The Executive Committee of the Croatian Football Federation made several decisions at its fifth session held on June 4, 2018.
The Executive Committee of the Croatian Football Federation first decided that Croatia’s Nations League game against England will be played in Rijeka at Rujevica Stadium, announced HNS on June 4, 2018.
“The Nations League game against England, which will be played without spectators to serve a sentence imposed by UEFA regarding the swastika at Poljud Stadium in the match against Italy in 2015, will be played on October 12, 2018, in Rijeka at Rujevica Stadium. Three days later, in the same stadium, a friendly match against the national team of Jordan will be played.”
HNS also announced that and the Second HNL (Croatian National League) will have 14 clubs instead of 12 in the 2018/19 season. The Second Croatian National League will see NK Varaždin, NK Hrvatski dragovoljac, NK Lučko, NK Solin, HNK Šibenik, GNK Dinamo II, HNK Hajduk II, NK Osijek II, NK Sesvete, NK Kustošija, NK Dugopolje, BSK Bijelo Brdo, NK Međimurje and NK Zadar.
Perhaps the most exciting announcement from the meeting was that the Federation had begun the procedure to introduce VAR technology (video assistant referee) for HNS competitions, following FIFA’s regulations and procedures.
The HNS Executive Board adopted the calendar of the Croatian First League and Cup competitions, and the list of first and second HNL delegates, as well as the report on the procedure for licensing clubs for the 2018/19 season.
Also interesting was that a new Rulebook for referees and referee instructors was adopted, and Igor Pristovnik, HNS commissioner for referees for the First HNL and Croatian Cup, was dismissed.
