The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has awarded a five-year contract to Hawk-Eye Innovations, the UK-based broadcast and technology company, to provide Video Assistant Referee (VAR) services across the country’s top-tier soccer competitions.
The five-year term will run from the 2026-27 season through 2030-31.
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As part of the agreement, Hawk-Eye will deploy its technology across Croatia's top-tier Hrvatska Nogometna Liga (HNL) league matches, the annual Croatian Supercup curtain-raiser, and the latter stages of the Croatian Cup, beginning with the quarter-finals.
In total, Hawk-Eye will support up to 188 matches per season across 10 stadiums nationwide. The 2026-27 season will kick off on August 1, with the opening match day of the HNL.
In addition, Hawk-Eye will deliver a VAR training program for select HNS match officials “to ensure seamless operational readiness” ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Throughout the season, every match day will be backed by dedicated on-site technical support teams.
This inaugural deployment “marks the beginning of a long-term strategic collaboration, with both organisations committed to exploring deeper technology and innovation integrations in the seasons to come.”
Josip Tomaško, general secretary of the Croatian Football Federation, said: “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.”
The partnership builds upon Hawk-Eye’s experience of delivering elite VAR services across major FIFA and UEFA competitions, alongside its ongoing, long-term partnerships with domestic properties including the English Premier League, Italy’s Serie A, France’s Ligue 1, the Dutch Eredivisie, Brazil's CBF, and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF).
Hawk-Eye, owned by Sony Sports, partnered with soccer's global governing body FIFA in 2024 to establish the Football Technology Centre AG, meanwhile. That joint venture aims to develop emerging technologies in the sport.
In terms of recent activity, Hawk-Eye promoted Ben Crossing to chief executive in late April. Crossing was previously the company's managing director and chief operating officer, and started his career at Hawk-Eye in 2014.
