1996–97 Croatian Second Football League

Druga HNL
Season1996–97
ChampionsBudućnost Hodošan (North Division)
Croatia Đakovo (East Division)
Lučko (Center Division)
Jadran Poreč (West Division)
RNK Split (South Division)
PromotedNone
Relegated25 clubs

The 1996–97 Druga HNL (also known as 2. HNL) season was the 6th season of Croatia's second-level football since its establishment in 1992.

The league consisted of 83 teams organized into three geographic groups: Sjever (North, 16 teams), Istok (East, 16 teams), Središte (Center, 16 teams), Zapad (West, 16 teams), and Jug (South, 19 teams).

North Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Budućnost Hodošan (C) 30 24 2 4 91 26 +65 74
2 Bjelovar 30 23 4 3 73 25 +48 73
3 Sloboda Varaždin 30 22 4 4 70 28 +42 70
4 Daruvar 30 19 5 6 64 28 +36 62
5 Podravac Virje 30 17 5 8 104 44 +60 56
6 Omladinac Novo Selo Rok 30 14 9 7 50 35 +15 51
7 Mladost-Nada Hrastovac 30 14 7 9 52 37 +15 49
8 Graničar Đurđevac 30 12 4 14 43 46 −3 40
9 Podravina Ludbreg 30 10 7 13 31 41 −10 37
10 Kraljevčan 38 (R) 30 10 6 14 53 56 −3 36 Relegation to Croatian Third Football League
11 Mladost Ždralovi 30 9 4 17 32 56 −24 31
12 Spartak Mala Subotica 30 9 2 19 38 52 −14 29
13 Križevci 30 8 4 18 29 57 −28 28
14 MIV Sračinec (R) 30 6 4 20 31 85 −54 22 Relegation to Croatian Third Football League
15 Polet Pribislavec 30 4 5 21 26 86 −60 17
16 Dinamo Predavac (R) 30 2 2 26 21 106 −85 8 Relegation to Croatian Third Football League

East Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Croatia Đakovo (C) 30 21 5 4 81 22 +59 68
2 Baranja Beli Manastir 30 17 7 6 54 22 +32 58
3 Dilj 30 17 5 8 65 31 +34 55
4 Amater Slavonski Brod 30 17 3 10 60 28 +32 54
5 Otok 30 17 2 11 49 38 +11 53
6 NAŠK Našicecement 30 14 8 8 33 24 +9 50
7 Đakovo 30 12 7 11 36 40 −4 43
8 Mladost Cernik 30 11 9 10 47 40 +7 42
9 Čepin 30 11 7 12 35 35 0 40
10 Satnica 30 12 4 14 37 41 −4 40
11 Slobodnica (R) 30 9 7 14 30 51 −21 34 Relegation to Croatian Third Football League
12 Slavija Pleternica (R) 30 8 7 15 41 51 −10 31
13 Lokomotiva Vinkovci (R) 30 10 6 14 31 48 −17 36
14 Jedinstvo Donji Miholjac (R) 30 6 7 17 37 72 −35 25
15 Podvinje (R) 30 6 4 20 23 84 −61 22
16 Metalac OLT Osijek (R) 30 5 6 19 24 54 −30 21
Source: RSSSF.org
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Center Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Lučko (C) 30 22 6 2 68 25 +43 72
2 Badel Sesvete 30 19 3 8 53 32 +21 60
3 Karlovac 30 17 7 6 56 32 +24 58
4 PIK Vrbovec 30 15 4 11 57 40 +17 49
5 Metalac Sisak 30 13 6 11 60 47 +13 45
6 Radnik Velika Gorica 30 11 11 8 37 24 +13 44
7 Dinamo Odranski Obrež 30 11 8 11 42 33 +9 41
8 Regeneracija Mladost Zabok 30 11 7 12 36 46 −10 40
9 Chromos/Posavina 30 12 4 14 36 47 −11 40
10 Lokomotiva Zagreb 30 10 6 14 36 43 −7 36
11 Špansko 30 10 5 15 38 47 −9 35
12 Vrapče (R) 30 9 7 14 37 45 −8 34 Relegation to Croatian Third Football League
13 Stubica AM (R) 30 9 6 15 43 58 −15 33
14 Trešnjevka (R) 30 7 10 13 34 52 −18 31
15 Moslavina (R) 30 7 7 16 33 55 −22 28
16 Ilovac Karlovac (R) 30 5 7 18 18 53 −35 22
Source: RSSSF.org
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

West Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Jadran Poreč (C) 30 22 3 5 61 20 +41 69
2 Pomorac 30 22 3 5 63 16 +47 69
3 Uljanik 30 19 6 5 65 21 +44 63
4 Gospić '91 30 16 5 9 47 34 +13 53
5 Žminj 30 11 9 10 38 38 0 42
6 Opatija[a] 30 10 10 10 41 40 +1 39
7 Pazinka 30 10 9 11 32 33 −1 39
8 Grobničan 30 11 6 13 31 35 −4 39
9 Nehaj 30 11 5 14 46 46 0 38
10 Pula ICI (R) 30 10 8 12 38 47 −9 38 Relegation to Croatian Third Football League
11 Rudar Labin 30 9 7 14 27 45 −18 34
12 Klana (R) 30 9 5 16 33 51 −18 32 Relegation to Croatian Third Football League
13 Buje 30 6 13 11 35 41 −6 31
14 Vrbovsko 30 9 4 17 34 56 −22 31
15 Rovinj 30 7 9 14 32 53 −21 30
16 Crikvenica (R) 30 5 4 21 24 71 −47 19 Relegation to Croatian Third Football League
Source: RSSSF.org
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Opatija were deducted one point.

South Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 RNK Split (C) 36 25 5 6 73 25 +48 80
2 Raštane 36 22 4 10 75 34 +41 70
3 Jadran NGB Ploče 36 18 9 9 56 27 +29 63
4 Omiš 36 19 6 11 60 36 +24 63
5 Mladost Imotska krajina 36 19 4 13 58 36 +22 61
6 Hrvatski vitez Posedarje 36 18 6 12 53 41 +12 60
7 Prevlaka Gruda 36 17 8 11 49 29 +20 59
8 Jadran Kaštel Sućurac 36 17 7 12 54 35 +19 58
9 Zmaj Makarska 36 16 10 10 55 35 +20 58
10 Solin 36 17 7 12 61 41 +20 58
11 Val Kaštel Stari 36 16 9 11 52 34 +18 57
12 DOŠK Drniš (R) 36 14 5 17 39 58 −19 47 Relegation to Croatian Third Football League
13 Neretvanac (R) 36 14 4 18 43 58 −15 46
14 GOŠK Adriachem Kaštel Gomilica (R) 36 11 10 15 34 52 −18 43
15 Primorac Biograd na Moru (R) 36 11 8 17 37 49 −12 41
16 Dinara (R) 36 11 8 17 27 44 −17 41
17 Croatia Zmijavci (R) 36 8 5 23 28 72 −44 29
18 Trogir (R) 36 4 7 25 35 82 −47 19
19 Jadran Tučepi (R) 36 2 4 30 10 103 −93 10
Source: RSSSF.org
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated