Friday, November 16, 2007

Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Premier League is the top football league in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The league is composed of 16 teams. Two teams are relegated at the end of every season. The winner of the Premier League is seeded into the Champions League. The winner of the Football Cup of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Premier League runners up are seeded into the UEFA Cup.
At the end of the season last two teams are relegated, and winners of First League of Republika Srpska and First League of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina are promoted to Premier League.
The league is operated by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Progressions and relegations in 2007
Until 2000, there were three separate championships on ethnic principles (Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats). Every entity had its own champions and cup winners. In 1998. Željezničar became first official champion of Bosnia-Herzegovina after the play-off organized by UEFA and Football Association of Bosnia-Herzegovina. In 2000. second play-off was held, and since 2000/2001 season regular league started (but without Bosnian Serbs' clubs who continued their separated league for two more seasons). Since the 2002/2003 season Premijer liga is being played in the entire country.
Regional leagues champions

2006/2007 - FK Sarajevo
2005/2006 - NK Široki Brijeg
2004/2005 - HŠK Zrinjski Mostar
2003/2004 - NK Široki Brijeg
2002/2003 - FK Leotar Trebinje
2001/2002 - FK Željezničar
2000/2001 - FK Željezničar
1999/2000 - FK Sarajevo
1997/1998 - NK Željezničar Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina Premier League Champions
Note from above can be referred to cup competition as well. Three separated cups were organized. In 1998, for the first time, Bosnia-Herzegovina got his official cup winner after the Super final between FK Sarajevo and HNK Orašje (winners of two different cups). In 1999/2000 season, normal cup format was organized for the first time in Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Since, 2001/2002 season, clubs from entire country are competing in cup.

2006/2007 - NK Široki Brijeg
2005/2006 - HNK Orašje
2004/2005 - FK Sarajevo
2003/2004 - FK Modriča Maxima
2002/2003 - FK Željezničar
2001/2002 - FK Sarajevo
2000/2001 - FK Željezničar
1999/2000 - NK Željezničar
1998/1999 - NK Bosna Visoko
1997/1998 - FK Sarajevo Clubs in Europe for the 2005/2006 season
Four clubs from Bosnia and Herzegovina will participate in European competitions this year. Finishing first in the league last year, NK Široki Brijeg qualified for the UEFA Champions League. They beat FC Shakhtyor of Belarus in the first qualifying round and later lost to Hearts of Scotland in the second qualifying round. FK Sarajevo, as runner-up in the league, and HNK Orašje, as cup-winner, have entered the UEFA Cup. They played FC Rànger's of Andorra and NK Domžale of Slovenia respectively. HNK Orašje was eliminated, while FK Sarajevo won in both games. In second qualifying round, they lost to Romanian side AFC Rapid Bucureşti.
As third-place finisher NK Zrinjski Mostar entered the UEFA Intertoto Cup. They played Marsaxlokk F.C. of Malta in the first round, defeating them. They have advanced to the second round of the competition where they have lost to Israel's Maccabi Petah Tikva FC.