Yugoslav First League
Yugoslavia · From 1923 to 1992
The Yugoslav First League was the top football division in Yugoslavia from 1923 until 1992. It served as the premier national competition during both the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and later the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Alongside the national cup competition, it formed the foundation of domestic football and became one of the most respected leagues in Eastern Europe.
The league experienced several format changes throughout its long history. The first seasons were played in a cup-style format before a round-robin system was introduced in 1927. After World War II, the competition resumed and continued to grow in strength, eventually becoming fully professional in 1967. Clubs from different republics competed, creating intense rivalries and helping develop many legendary players.
Many famous clubs such as Red Star Belgrade, Partizan, Dinamo Zagreb, and Hajduk Split became major forces within the league. Red Star Belgrade finished as the most successful club with nineteen championship titles, while the final season in 1991–92 ended shortly before the breakup of Yugoslavia led to the creation of separate national leagues across the region.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | 3rd place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-92 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Partizan
|
FK Vojvodina
|
| 1990-91 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
FK Partizan
|
| 1989-90 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
| 1988-89 |
FK Vojvodina
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
| 1987-88 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Partizan
|
FK Velež Mostar
|
| 1986-87 |
FK Partizan
|
FK Velež Mostar
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
| 1985-86 |
FK Partizan
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Velež Mostar
|
| 1984-85 |
FK Sarajevo
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
FK Partizan
|
| 1983-84 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Partizan
|
FK Željezničar Sarajevo
|
| 1982-83 |
FK Partizan
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
| 1981-82 |
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
| 1980-81 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
FK Radnički Niš
|
| 1979-80 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Sarajevo
|
FK Radnički Niš
|
| 1978-79 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
| 1977-78 |
FK Partizan
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
| 1976-77 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
FK Sloboda Tuzla
|
| 1975-76 |
FK Partizan
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
| 1974-75 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
FK Vojvodina
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
| 1973-74 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
FK Velež Mostar
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
| 1972-73 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Velež Mostar
|
OFK Beograd
|
| 1971-72 |
FK Željezničar Sarajevo
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
OFK Beograd
|
| 1970-71 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
FK Željezničar Sarajevo
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
| 1969-70 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Partizan
|
FK Velež Mostar
|
| 1968-69 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
FK Partizan
|
| 1967-68 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Partizan
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
| 1966-67 |
FK Sarajevo
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
FK Partizan
|
| 1965-66 |
FK Vojvodina
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
FK Velež Mostar
|
| 1964-65 |
FK Partizan
|
FK Sarajevo
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
| 1963-64 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
OFK Beograd
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
| 1962-63 |
FK Partizan
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
FK Željezničar Sarajevo
|
| 1961-62 |
FK Partizan
|
FK Vojvodina
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
| 1960-61 |
FK Partizan
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
| 1959-60 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
FK Partizan
|
| 1958-59 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Partizan
|
FK Vojvodina
|
| 1957-58 |
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
FK Partizan
|
FK Radnički Beograd
|
| 1956-57 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Vojvodina
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
| 1955-56 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Partizan
|
FK Radnički Beograd
|
| 1954-55 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
OFK Beograd
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
| 1953-54 |
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
FK Partizan
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
| 1952-53 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
FK Partizan
|
| 1952 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
NK Lokomotiva Zagreb
|
| 1951 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
| 1950 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
FK Partizan
|
| 1948-49 |
FK Partizan
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
| 1947-48 |
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
FK Partizan
|
| 1946-47 |
FK Partizan
|
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
Red Star Belgrade
|
| 1939-40 |
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
OFK Beograd
|
FK Slavija Sarajevo
|
| 1938-39 |
OFK Beograd
|
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
SK Jugoslavija
|
| 1937-38 |
HAŠK Zagreb
|
OFK Beograd
|
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
| 1936-37 |
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
OFK Beograd
|
| 1936 |
OFK Beograd
|
FK Slavija Sarajevo
|
—
|
| 1935 |
OFK Beograd
|
SK Jugoslavija
|
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
| 1933 |
OFK Beograd
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
SK Jugoslavija
|
| 1932 |
SK Jugoslavija
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
—
|
| 1931 |
OFK Beograd
|
SK Jugoslavija
|
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
| 1930 |
HŠK Concordia
|
SK Jugoslavija
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
| 1929 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
OFK Beograd
|
SK Jugoslavija
|
| 1928 |
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
OFK Beograd
|
| 1927 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
OFK Beograd
|
HAŠK Zagreb
|
| 1926 |
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
SK Jugoslavija
|
—
|
| 1925 |
SK Jugoslavija
|
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
—
|
| 1924 |
SK Jugoslavija
|
HNK Hajduk Split
|
—
|
| 1923 |
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
SAŠK Sarajevo
|
—
|
| # | Club | Count | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Red Star Belgrade
|
19 | 1951, 1952-53, 1955-56, 1956-57, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1963-64, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1972-73, 1976-77, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1983-84, 1987-88, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92 |
| 9 | 1948-49, 1950, 1952, 1960-61, 1971-72, 1977-78, 1981-82, 1985-86, 1988-89 | ||
| 7 | 1946-47, 1953-54, 1964-65, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1978-79, 1986-87 | ||
| 2 |
FK Partizan
|
11 | 1946-47, 1948-49, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1964-65, 1975-76, 1977-78, 1982-83, 1985-86, 1986-87 |
| 9 | 1953-54, 1955-56, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1967-68, 1969-70, 1983-84, 1987-88, 1991-92 | ||
| 8 | 1947-48, 1950, 1952-53, 1959-60, 1966-67, 1968-69, 1984-85, 1990-91 | ||
| 3 |
HNK Hajduk Split
|
9 | 1927, 1929, 1950, 1952, 1954-55, 1970-71, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1978-79 |
| 11 | 1924, 1928, 1932, 1933, 1936-37, 1947-48, 1952-53, 1975-76, 1980-81, 1982-83, 1984-85 | ||
| 9 | 1930, 1948-49, 1951, 1956-57, 1960-61, 1977-78, 1981-82, 1988-89, 1989-90 | ||
| 4 |
OFK Beograd
|
5 | 1931, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1938-39 |
| 6 | 1927, 1929, 1937-38, 1939-40, 1954-55, 1963-64 | ||
| 4 | 1928, 1936-37, 1971-72, 1972-73 | ||
| 5 |
HŠK Građanski Zagreb
|
5 | 1923, 1926, 1928, 1936-37, 1939-40 |
| 2 | 1925, 1938-39 | ||
| 3 | 1931, 1935, 1937-38 | ||
| 6 |
GNK Dinamo Zagreb
|
4 | 1947-48, 1953-54, 1957-58, 1981-82 |
| 11 | 1946-47, 1951, 1959-60, 1962-63, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1968-69, 1976-77, 1978-79, 1989-90, 1990-91 | ||
| 7 | 1954-55, 1961-62, 1963-64, 1967-68, 1970-71, 1975-76, 1982-83 | ||
| 7 |
SK Jugoslavija
|
3 | 1924, 1925, 1932 |
| 4 | 1926, 1930, 1931, 1935 | ||
| 3 | 1929, 1933, 1938-39 | ||
| 8 |
FK Vojvodina
|
2 | 1965-66, 1988-89 |
| 3 | 1956-57, 1961-62, 1974-75 | ||
| 2 | 1958-59, 1991-92 | ||
| 9 |
FK Sarajevo
|
2 | 1966-67, 1984-85 |
| 2 | 1964-65, 1979-80 | ||
| 0 | — | ||
| 10 |
FK Željezničar Sarajevo
|
1 | 1971-72 |
| 1 | 1970-71 | ||
| 2 | 1962-63, 1983-84 | ||
| 11 |
HAŠK Zagreb
|
1 | 1937-38 |
| 0 | — | ||
| 1 | 1927 | ||
| 12 |
HŠK Concordia
|
1 | 1930 |
| 0 | — | ||
| 0 | — | ||
| 13 |
FK Velež Mostar
|
0 | — |
| 3 | 1972-73, 1973-74, 1986-87 | ||
| 4 | 1965-66, 1969-70, 1985-86, 1987-88 | ||
| 14 |
FK Slavija Sarajevo
|
0 | — |
| 1 | 1936 | ||
| 1 | 1939-40 | ||
| 15 | SAŠK Sarajevo | 0 | — |
| 1 | 1923 | ||
| 0 | — | ||
| 16 |
FK Radnički Beograd
|
0 | — |
| 0 | — | ||
| 2 | 1955-56, 1957-58 | ||
| 17 |
FK Radnički Niš
|
0 | — |
| 0 | — | ||
| 2 | 1979-80, 1980-81 | ||
| 18 |
NK Lokomotiva Zagreb
|
0 | — |
| 0 | — | ||
| 1 | 1952 | ||
| 19 |
FK Sloboda Tuzla
|
0 | — |
| 0 | — | ||
| 1 | 1976-77 |