The Yugoslav First League (Bosnian: Prva savezna liga u fudbalu, , , , , , ) was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1923–1940) and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1946–1992).
The First League Championship was one of two national competitions held annually in Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav Cup being the other.
The league became fully professional in 1967.
Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1923–1940)
This was the first club competition on a national level for clubs from Kingdom of Yugoslavia (named the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes until 1929). The league was started in 1923 and the first four seasons had a cup tournament format, while the first round-robin league competition was held in 1927. In the period from 1927 to 1940 seventeen seasons were completed, with all the titles won by clubs from Croatia (Građanski Zagreb, Concordia Zagreb, HAŠK Zagreb and Hajduk Split) or Serbia (BSK and SK Jugoslavija).
It was governed at first by the Croatian-named Nogometni Savez Jugoslavije (Football Association of Yugoslavia), founded in April 1919 in Zagreb, until in late 1929 disagreements arose between the Zagreb and Belgrade branches of the association. This resulted in the association headquarters being moved to Belgrade in May 1930 where it adopted the Serbian name Fudbalski Savez Jugoslavije and continued operating the league until it was suspended due to the outbreak of World War II. Consequently, with the moving of headquarters, Croatian players and coaches boycotted Yugoslavia national team. With the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia, separate Croatian and Serbian leagues were established, which operated during the World War II.
Champions and top scorers
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! Season
! Format
! Champions
! Runners-up
! Top scorer(s)<br>(Double round-robin; 6 clubs)
| Građanski Zagreb (5)
| BSK
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Svetislav Glišović<br>(BSK)
| 10
|-
|}
Performance by clubs
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!#
!Club
!Champions
!Runners-up
|-
|1
|BSK
|5
|4
|-
|2
|Građanski Zagreb
|5
|2
|-
|3
|Hajduk Split
|2
|5
|-
|4
|SK Jugoslavija
|2
|3
|-
|5
|Concordia Zagreb
|2
|1
|-
|6
|HAŠK
|1
|0
|-
|7
|Slavija Sarajevo
|0
|1
|-
|8
|SAŠK Sarajevo
|0
|1
|}
World War II competitions
- Serbian Football League (1940–1944), in Serbia (Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia)
- , in Croatia (Independent State of Croatia)
Post-World War II tournament
{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Season
!scope="col" width="105"|Champions
!scope="col" width="105"|Runners-up
!scope="col" width="105"|Third place
!scope="col"|Top scorer(s)
!scope="col"|Goals
|-
|align=center|1945
!scope=row|SR Serbia (1)
| JNA
| SR Croatia
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Stjepan Bobek (JNA)
|align=center|8
|}
SFR Yugoslavia (1946–1992)
Champions and top scorers
{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Season
!scope="col" width="105"|Champions
!scope="col" width="105"|Runners-up
!scope="col" width="105"|Third place
!scope="col"|Top scorer(s)
!scope="col"|Goals
|-
|align=center|1946–47
!scope=row|Partizan (1)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Red Star
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Franjo Wölfl (Dinamo Zagreb)
|align=center|28
|-
|align=center|1947–48
!scope=row|Dinamo Zagreb (1)
| Hajduk Split
| Partizan
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Franjo Wölfl (Dinamo Zagreb)
|align=center|22
|-
|align=center|1948–49
!scope=row|Partizan (2)
| Red Star
| Hajduk Split
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Frane Matošić (Hajduk Split)
|align=center|17
|-
|align=center|1950
!scope=row|Hajduk Split (1)
| Red Star
| Partizan
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Marko Valok (Partizan)
|align=center|17
|-
|align=center|1951
!scope=row|Red Star (1)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Hajduk Split
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Kosta Tomašević (Red Star)
|align=center|16
|-
|align=center|1952
!scope=row|Hajduk Split (2)
| Red Star
| Lokomotiva
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Stanoje Jocić (BSK)
|align=center|13
|-
|align=center|1952–53
!scope=row|Red Star (2)
| Hajduk Split
| Partizan
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Todor Živanović (Red Star)
|align=center|17
|-
|align=center|1953–54
!scope=row|Dinamo Zagreb (2)
| Partizan
| Red Star
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Stjepan Bobek (Partizan)
|align=center|21
|-
|align=center|1954–55
!scope=row|Hajduk Split (3)
| BSK
| Dinamo Zagreb
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Predrag Marković (BSK)<br />Kosta Tomašević (Spartak Subotica)<br />Bernard Vukas (Hajduk Split)
|align=center|20
|-
|align=center|1955–56
!scope=row|Red Star (3)
| Partizan
| Radnički Belgrade
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Muhamed Mujić (Velež Mostar)<br />Tihomir Ognjanov (Spartak Subotica)<br />Todor Veselinović (Vojvodina)
|align=center|21
|-
|align=center|1956–57
!scope=row|Red Star (4)
| Vojvodina
| Hajduk Split
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Todor Veselinović (Vojvodina)
|align=center|28
|-
|align=center|1957–58
!scope=row|Dinamo Zagreb (3)
| Partizan
| Radnički Belgrade
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Todor Veselinović (Vojvodina)
|align=center|19
|-
|align=center|1958–59
!scope=row|Red Star (5)
| Partizan
| Vojvodina
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Bora Kostić (Red Star)
|align=center|25
|-
|align=center|1959–60
!scope=row|Red Star (6)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Partizan
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Bora Kostić (Red Star)
|align=center|19
|-
|align=center|1960–61
!scope=row|Partizan (3)
| Red Star
| Hajduk Split
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Zoran Prljinčević (Radnički Belgrade)<br />Todor Veselinović (Vojvodina)
|align=center|16
|-
|align=center|1961–62
!scope=row|Partizan (4)
| Vojvodina
| Dinamo Zagreb
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Dražan Jerković (Dinamo Zagreb)
|align=center|16
|-
|align=center|1962–63
!scope=row|Partizan (5)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Željezničar
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Mišo Smajlović (Željezničar)
|align=center|18
|-
|align=center|1963–64
!scope=row|Red Star (7)
| OFK Belgrade
| Dinamo Zagreb
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Asim Ferhatović (FK Sarajevo)
|align=center|19
|-
|align=center|1964–65
!scope=row|Partizan (6)
| FK Sarajevo
| Red Star
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Zlatko Dračić (NK Zagreb)
|align=center|23
|-
|align=center|1965–66
!scope=row|Vojvodina (1)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Velež Mostar
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Petar Nadoveza (Hajduk Split)
|align=center|21
|-
|align=center|1966–67
!scope=row|FK Sarajevo (1)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Partizan
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Mustafa Hasanagić (Partizan)
|align=center|18
|-
|align=center|1967–68
!scope=row|Red Star (8)
| Partizan
| Dinamo Zagreb
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Slobodan Santrač (OFK Belgrade)
|align=center|22
|-
|align=center|1968–69
!scope=row|Red Star (9)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Partizan
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Vojin Lazarević (Red Star)
|align=center|22
|-
|align=center|1969–70
!scope=row|Red Star (10)
| Partizan
| Velež Mostar
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Slobodan Santrač (OFK Belgrade)<br />Dušan Bajević (Velež Mostar)
|align=center|20
|-
|align=center|1970–71
!scope=row|Hajduk Split (4)
| Željezničar
| Dinamo Zagreb
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Petar Nadoveza (Hajduk Split)<br />Božo Janković (Željezničar)
|align=center|20
|-
|align=center|1971–72
!scope=row|Željezničar (1)
| Red Star
| OFK Belgrade
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Slobodan Santrač (OFK Belgrade)
|align=center|33
|-
|align=center|1972–73
!scope=row|Red Star (11)
| Velež Mostar
| OFK Belgrade
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Slobodan Santrač (OFK Belgrade)<br />Vojin Lazarević (Red Star)
|align=center|25
|-
|align=center|1973–74
!scope=row|Hajduk Split (5)
| Velež Mostar
| Red Star
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Danilo Popivoda (Olimpija Ljubljana)
|align=center|17
|-
|align=center|1974–75
!scope=row|Hajduk Split (6)
| Vojvodina
| Red Star
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Dušan Savić (Red Star)<br />Boško Đorđević (Partizan)
|align=center|20
|-
|align=center|1975–76
!scope=row|Partizan (7)
| Hajduk Split
| Dinamo Zagreb
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Nenad Bjeković (Partizan)
|align=center|24
|-
|align=center|1976–77
!scope=row|Red Star (12)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Sloboda Tuzla
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Zoran Filipović (Red Star)
|align=center|21
|-
|align=center|1977–78
!scope=row|Partizan (8)
| Red Star
| Hajduk Split
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Radomir Savić (Sarajevo)
|align=center|21
|-
|align=center|1978–79
!scope=row|Hajduk Split (7)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Red Star
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Dušan Savić (Red Star)
|align=center|24
|-
|align=center|1979–80
!scope=row|Red Star (13)
| FK Sarajevo
| Radnički Niš
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Safet Sušić (Sarajevo)<br />Dragoljub Kostić (Napredak Kruševac)
|align=center|17
|-
|align=center|1980–81
!scope=row|Red Star (14)
| Hajduk Split
| Radnički Niš
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Milan Radović (Rijeka)
|align=center|26
|-
|align=center|1981–82
!scope=row|Dinamo Zagreb (4)
| Red Star
| Hajduk Split
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Snješko Cerin (Dinamo Zagreb)
|align=center|19
|-
|align=center|1982–83
!scope=row|Partizan (9)
| Hajduk Split
| Dinamo Zagreb
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Sulejman Halilović (Dinamo Vinkovci)
|align=center|18
|-
|align=center|1983–84
!scope=row|Red Star (15)
| Partizan
| Željezničar
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Darko Pančev (Vardar)
|align=center|19
|-
|align=center|1984–85
!scope=row|FK Sarajevo (2)
| Hajduk Split
| Partizan
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Zlatko Vujović (Hajduk Split)
|align=center|25
|-
|align=center|1985–86
!scope=row|Partizan (10)
| Red Star
| Velež Mostar
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Davor Čop (Dinamo Vinkovci)
|align=center|20
|-
|align=center|1986–87
!scope=row|Partizan (11)
| Velež Mostar
| Red Star
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Radmilo Mihajlović (Željezničar)
|align=center|23
|-
|align=center|1987–88
!scope=row|Red Star (16)
| Partizan
| Velež Mostar
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Duško Milinković (Rad)
|align=center|16
|-
|align=center|1988–89
!scope=row|Vojvodina (2)
| Red Star
| Hajduk Split
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Davor Šuker (Osijek)
|align=center|18
|-
|align=center|1989–90
!scope=row|Red Star (17)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Hajduk Split
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Darko Pančev (Red Star)
|align=center|25
|-
|align=center|1990–91
!scope=row|Red Star (18)
| Dinamo Zagreb
| Partizan
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Darko Pančev (Red Star)
|align=center|34
|-
|align=center|1991–92
!scope=row|Red Star (19)
| Partizan
| Vojvodina
| style="font-size: 90%;"|Darko Pančev (Red Star)
|align=center|25
|}
Titles by club
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align: center;"
!scope="col" width="105" | Club
!scope="col" | Titles
!scope="col" | Winning seasons
|-
!scope=row|Red Star
|19
|align=left|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
|-
!scope=row|Partizan
|11
|align=left|1946–47, 1948–49, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1985–86, 1986–87
|-
!scope=row|Hajduk Split
|7
|align=left|1950, 1952, 1954–55, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1978–79
|-
!scope=row|Dinamo Zagreb
|4
|align=left|1947–48, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1981–82
|-
!scope=row|Vojvodina
|2
|align=left|1965–66, 1988–89
|-
!scope=row|Sarajevo
|2
|align=left|1966–67, 1984–85
|-
!scope=row|Željezničar
|1
|align=left|1971–72
|-
|}
Titles by republic
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col" | Republic
!scope="col" | Titles
!scope="col" | Clubs
|-
!scope=row|SR Serbia
|32
|align=left|Red Star, Partizan, Vojvodina
|-
!scope=row|SR Croatia
|11
|align=left|Hajduk Split, Dinamo Zagreb
|-
!scope=row|SR Bosnia and Herzegovina
|3
|align=left|Sarajevo, Željezničar
|-
!scope=row|SR Macedonia
|0
| –
|-
!scope=row|SR Montenegro
|0
| –
|-
!scope=row|SR Slovenia
|0
| –
|-
|}
Performance by club
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col" | Club
!scope="col" | Champions
!scope="col" | Runners-up
!scope="col" | Third place
!scope="col" | Total top three finishes
|-
!scope=row|Red Star Belgrade
|19
|9
|7
|35
|-
!scope=row|Partizan
|11
|9
|8
|28
|-
!scope=row|Hajduk Split
|7
|6
|8
|21
|-
!scope=row|Dinamo Zagreb
|4
|11
|7
|22
|-
!scope=row|Vojvodina
|2
|3
|2
|7
|-
!scope=row|Sarajevo
|2
|2
|0
|4
|-
!scope=row|Željezničar
|1
|1
|2
|4
|-
!scope=row|Velež Mostar
|0
|3
|4
|7
|-
!scope=row|OFK Belgrade*
|0
|2
|2
|4
|-
!scope=row|Radnički Belgrade
|0
|0
|2
|2
|-
!scope=row|Radnički Niš
|0
|0
|2
|2
|-
!scope=row|Lokomotiva Zagreb
|0
|0
|1
|1
|-
!scope=row|Sloboda Tuzla
|0
|0
|1
|1
|}
: <small>*Known as BSK before 1957</small>
All-Time First Yugoslav League table
Top 12 only:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 500px"
!Rank
!Club
!MP
!W
!D
!L
!GF
!GA
!GD
!P
|-
|1
|align="left" |Red Star
|1335
|719
|328
|288
|2560
|1415
| +1145
|1766
|-
|2
|align="left" |Partizan
|1335
|657
|354
|324
|2285
|1428
| +857
|1668
|-
|3
|align="left" |Dinamo Zagreb
|1302
|597
|366
|339
|2151
|1495
| +656
|1560
|-
|4
|align="left" |Hajduk Split
|1302
|587
|346
|369
|2088
|1486
| +602
|1520
|-
|5
|align="left" |Vojvodina
|1221
|465
|311
|445
|1670
|1595
| +75
|1241
|-
|6
|align="left" |Sarajevo
|1228
|447
|311
|470
|1674
|1773
| -99
|1205
|-
|7
|align="left" |Velež Mostar
|1174
|435
|309
|430
|1668
|1615
| +53
|1179
|-
|8
|align="left" |Željezničar
|1063
|403
|274
|386
|1456
|1424
| +32
|1080
|-
|9
|align="left" |OFK Beograd
|977
|343
|281
|353
|1355
|1355
| 0
|967
|-
|10
|align="left" |Radnički Niš
|979
|339
|250
|390
|1088
|1244
| -156
|928
|-
|11
|align="left" |Vardar
|1005
|328
|251
|426
|1195
|1459
| -264
|907
|-
|12
|align="left" |Rijeka
|898
|310
|252
|336
|1083
|1163
| -80
|857
|}
Best finish in Europe by club
Table only shows best-finish achievements in major European/Intercontinental competitions during the SFR Yugoslavia period (1945–1992). <br>
No minor European tournaments (like Mitropa Cup) included. <br>
<small>Table sorted by success at European Cup / UEFA Champions League first and foremost.</small>
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
! Club
! European Cup /<br/> UEFA Champions League
! UEFA Cup /<br/> Europa League
! UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
! UEFA Super Cup
! Intercontinental Cup
! Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
! UEFA Intertoto Cup
|-
!scope=row|Red Star Belgrade
| bgcolor="gold" <br/> 1990–91
| bgcolor="silver" <br/> 1978–79
| bgcolor="#9acdff" <br/> 1974–75
| bgcolor="silver" <br/> 1991
| bgcolor="gold" <br/> 1991
| bgcolor="#9acdff" <br/> 1961–62
| –
|-
!scope=row|Partizan
| bgcolor="silver" <br/> 1965–66
| (3)<br/> 1974–75; 1984–85; 1990–91
| <br/> 1989–90
| –
| –
| <br/> 1967–68
| –
|-
!scope=row|Hajduk Split
| <br/> 1975–76; 1979–80; 1994-1995
| bgcolor="#9acdff" <br/> 1983–84
| bgcolor="#9acdff" <br/> 1972–73
| –
| –
| <br/> 1970–71
| –
|-
!scope=row|Vojvodina
| <br/> 1966–67
| –
| –
| –
| –
| <br/> 1961–62 <small>as Novi Sad XI</small>
| bgcolor="gold" <br/> 1976
|-
!scope=row|Sarajevo
| <br/>1967–68
| <br/>1982–83
| –
| –
| –
| –
| (2)<br/> 1962–63; 1964–65
|-
!scope=row|Željezničar
| <br/> 1972–73
| bgcolor="#9acdff" <br/> 1984–85
| –
| –
| –
| <br/> 1970–71
| <br/> 1965–66
|-
!scope=row|Dinamo Zagreb
| <br/> 1982–83
| (3)<br/> 1971–72; 1976–77; 1988–89
| bgcolor="#9acdff" <br/> 1960–61
| –
| –
| bgcolor="gold" <br/> 1966–67
| –
|-
!scope=row|Vardar
| <br/> 1987–88
| <br/> 1985–86
| <br/> 1961–62
| –
| –
| –
| –
|-
!scope=row|Radnički Niš
| –
| bgcolor="#9acdff" <br/> 1981–82
| –
| –
| –
| –
| (2)<br/> 1964–65; 1965–66
|-
!scope=row|OFK Beograd
| –
| <br/> 1972–73
| bgcolor="#9acdff" <br/> 1962–63
| –
| –
| bgcolor="9acdff" <br/> 1958–60 <small>as Belgrade XI</small>
| –
|-
!scope=row|Velež Mostar
| –
| <br/> 1974–75
| (2)<br/> 1981–82; 1986–87
| –
| –
| –
| (2)<br/> 1962–63; 1963–64
|-
!scope=row|Rijeka
| –
| <br/> 1984–85
| <br/> 1979–80
| –
| –
| –
| <br/> 1962–63
|-
!scope=row|Sloboda Tuzla
| –
| <br/> 1977–78
| –
| –
| –
| –
| bgcolor="gold" <br/> 1983
|-
!scope=row|Rad
| –
| <br/> 1989–90
| –
| –
| –
| –
| bgcolor="silver" <br/> 1988
|-
!scope=row|Borac Banja Luka
| –
| –
| <br/> 1975–76
| –
| –
| –
| –
|-
!scope=row|Olimpija Ljubljana
| –
| -
| <br/> 1970–71
| –
| –
| (2)<br/> 1966–67; 1968–69
| bgcolor="silver" <br/> 1990
|-
!scope=row|Bor
| –
| –
| <br/> 1968–69
| –
| –
| –
| –
|-
!scope=row|Budućnost
| –
| –
| –
| –
| –
| –
| bgcolor="gold" <br/> 1981
|-
!scope=row|Čelik Zenica
| –
| –
| –
| –
| –
| –
| bgcolor="gold" <br/> 1975
|-
|}
<small>While the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup is recognised as the predecessor to the UEFA Cup, it was not organised by UEFA. Consequently, UEFA do not consider clubs' records in the Fairs Cup to be part of their European record. However, FIFA do view the competition as a major honour.</small>
All time top goalscorers
<small>Complete list of players who scored 100 goals or more in the 1946-1992 SFR Yugoslavia period.<br>Source: RSSSF; Last updated 14 December 2007</small>
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!#
!Name
!Goals
!Matches
!Goal ratio
!class="unsortable"|Clubs
!class="unsortable"|Years
|-
|1
|align="left"|Slobodan Santrač
|218
|365
|0.60
|OFK Beograd, Partizan, Zemun
|1965–1974, 1976–1980, 1982–1983
|-
|2
|align="left"|Darko Pančev
|168
|243
|0.69
|Vardar, Red Star
|1982–1992
|-
|3
|align="left"|Dušan Bajević
|166
|322
|0.51
|Velež
|1966–1977, 1981–1983
|-
|4
|align="left"|Bora Kostić
|158
|257
|0.61
|Red Star
|1951–1961, 1962–1966
|-
|5
|align="left"|Frane Matošić
|149
|
|
|Hajduk Split
|1946–1953
|-
|6
|align="left"|Toza Veselinović
|145
|227
|0.64
|Vojvodina, Partizan, Proleter Zrenjanin
|1948–1949, 1951–1961, 1968
|-
|7
|align="left"|Stjepan Bobek
|129
|201
|0.64
|Partizan
|1945–1956
|-
|=7
|align="left"|Zoran Prljinčević
|129
|
|
|Radnički Beograd, Red Star
|
|-
|9
|align="left"|Dušan Savić
|120
|202
|0.59
|Red Star
|1973–1982
|-
|10
|align="left"|Dragan Džajić
|113
|306
|0.37
|Red Star
|1963–1975, 1977–1978
|-
|11
|align="left"|Vojin Lazarević
|112
|188
|0.60
|Sutjeska, Red Star
|1964–1965, 1966–1970, 1972–1974
|-
|=11
|align="left"|Momčilo Vukotić
|112
|395
|0.28
|Partizan
|1968–1978, 1979–1985
|-
|13
|align="left"|Josip Bukal
|111
|258
|0.43
|Željezničar
|1963–1973, 1977–1978
|-
|14
|align="left"|Petar Nadoveza
|108
|217
|0.50
|Hajduk Split
|1963–1973
|-
|15
|align="left"|Kosta Tomašević
|104
|156
|0.67
|Red Star, Spartak Subotica
|1946–1956
|-
|16
|align="left"|Vahid Halilhodžić
|103
|207
|0.50
|Velež
|1972–1981
|-
|17
|align="left"|Snješko Cerin
|103
|
|
|Dinamo
|1976–1986
|-
|18
|align="left"|Petar Nikezić
|102
|301
|0.34
|Vojvodina, Osijek
|1967–1978, 1979–1982
|-
|19
|align="left"|Zlatko Vujović
|101
|240
|0.42
|Hajduk Split
|1977–1986
|}
All-time top appearances
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!#
!Name
!Appearances
!class="unsortable"|Clubs
!class="unsortable"|Years
|-
|1
|align="left"|Enver Marić
|429
|Velež
|1967–1976, 1978–1985
|-
|2
|align="left"|Slavko Vlahović
|413
|Budućnost
|1977–1991
|-
|3
|align="left"|Slobodan Janjuš
|403
|Željezničar, Vojvodina, Sarajevo, Olimpija, Dinamo, Sutjeska
|1970–1977, 1985–1988, 1977–1978, 1981–1982, 1982–1983, 1983–1984, 1984–1985
|-
|4
|align="left"|Nedžad Verlašević
|397
|Sloboda Tuzla, Željezničar
|1975–1983, 1983–1985, 1987–1990, 1985–1986
|-
|5
|align="left"|Momčilo Vukotić
|395
|Partizan
|1968–1978, 1979–1984
|-
|6
|align="left"|Vili Ameršek
|392
|Olimpija
|1966–1976, 1979–1984
|-
|7
|align="left"|Slobodan Santrač
|365
|OFK Beograd, Partizan, Zemun
|1965–1974, 1976–1977, 1977–1980, 1982–1983
|-
|8
|align="left"|Franjo Vladić
|361
|Velež
|1968–1979, 1981–1985
|-
|9
|align="left"|Tone Rožič
|360
|Olimpija
|1970–1984
|-
|10
|align="left"|Ilija Petković
|354
|OFK Beograd
|1964–1973, 1976–1983
|-
|11
|align="left"|Kočo Dimitrovski
|336
|Vardar
|1968–1985
|-
|12
|align="left"|Mustafa Hukić
|332
|Sloboda Tuzla
|1968–1978, 1983–1985
|-
|13
|align="left"|Ivica Miljković
|327
|Dinamo, Osijek
|1969–1977, 1977–1980
|-
|14
|align="left"|Dušan Bajević
|322
|Velež
|1966–1977, 1981–1983
|-
|15
|align="left"|Ibrahim Biogradlić
|318
|Sarajevo
|1951–1967
|-
|16
|align="left"|Milovan Obradović
|312
|Radnički Niš, Vojvodina
|1974–1985, 1985–1986
|-
|17
|align="left"|Ivica Hlevnjak
|312
|Hajduk Split
|1962–1973
|-
|18
|align="left"|Dragan Holcer
|310
|Radnički Niš, Hajduk Split
|1963–1967, 1967–1975
|-
|19
|align="left"|Ratomir Dujković
|308
|Red Star, Osijek, Zemun
|1962–1974, 1977–1980, 1980–1983
|-
|20
|align="left"|Dragan Džajić
|306
|Red Star
|1963–1975, 1977–1978
|}
Notable clubs (at least 10 top-flight seasons or at least one title)
Over the years the Yugoslav First League featured many different teams, but there were always a number of teams that stood out, typically from the bigger cities. Among these were:
{|
|valign="top"|
;
- FK Sarajevo, Sarajevo (43 seasons, 2 titles)
- Velež, Mostar (38 seasons)
- Željezničar, Sarajevo (34 seasons, 1 title)
- Sloboda, Tuzla (25 seasons)
- Čelik, Zenica (17 seasons)
- Borac, Banja Luka (14 seasons)
- Slavija, Sarajevo (11 seasons)
;
- Hajduk, Split (62 seasons, 9 titles)
- Dinamo, Zagreb (59 seasons, 9 titles)
- NK Rijeka, Rijeka (29 seasons)
- NK Zagreb, Zagreb (18 seasons)
- NK Osijek, Osijek (13 seasons)
- Concordia, Zagreb (9 seasons, 2 titles)
- HAŠK, Zagreb (8 seasons, 1 title)
;
- Vardar, Skopje (33 seasons)
|
;
- Budućnost, Podgorica (26 seasons)
;
- OFK Beograd, Belgrade (50 seasons)
- Red Star Belgrade, Belgrade (46 seasons, 19 titles)
- Partizan, Belgrade (46 seasons, 11 titles)
- Vojvodina, Novi Sad (44 seasons, 2 titles)
- Radnički, Niš (29 seasons)
- Jugoslavija, Belgrade (14 seasons, 2 titles)
- Spartak, Subotica (16 seasons)
;
- Olimpija, Ljubljana (22 seasons)
|}
UEFA coefficients
The following data indicates historical Yugoslav coefficient rankings among European football leagues.
Successor leagues
right|thumb|300px|Timeline chart showing Yugoslav First League successors
The 1990–91 season was the last season held in its usual format, with clubs from all federative units participating in the championship. The breakup of the country also broke up its top-flight league into several smaller ones.
The UEFA recognised the First League of FR Yugoslavia as its successor league.
Slovenia and Croatia depart
In June 1991 Slovenia declared independence and Croatia followed suit in October of the same year. This meant that their football associations separated from the Football Association of Yugoslavia so they both started their own football leagues. The Slovenian PrvaLiga was launched in late 1991, while the Croatian Prva HNL saw its first edition in 1992. Affected by the ongoing war in Croatia, the season was held over the course of a single calendar year, from February to June 1992. Both leagues have been going on ever since.
1991–92 season
The 1991–92 season was the last season held officially under the name of SFR Yugoslavia, even though Slovenian and Croatian clubs have already abandoned the competition to play in their own leagues. Clubs from the remaining four federative units all took part in the competition, but since the Bosnian War broke out towards the end of the season, Bosnian clubs never finished it, with Željezničar of Sarajevo only managed to play 17 out of 33 scheduled fixtures, while Sloboda Tuzla and Velež Mostar ended the season with a few games short of completing the season. Still, since most of the games were played as planned, Crvena Zvezda of Belgrade is credited with winning the last Yugoslav First League championship.
North Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia
Macedonian clubs abandoned the competition after the 1991–92 season because the new Macedonian First League was launched the following season. For the 1992–93 season Bosnian clubs were all on hiatus due to full blown fighting that developed there, with the sole exception of Borac of Banja Luka (the strongest Bosnian Serb side at the time) which temporarily moved to Belgrade and joined the newly formed league featuring clubs from Serbia and Montenegro, this time restyled as the First League of FR Yugoslavia. (Serbia and Montenegro, the only ones left after other four member republics declared independence, renamed their country Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.) The league lasted under that name until the 2002–03 season, when the country changed its name so the league was renamed First League of Serbia and Montenegro. Finally, in June 2006 Montenegro declared independence and peacefully departed the union, so from the 2006–07 season onwards Montenegro started operating separate top-flight football league supervised by its football association. On the other hand, as the legal successor of Serbia-Montenegro state union, Serbia also got the continuity of the country's league that was formed as Prva liga (First League) in 1992, and renamed and rebranded as Superliga in summer 2005.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina proclaimed independence in late winter 1992, and already in April same year N/FSBiH applied for membership with FIFA and UEFA. Meanwhile, due to the outbreak of Bosnian War in April 1992 no games were played in the 1992–93 season. In late 1993 some parts of the country re-launched football competitions with reduced scope. But just as the country was divided along ethnic lines, so was football.
In 1993 Bosnian Croats launched the First League of Herzeg-Bosnia in which only Croatian clubs competed on parochial scale within the limits of West Herzegovina and few other enclaves. In the same year Bosnian Serbs also organized their own First League of the Republika Srpska, on a territory held by Republika Srpska regime at the time.
Only football on a territory under the control of then Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions and auspices of N/FSBiH, at the time consequently with Bosniak majority, apart from a brief competition for the season 1994–95 (won by Čelik Zenica), came to a standstill.
Competition under auspices of N/FSBiH did not resume until 1995–96 season when the First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina was launched.
- → Macedonian First League (1992–present)
- → Montenegrin First League (2006–present; from 1992 to 2006 had a joint league with Serbia)
- → Serbian SuperLiga (2006–present, from 1992 to 2006 had a joint league with Montenegro)
- → Slovenian PrvaLiga (1991–present)
UEFA recognised FR Yugoslavia and subsequently Serbia as the only official successor of Yugoslavia and consequently the clubs from FR Yugoslavia kept the ranking and ponctuation within UEFA.
See also
- Yugoslav Cup
- Serbian Football League (1940–44)
- Football Association of Yugoslavia
- Yugoslavia national football team