March 19, 2020 – HNS has announced that the Croatian football league must be completed by June 28, 2020.
When the Croatian League finally resumes is a question that has plagued fans of the Croatian football championship since the coronavirus halted the entire world of sports, including competitions in Croatia.
There are 10 more rounds left until the end of the season in the highest ranking of competitions in Croatia, with two more semi-finals and the Cup final to be played.
After UEFA postponed the European Championship on Tuesday and ordered clubs and national federations to finish all domestic championships by June 30, the Croatian Football Federation announced its decision the following day:
1. Playing all competitions under the jurisdiction of the Croatian Football Federation will be following the decisions of the National Civil Protection Staff of the Republic of Croatia and the recommendations of UEFA.
2. The competitions referred to in point 1 of this Decision shall end by 28 June 2020.
3. The HNS Working Bodies and Competition Commissioners shall be responsible for drafting a new schedule for the 2019/20 match year.
4. All other competition-related matters will be subject to the respective decisions of FIFA and UEFA.
Recall, the Croatia League is currently suspended until March 31, 2020, though with Croatia on lockdown until April 19, when it will begin again is still in question.
On March 12, HNS announced:
“In accordance with the recommendation of the Central State Office for Sport on the postponement of all international and national sports competitions at all levels, taking into account the recommendations of the Civil Protection Staff and the new situation in the Republic of Croatia, i.e., the increase in the number of infected, the Executive Board of the Croatian Football Federation and the competent authorities have decided to stop all football competitions in Croatia – men’s, women’s, futsal all HNS leagues, inter-county and county leagues, the Croatian Cup, or all matches of youth, seniors and veterans – until March 31, 2020.
For training, it is recommended to adhere to all the hygiene and safety instructions of the National Civil Protection Headquarters in order to be conducted in the safest possible conditions for the health of the athletes.
As before, HNS will closely monitor the development of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic and, as recommended by the public health institutions, determine new measures, taking into account, in particular, the health of football players, spectators and all other football actors. The football family and the public will be informed in due time of any further measures,” HNS announced on its website.
Before that, on March 11, the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) adopted a new measure to protect spectators, clubs, players and competitions during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Taking into account the emerging circumstances regarding the epidemic of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, today the leading people of the HNS and the relevant bodies of the Federation have re-analyzed the current situation and decided that all matches in competitions under the jurisdiction of the HNS will be played without spectators until March 31.
The new measure applies to the HT First League, Croatian Cup, 2. HNL, 3. HNL, 1. HNLŽ, 2. HNLŽ, 1. HMNL, 2. HMNL and all youth leagues under the auspices of HNS, as well as the upcoming UEFA qualifying matches that take place in Croatia.
In these competitions, only teams with their staff, senior management and officials of clubs and HNS, technical staff and a certain number of media representatives will be able to attend the matches until further notice, with all the usual measures for organizing matches.
The HNS also recommends that all county associations take the same measure in competitions under their jurisdiction.
As before, the HNS will closely monitor the development of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic and, if necessary, determine other measures to which the football family and the public will be informed in due time. The decision shall enter into force immediately and shall be valid until March 31 or the end of the representative break. The Federation will make a timely decision to continue or discontinue this measure, taking into account developments, recommendations from public health institutions, and considering, above all, the health of spectators, football players and all other actors in football.”
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
