Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The M:tel Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian: m:tel Premijer liga Bosne i Hercegovine / м:тел Премијер лига Босне и Херцеговине), also known as Liga 12, is the top tier football league in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is operated by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As the country's most prestigious level of football competition, the league changed format in the 2016–17 season and is contested by 12 clubs with the last two teams relegated at the end of every season.

Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Founded2000
First season2000–01
CountryBosnia and Herzegovina
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toFirst League of FBiH
First League of RS
Domestic cup(s)Bosnian Cup
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
UEFA Europa Conference League
Current championsSarajevo (5th title)
(2019–20)
Most championshipsŽeljezničar, Zrinjski (6 titles)
Most appearancesWagner Santos Lago (297)
Top goalscorerWagner Santos Lago (125)
TV partnersArena Sport
Websitehttp://www.nfsbih.ba
Current: 2020–21 Premier League

The League is, as of the 2020–21 season, represented by four clubs in European competition. The winner of the Premier League starts from the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. The winner of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Cup as well as the runner up and third placed team on the table starts from the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. From the 2021–22 season, the runner up and third placed team on the table will start from the first qualifying round of the newly established UEFA Europa Conference League.

At the end of the season, the bottom two teams are relegated while winners of the First League of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the First League of the Republika Srpska are promoted to the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

History

War period 1992–1996

After breakup of Yugoslavia, and following proclamation of independence in late winter 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina clubs left the Yugoslav First League, which ceased to exist after the 1991-92 season. Already in April the same year N/FSBiH applied for membership with FIFA and UEFA.[1] 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 Football Federation of Herzeg Bosnia and its 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.[1]

Post-war period 1996–2000

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.[1]

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.

Premier League creation 2000–01

Full and final agreement on unified N/FSBiH and its competition, Premier League BiH (Premijer Liga), happened 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 could not compete outside territory of the entity and would not compete internationally. 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.[1]

Premier League as Liga 12 from 2016–17 until 2018–19

During the 2016–17 season and the 2017–18 season BH Telecom Premier League had changed its format entirely, reducing a number of clubs from 16 to 12, thus sometimes referred to as "Liga 12" (League 12), with the calendar also modified accordingly, and introducing playoffs (also known as the "title playoffs") and play out. Number of matches were played by each club during regular season after which, according to their position, they entered to play-offs or play out. Playoffs were contested by the top 6 clubs in the regular season, with each club playing each other twice for the title, which guarantees Champions League qualifications, second and third place, guaranteeing Europa League qualifications berths. Play out was contested by six clubs to avoid relegation with last two teams being relegated.

Old format since 2018–19

Since the 2018–19 season, the league is not played as the last two seasons before. Actually very simple, after all the 12 clubs have played each other two times, once home and once away, they will play each other three times, also playing home or away depending on how the schedule is made. With that, the league season has 33 full rounds instead of the 22 rounds and an additional 10 rounds in the relegation and championship games.[2]

Sponsorship

On 31 July 2012, the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a two-year deal with BH Telecom regarding the sponsorship of the league, effectively renaming the league BH Telecom Premier League.[3] The deal was extended once more before the start of 2014–15 season. On 24 July 2020, it was announced that Mtel had become the new league sponsor for the next three years with an estimate 23 Million BAM worth,[4] renaming the league m:tel Premier League.

2020–21 Member Clubs
Locations of the 2020–21 Premier League of BiH clubs
Team Location Stadium Capacity[5]
FK Borac Banja Luka Banja Luka Banja Luka City Stadium 10,030
FK Krupa Krupa na Vrbasu City Stadium 3,500
FK Mladost Doboj Kakanj Doboj (Kakanj) MGM Farm Arena 3,000
FK Olimpik Sarajevo Stadion Otoka 3,000
FK Radnik Bijeljina Bijeljina Gradski stadion Bijeljina 6,000
FK Sarajevo Sarajevo Asim Ferhatović Hase 34,500
FK Sloboda Tuzla Tuzla Tušanj 7,200
NK Široki Brijeg Široki Brijeg Pecara 7,000
FK Tuzla City Simin Han, Tuzla Tušanj 7,200
FK Velež Mostar Mostar Stadium Rođeni 7,000
HŠK Zrinjski Mostar Mostar Bijeli Brijeg 9,000
FK Željezničar Sarajevo Sarajevo Grbavica 13,449

Rankings

Source: Bert Kassies' website (country rankings; team rankings

Source

Further information: UEFA coefficient

Bosnia and Herzegovina Champions

Champions of First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Champions of First League of Herzeg-Bosnia
  • 1993–94 - Široki Brijeg[6] – Mario Prskalo (10 goals, Široki Brijeg)
  • 1994–95 - Široki Brijeg – Anđelko Marušić (15, Široki Brijeg)
  • 1995–96 - Široki Brijeg – Mario Marušić (15, Grude), Dejan Džepina (15, Novi Travnik)
  • 1996–97 - Široki Brijeg – Anđelko Marušić (21, Široki Brijeg)
  • 1997–98 - Široki Brijeg – Stanko Bubalo (31, Široki Brijeg)
  • 1998–99 - Posušje – Slađan Filipović (19, Široki Brijeg)
  • 1999–2000 - Posušje – Robert Ristovski (18, Kiseljak)

Champions of First League of the Republika Srpska
Season Champion Runners Up Top Goalscorer Club Goals
1995–96 Boksit Milići Rudar Prijedor Siniša Đurić
Zoran Majstorović		Kozara Gradiška
Boksit Milići		16 Goals
16 Goals
1996–97 Rudar Ugljevik Sloga Trn Mladen Zgonjanin
Marić		Sloga Trn
Glasinac Sokolac		14 Goals
14 Goals
1997–98 Rudar Ugljevik Borac Banja LukaNikola BalaRudar Ugljevik31 Goals
1998–99 Radnik Bijeljina Rudar Ugljevik Mladen ZgonjaninSloga Trn23 Goals
1999–2000 Boksit Milići Rudar UgljevikNedo ZdjelarSloboda Novi Grad29 Goals
2000–01 Borac Banja Luka Sloboda Novi Grad Milanko ĐerićBoksit Milići26 Goals
2001–02 Leotar Kozara Gradiška Pavle Delibašić
Siniša Jovanović		Leotar
Glasinac Sokolac		21 Goals
21 Goals

Champions of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Listing seasons (aside of 1998–99 season) before the creation of Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina where the champion was decided via a play-off played between best placed clubs who played in First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina and First League of Herzeg-Bosnia (without clubs from First League of the Republika Srpska).

Season Winner of play-off Runners-up of play-off Winning manager Top scorer(s) of play-off
Player(s) (Club) Goals
1997–981 Željezničar (1) Sarajevo Enver Hadžiabdić (1) Stanko Bubalo (Široki Brijeg)
Hadis Zubanović (Željezničar)
3
1998–992
Sarajevo (1)
 Nermin Hadžiahmetović (3) — —
1999–20003 Brotnjo (1) Budućnost Ivo Ištuk (1) Zikret Kuljaninović (Budućnost)
Alen Škoro (Sarajevo)
Halim Stupac (Jedinstvo)
5

1 A play-off between the best placed teams of First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina and First League of Herzeg-Bosnia was played; without clubs from First League of Republika Srpska. The best two clubs got the right to play in 1998–99 UEFA Cup.
2 Play-off was scheduled but was later canceled because of stadium issues. Three different leagues played, no play-off contested, therefore no club got the right to play in European competition.
3 A play-off between the best placed teams of First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina and First League of Herzeg-Bosnia was played without clubs from First League of Republika Srpska. Three clubs got the right to play in European competition.

Premier League Champions

Since 2000–01 season the first tier of Bosnia and Herzegovina football competition became Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Season Champions
(Premier League titles)		 Runners-up Third place Winning manager Top scorer(s)
Player(s) (Club) Goals
2000–011 Željezničar (2) Brotnjo Sarajevo Amar Osim (1) Dželaludin Muharemović (Željezničar)
31
2001–021 Željezničar (3) Široki Brijeg Brotnjo Amar Osim (2) Ivica Huljev (Željezničar)
15
2002–03 Leotar (1) Željezničar Sarajevo Milan Jovin (1) Emir Obuća (Sarajevo)
24
2003–04 Široki Brijeg (1) Željezničar Sarajevo Ivo Ištuk (1) Alen Škoro (Sarajevo)
20
2004–05 Zrinjski (1) Željezničar Široki Brijeg Franjo Džidić (1) Zoran Rajović (Zrinjski)
17
2005–06 Široki Brijeg (2) Sarajevo Zrinjski Ivica Barbarić (1) Petar Jelić (Modriča)
19
2006–07 Sarajevo (2) Zrinjski Slavija Husref Musemić (1) Stevo Nikolić (Modriča)
Dragan Benić (Borac)
19
2007–08 Modriča (1) Široki Brijeg Čelik Zenica Slaviša Božičić (1) Darko Spalević (Slavija)
18
2008–09 Zrinjski (2) Slavija Sloboda Tuzla Dragan Jović (1) Darko Spalević (Slavija)
17
2009–10 Željezničar (4) Široki Brijeg Borac Amar Osim (3) Feđa Dudić (Travnik)
16
2010–11 Borac (1) Sarajevo Željezničar Vlado Jagodić (1) Ivan Lendrić (Zrinjski)
16
2011–12 Željezničar (5) Široki Brijeg Borac Amar Osim (4) Eldin Adilović (Željezničar)
19
2012–13 Željezničar (6) Sarajevo Borac Amar Osim (5) Emir Hadžić (Sarajevo)
20
2013–14 Zrinjski (3) Široki Brijeg Sarajevo Branko Karačić (1) Wagner (Široki Brijeg)
18
2014–15 Sarajevo (3) Željezničar Zrinjski Dženan Uščuplić (1) Riad Bajić (Željezničar)
15
2015–16 Zrinjski (4) Sloboda Tuzla Široki Brijeg Vinko Marinović (1) Leon Benko (Sarajevo)
17
2016–17 Zrinjski (5) Željezničar Sarajevo Blaž Slišković (1) Ivan Lendrić (Željezničar)
19
2017–18 Zrinjski (6) Željezničar Sarajevo Blaž Slišković (2) Miloš Filipović (Zrinjski)
16
2018–19 Sarajevo (4) Zrinjski Široki Brijeg Husref Musemić (2) Sulejman Krpić (Željezničar)
16
2019–20[nb 1] Sarajevo (5) Željezničar Zrinjski Vinko Marinović (2) Mersudin Ahmetović (Sarajevo)
16
0League champions also won the Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Cup, i.e. the domestic Double.0

1 Played without clubs from the Republika Srpska entity of BiH which have only taken part in the league since 2002.

Times finished in first three

Counting since when the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina is played and recognized by UEFA, season 2000–01

Club Winners Runner-up Third place Times finished in first three
Željezničar
6
7
1
14
Sarajevo
5
3
6
14
Zrinjski
6
2
3
11
Široki Brijeg
2
5
3
10
Borac
1
0
3
4
Brotnjo
0
1
1
2
Slavija
0
1
1
2
Sloboda
0
1
1
2
Leotar
1
0
0
1
Modriča
1
0
0
1
Čelik
0
0
1
1

Cities

The following table lists the champions by cities; Counting since when the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina is played and recognized by UEFA, season 2000–01

City Titles Winning Clubs
Sarajevo
11
 Željezničar (6), Sarajevo (5)
Mostar
6
 Zrinjski (6)
Široki Brijeg
2
 Široki Brijeg (2)
Trebinje
1
 Leotar (1)
Modriča
1
 Modriča (1)
Banja Luka
1
 Borac (1)

Notable performances in Europe
Main article: Bosnian football clubs in European competitions

In the qualifiers for the UEFA Champions League season 2002–03, Željezničar gained the greatest success in Bosnian post-war club-football so far, going all the way to the last qualifying round for the most important club competition in Europe. After big wins over ÍA Akraness and Lillestrøm, however they were held by Newcastle United. In the first match, held in Sarajevo, Newcastle won 0–1 with English team defeating Željezničar 4–0 in England.

The second time a Bosnian club moved into the last qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League was FK Sarajevo in 2007–08, when they lost to Dynamo Kyiv 0–4 on aggregate, after going over Maltese Marsaxlokk and Belgian side Genk.

Another remarkable season for Bosnian clubs in Europe was 2009–10. The most memorable performances were marked by FK Sarajevo and Slavija. While Slavija surprisingly beat Aalborg in the Second Qualifying round but could not overcome MFK Košice in the third round, FK Sarajevo was able to reach the Play-offs for the Group Stage of the newly formed UEFA Europa League after beating Spartak Trnava and Helsingborg. However, they lost there unhappily 3–2 on aggregate to CFR Cluj. FK Sarajevo made it again in 2014–15 UEFA Europa League playing all the way to the play-off round where they lost to Borussia Mönchengladbach.

All time table of Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Counting only since 2002–03 season, the season the league became a unified country-wide league.
As of the end of 2019–20 season.

Ssn = Number of seasons; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points; HF = Highest finish

Rank
Club
Town
Ssn
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
HF
1SarajevoSarajevo 18547296128123921468+45310161
2ŽeljezničarSarajevo 18547298115134863484+37910091
3ZrinjskiMostar 18547289102156851570+281969 (-1)1
4Široki BrijegŠiroki Brijeg 18547274127146863527+3369491
5ČelikZenica 18547195134218609669-60716 (-3)3
6SlobodaTuzla 1648719297198533556-236732
7BoracBanja Luka 1442219273157519443+76649 (-1)1
8LeotarTrebinje 1236814951168450525-754981
9SlavijaIstočno Sarajevo 1236013765158416493-77476 (-3)2
10VeležMostar 1236012670164410471-614485
11TravnikTravnik 1236012264174422538-1164305
12RadnikBijeljina 102999976124312374-623735
13OlimpikSarajevo 8242936386287275+123425
14ModričaModriča 7210873489298290+82951
15OrašjeOrašje 72188533100307325-182887
16PosušjePosušje 72188234102264347-832809
17ZvijezdaGradačac 7210704991248304-562597
18ŽepčeŽepče 6188623294192274-822188
19Rudar (P)Prijedor 6180524583179238-5920110
20Mladost (DK)Doboj, Kakanj 5149454460170208-381796
21JedinstvoBihać 4128531461171203-321737
22VitezVitez 5154393481126210-841519
23BudućnostBanovići 4128392168139199-601388
24GOŠKGabela 4125333260110175-651317
25LaktašiLaktaši 390351441122125-31198
26KrupaKrupa na Vrbasu 397302938115124-91194
27Rudar (U)Ugljevik 398341450118143-251169
28GlasinacSokolac 26825103371103-328514
29DrinaZvornik 39020125868159-917213
30Tuzla CityTuzla 2551914225973-14715
31BrotnjoČitluk 26819143576114-387113
32KozaraGradiška 26819133674107-337015
33Mladost (VO)Velika Obarska 2601417294282-405911
34Zvijezda 09Bijeljina 2551016294596-51469
35Mladost (G)Gacko 138116214065-253918
36MetallegheJajce 132711142534-93211
37BosnaVisoko 138413328107-791320
38GradinaSrebrenik 13016231757-40916

1 In the 2004–05 season, Borac Banja Luka were deducted 1 point (Slavija were awarded 3–0 vs Borac in week 11).
2 In the 2006–07 season, Zrinjski were deducted 1 point (Orašje were awarded 3–0 vs Zrinjski).
3 In the 2013–14 season, Slavija were deducted 3 points.
4 In the 2019–20 season, Čelik were deducted 3 points (Željezničar were awarded 3–0 vs Čelik).

See also

Notes
  1. 2019–20 Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina; season curtailed and final standings (including Sarajevo as champions) declared by a points-per-game ratio on 1 June 2020.[7]

References
  1. "N/FSBiH History". www.nfsbih.ba. N/FSBiH. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  2. E.B. (19 June 2018). "Premijer liga BiH se igra u trokružnom formatu, broj stranih igrača smanjen na četiri" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  3. "BH Telecom the first ever sponsor of the Premier League, signing a two year deal!" (in Bosnian). SportSport.ba. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  4. E. Škorić (24 July 2020). "NFSBiH i zvanično dobio novog sponzora!" (in Bosnian). sportsport.ba. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  5. "Capacity of stadiums of the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  6. "Zlatne godine" (PDF). Nk-sirokibrijeg.com\accessdate=18 December 2018. p. 138.
  7. F.Z. (1 June 2020). "Zvanično! Sarajevo prvak BiH drugu godinu zaredom, Čelik i Zvijezda ispadaju" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
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