The draw to reveal the matches for the new Croatian First League (HNL) competition season was held at the Croatian Football Federation premises in Zagreb. The draw decided that in the first round, Istra 1961 – Hajduk, Varaždin – Slaven Belupo, Dinamo – Lokomotiva, Osijek – Gorica, and Šibenik – Rijeka will play.
The first game of the first round is scheduled for July 16, and the first big derby of Croatian sport will be played in the 5th round when Dinamo welcomes Hajduk at Maksimir.
Hajduk and Dinamo will open the new competition season with the Super Cup match in Zagreb on July 9. The exact dates and times for each round will be added when they are defined.
Schedule (so far)
1. Round (15. – 17.7.): Istra – Hajduk, Varaždin – Slaven, Dinamo – Lokomotiva, Osijek – Gorica, Šibenik – Rijeka
2. Round (22. – 24.7): Hajduk – Rijeka, Gorica – Šibenik, Lokomotiva – Osijek, Slaven – Dinamo, Istra – Varaždin
3. Round (29. – 31.7.): Varaždin – Hajduk, Dinamo – Istra, Osijek – Slaven, Šibenik – Lokomotiva, Rijeka – Gorica
4. Round (5.-7.8.): Hajduk – Gorica, Lokomotiva – Rijeka, Slaven – Šibenik, Istra – Osijek, Varaždin – Dinamo
5. Round (12. – 14.8.): Dinamo – Hajduk, Osijek – Varaždin, Šibenik – Istra, Rijeka – Slaven, Gorica – Lokomotiva
6. Round (19. – 21.8.): Hajduk – Lokomotiva, Slaven – Gorica, Istra – Rijeka, Varaždin – Šibenik, Dinamo – Osijek
7. Round (26. – 28.8): Osijek – Hajduk, Šibenik – Dinamo, Rijeka – Varaždin, Gorica – Istra, Lokomotiva – Šibenik
8. Round (2. – 4.9.): Hajduk – Slaven, Istra – Lokomotiva, Varaždin – Gorica, Dinamo – Rijeka, Osijek – Šibenik
9. Round (9. – 11.9): Šibenik – Hajduk, Rijeka – Osijek, Gorica – Dinamo, Lokomotiva – Varaždin, Slaven – Istra
Furthermore, it was announced yesterday that HNL is returning to HRT. After an 11-year hiatus, live broadcasts of the Croatian Football League are returning to the public service program. This is the result of an agreement between Hrvatski Telekom and Hrvatska radiotelevizija.
The four-year contract guarantees broadcasts of 27 games per season that will be available to all citizens of the Republic of Croatia. It is a total of 108 matches thanks to which the HNL will have a wider reach.
“First of all, we are happy and satisfied that an agreement has been reached between Hrvatski Telekom and Hrvatska radiotelevizija and that HNL is returning to national television. This is good for Croatian clubs and fans. In the historic contract we signed, one of the main items was for the HNL to return to national television, so we are especially happy about that. I am sure that the people who will work on this HRT project will provide our viewers with a good program,” said Marijan Kustić, president of the Croatian Football Federation.
Although we have been following the domestic league through sports and news programs, this contract will bring added value to public television, but also to football fans. The show “Stadium” also moves forward this summer, from the first round of the championship, in its current term on Monday night at 8 pm, and with the beginning of autumn, on Sunday at 9 pm, immediately after the end of the last match of the round. This will enable the HRT Sports Program to give its viewers a quick and high-quality overview of all the interesting things that domestic football has to offer.
“Yes, Stadium will follow our domestic football from the beginning of the championship, and the broadcasts will arrive in mid-September when our autumn program starts. Sunday at 3 pm will be our regular term, the term of domestic football on our Second Program. We have 27 games under contract, including four derby matches. We have provided good picks, as a national house we must provide everyone with a television broadcast. I believe that at the end of the story, everyone will be satisfied,” said Marko Šapit from the Sports Department of HRT.
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