Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina


The M:tel Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 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.
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 table starts from the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa 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 the breakup of Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina proclaimed independence in late winter 1992, and already in April the same year N/FSBiH applied for membership with FIFA and UEFA. 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, 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.

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.
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 , in the fall 2000.

Premier League creation 2000–01

Full and final agreement on unified N/FSBiH and its competition, Premier League BiH , 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 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.

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", with the calendar also modified accordingly, and introducing 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.

Sponsorship

On 31 July 2012, 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. 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, renaming the league m:tel Premier League.

2020–21 Member Clubs

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Banja LukaBanja Luka City Stadium10,030
FK KrupaKrupa na VrbasuCity Stadium3,500
FK Mladost Doboj KakanjDoboj MGM Farm Arena3,000
FK OlimpikSarajevoStadion Otoka3,000
FK Radnik BijeljinaBijeljinaGradski stadion Bijeljina6,000
SarajevoAsim Ferhatović Hase34,500
FK Sloboda TuzlaTuzlaTušanj7,200
Pecara7,000
FK Tuzla CitySimin Han, TuzlaTušanj7,200
FK Velež MostarMostarStadium Rođeni7,000
HŠK Zrinjski MostarMostarBijeli Brijeg9,000
SarajevoGrbavica13,449

Rankings

Source: (;

Country

UEFA Country Ranking as of end-season of 2018–19 season.
Current RankingLast Season
Ranking		MovementLeagueCoefficient
3739 Ireland7.450
3838 Finland7.275
3935 Iceland7.250
4040 Bosnia and Herzegovina7.125
4143 Lithuania6.750
4241 Latvia5.625
4348 Luxembourg5.500

Team

As of 8 November 2019

2019–20 season

Bosnia and Herzegovina Champions

Champions of [First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina]

Champions of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Listing seasons 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.
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.
1 Played without clubs from Republika Srpska entity of BiH which only have 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
ClubWinnersRunner-upThird placeTimes 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
CityTitlesWinning Clubs
Sarajevo
11
Željezničar, Sarajevo
Mostar
6
Zrinjski
Široki Brijeg
2
Široki Brijeg
Trebinje
1
Leotar
Modriča
1
Modriča
Banja Luka
1
Borac

Notable performances in Europe

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 couldn't 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 from 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
1SarajevoSarajevo18547296128123921468+45310161
2ŽeljezničarSarajevo18547298115134863484+37910091
3ZrinjskiMostar18547289102156851570+281969 1
4Široki BrijegŠiroki Brijeg18547274127146863527+3369491
5ČelikZenica18547195134218609669-60716 3
6SlobodaTuzla1648719297198533556-236732
7BoracBanja Luka1442219273157519443+76649 1
8LeotarTrebinje1236814951168450525-754981
9SlavijaIstočno Sarajevo1236013765158416493-77476 2
10VeležMostar1236012670164410471-614485
11TravnikTravnik1236012264174422538-1164305
12RadnikBijeljina102999976124312374-623735
13OlimpikSarajevo8242936386287275+123425
14ModričaModriča7210873489298290+82951
15OrašjeOrašje72188533100307325-182887
16PosušjePosušje72188234102264347-832809
17ZvijezdaGradačac7210704991248304-562597
18ŽepčeŽepče6188623294192274-822188
19Rudar Prijedor6180524583179238-5920110
20Mladost Doboj, Kakanj5149454460170208-381796
21JedinstvoBihać4128531461171203-321737
22VitezVitez5154393481126210-841519
23BudućnostBanovići4128392168139199-601388
24GOŠKGabela4125333260110175-651317
25LaktašiLaktaši390351441122125-31198
26KrupaBanja Luka397302938115124-91194
27Rudar Ugljevik398341450118143-251169
28GlasinacSokolac26825103371103-328514
29DrinaZvornik39020125868159-917213
30Tuzla CityTuzla2551914225973-14715
31BrotnjoČitluk26819143576114-387113
32KozaraGradiška26819133674107-337015
33Mladost Velika Obarska2601417294282-405911
34Zvijezda 09Bijeljina2551016294596-51469
35Mladost Gacko138116214065-253918
36MetallegheJajce132711142534-93211
37BosnaVisoko138413328107-791320
38GradinaSrebrenik13016231757-40916

1 In the 2004–05 season, Borac Banja Luka were deducted 1 point.

2 In the 2006–07 season, Zrinjski were deducted 1 point.

3 In the 2013–14 season, Slavija were deducted 3 points.

4 In the 2019–20 season, Čelik were deducted 3 points.