refereeing commission is an independent body and has full confidence in its work. If the refereeing commission evaluates and decides on some changes, as well as the introduction of foreign referees for certain matches, HNK Rijeka will support it. The most important thing is that and at a high level."

Dinamo, on the other hand, is quite restrained:

"GNK Dinamo welcomes all efforts aimed at the development of Croatian football, and in relation to the specific inquiry, we express our belief that the HNS and the referee commission will know how to make the best decisions."

Gol.hr did not reach Hajduk's position on this idea yet, though a few years ago, they expressed the desire for foreign refs in the HNL.

Engagements of foreign referees in other European leagues are not uncommon. For example, Ivan Bebek last year refereed the big Greek derby between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.

Interestingly, a foreign ref would cost as much as a domestic one - or 2,800 kuna per match, with, of course, the addition of travel expenses.

To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

April 5, 2022 - The Croatia World Cup camp in Doha has been changed from the Dusit Hotel to the Hilton Doha Hotel. The final contract should be signed by April 30.

The Croatian Football Federation used the opportunity to change its priority option for the Croatia national team base camp during this year's World Cup in Qatar. Thus, the Vatreni will stay at the Hilton Doha during the tournament, announced HNS.

After the right to book the Hilton Doha hotel was lost by one of the national teams that failed to qualify for the final tournament, HNS reacted quickly and changed its priority from the Dusit Hotel to the Hilton Doha Hotel.

Attached to the Hilton Hotel is the Al Ersal 3 training center, identical to the Al Ersal 2 training center where the national team trained during its stay at the friendly tournament in Doha. Superior conditions in the training center compared to the Dusit Hotel's Al Gharafa center are crucial factors for changing the camp. In addition, Hilton Doha is one of only five hotels among the 40 offered in the Fifa catalog, which has its own beach and a pleasant outdoor environment. 

"Dusit is an excellent hotel that met all our conditions, but when the opportunity arose to book this camp, we reacted quickly, made an inspection visit, and quickly agreed on everything with the coach and captain who supported the change. The main advantage is a training center that is much closer to the hotel and has better conditions for players. That was our priority in the selection," said the president of HNS, Marijan Kustić.

"The Federation reacted brilliantly in less than 24 hours, as soon as the chance arose to enter the Hilton. Dusit is a great hotel, but here we have an objectively much better training center, which we met during this tournament and will provide us with perfect working conditions. In addition, players will be much more comfortable when they can drink coffee and socialize in the fresh air during the day, which is much more difficult in classic city hotels like Dusit. As FIFA has provided only five hotels for this profile, we are very pleased to have booked one. This is a great victory for the Croatian delegation, and I congratulate the management and the team from the HNS administration on the work done," said coach Zlatko Dalic.

HNS thus now has a secured priority option at the Hilton Doha / Al Ersal 3 camp, and the final contract should be signed by April 30, the deadline for all national teams to change their base camp.

To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.