Bosnians agree to unite

Bosnians have waited a decade for an united league

Bosnia-Hercegovina's top football clubs are to be finally reunited in a single league for the first time since war broke out in the former Yugoslav republic in 1992.

In the decade since war broke out in former Yugoslavia the country's football has been divided into two leagues.

But after eight years of negotiations a deal has been reached to bring together Muslims, Croats and Serbs into one 20-club Premier League.

Fourteen clubs will come from the Federation of Bosnia-Hercegovina Football Association (NSBIH) and six from the Republika Srpska (Serb Republic) Football Association (FSRS).

Cup competition

The decision was taken at an emergency assembly of the Bosnia-Hercegovina Football Association held in Sarajevo.

The Republika Srpska set up its own football association on October 1992, at the height of the war in Bosnia.

It has never been recognised by Fifa or Uefa, and none of its clubs have been allowed to participate in Uefa competitions.

The NSBIH has itself only been running a unified league since 2000/2001.

Previously the Croat-controlled part of the Federation of Bosnia-Hercegovina ran a separate league and cup competition.

Last year, for the first time, a cup competition brought together 12 teams from the two renegade federations.