The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has entered into a landmark five-year partnership with Hawk-Eye Innovations, appointing the Sony-owned sports technology company as its official video assistant referee (VAR) technology provider from the 2026-27 season through to the end of the 2030-31 campaign.
The long-term agreement marks a significant investment in the technological infrastructure of Croatian football, with Hawk-Eye set to deliver its end-to-end VAR solution across the country’s premier domestic competitions. The partnership will cover every fixture in the SuperSport Hrvatska Nogometna Liga (HNL), the Croatian Super Cup and Croatian Cup matches from the quarter-final stage onwards, supporting up to 188 matches annually across 10 stadiums.
Beyond supplying VAR technology, Hawk-Eye will provide its complete officiating ecosystem, including SMART Replay technology, replay operations, engineering support and match-day technical services. The company will also conduct comprehensive training programmes for Croatian referees ahead of the new season, ensuring officials are fully equipped to operate the system to international standards.
The agreement reflects HNS’ broader commitment to modernising Croatian football by strengthening officiating standards, enhancing competition integrity and investing in long-term technological development.
Max Wright, Managing Director, Football at Hawk-Eye, said, “Our VAR technology and service continue to be the gold standard in video officiating in football, and we are extremely proud that the Croatian Football Federation has chosen us as its partner for the next five years. We look forward to supporting the federation in ensuring the Croatian Football League has the highest level of officiating for many years to come.”
Josip Tomaško, General Secretary of the Croatian Football Federation, added, “The implementation of the most advanced technological solutions is an important part of the continuous development of Croatian football. By entering into this five-year partnership with Hawk-Eye, we have secured the long-term stability of the VAR system and ensured the highest standards of its implementation across our competitions.”
“We are confident that Hawk-Eye’s technology, expertise and experience will further enhance the quality of refereeing, the integrity of our competitions and the trust of everyone involved in Croatian football. HNS remains committed to investing in infrastructure, education and modern solutions that keep pace with the ongoing development of world football. We are delighted to be working with a global leader in officiating technology over the coming years, ensuring that our competitions continue to be delivered to the highest standards of organisation and match operations.”
The deal further expands Hawk-Eye Innovations’ presence across global football, where it already delivers officiating technology for several of the world’s leading leagues and governing bodies, including the Premier League, Serie A, Ligue 1 and FIFA competitions. For HNS, the partnership provides long-term operational certainty while aligning Croatian football with the technological standards increasingly adopted across elite European football.
