During the second World War, Germany, Hungary and Italy dismembered Yugoslavia, and created the 'independent' vassal state of Croatia, which also comprised current Bosnia-Herzegovina and some parts of current Serbia. During the war, football competitions were organised in this state, leading to the participation of many clubs based in Bosnia-Herzegovina and some from Zemun and Subotica. These are summarised below. See also the section on Yugoslavia.

Bosnian and Herzegovinan clubs in the Croatian football structure

The seasons 1940/41 and 1941 were played in a league format; the 1941 season was abandoned at the half-way stage. All later seasons had regional or city leagues from which clubs emerged to a knock-out tournament for the title (the 1943 season had a 4-team league as final stage). The most successful club from current Bosnia and Herzegovina was SAŠK Sarajevo, who reached the Croatian championship final in 1942.

Among the clubs listed here, SAŠK Sarajevo had previously played in the Yugoslav championship; they seem to have been dissolved after the war. Zrinjski Mostar have won the 2004/05 championship of Bosnia-Herzegovina, but it is unknown if and how this club are related to that of 1941. None of the mentioned clubs from Banja Luka appear to be related to either Borac Banja Luka or Krajišnik (dissolved 1945) who played in the Yugoslav championship. Likewise, Đerdelez Sarajevo appear unrelated to any later Sarajevo club that featured in Yugoslavia or independent Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Tomislav Zenica are not identical to Čelik Zenica.

SAŠK Sarajevo
1940/41 7.SAŠK Sarajevo 18 5 3 10 17-44 13
1941 9.SAŠK Sarajevo 8 0 0 8 0-30 0
NB: season abandoned
1942: semifinal: SAŠK Sarajevo (1-2, 1-9 vs Concordia Zagreb)
1943: quarterf.: SAŠK Sarajevo (0-0, 0-3awd vs Concordia Zagreb)
1944: finalists: SAŠK Sarajevo (final vs HAŠK Zagreb not played)

Zrinjski Mostar 
1941 4.Zrinjski Mostar 8 4 1 3 16-19 9
NB: season abandoned

Incomplete lists of Bosnian and Herzegovinan participants at group 
stage who did not reach the knock-out stage (unlike SAŠK Sarajevo):
1942: Zrinjski Mostar, Hrvoje Banja Luka, HBSK Banja Luka,
 Đerdelez Sarajevo
1943: Hrvoje Banja Luka, HBSK Banja Luka, Đerdelez Sarajevo, 
 Tomislav Zenica
1944: HBSK Banja Luka, Zvonimir Banja Luka, Hrvoje Banja Luka,
 Hajduk Sarajevo, Đerdelez Sarajevo, Tomislav Zenica


Tomislav ,
Zvonimir,
Hrvoje