About First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Following the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 and the outbreak of the Bosnian War, organized football in the country was severely disrupted. The planned 1992–93 season was not played, and only limited, regional competitions resumed in late 1993 under difficult conditions. Football became fragmented along ethnic and political lines, reflecting the broader divisions within the country at the time.

During the war years, three separate league systems emerged: one organized by Bosniak authorities under the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina, another by Bosnian Croats (First League of Herzeg-Bosnia), and a third by Bosnian Serbs (First League of Republika Srpska). These leagues operated independently, with little or no interaction between them. As a result, there was no unified national champion, and football remained regionally isolated.

After the war, efforts began to unify the football structure. FIFA and UEFA recognized only the official national association, pushing for integration. Between 1997 and 2000, partial cooperation was achieved through play-offs involving Bosniak and Croat clubs, though Serbian clubs initially refused to participate. These transitional arrangements laid the groundwork for the eventual creation of a single national competition in 2000.