HNK Hajduk Split have been drawn away to NK Vardarac in the first round of the SuperSport Croatian Cup. The draw took place after the completion of the preliminary round, with the pairings announced on Tuesday, August 26, 2026.
Dinamo Zagreb will also travel east to face NK Bedem in Ivankovo, while Rijeka will visit NK Vrbovec. The first round, or the round of 32, is scheduled for September. Hajduk will face a host who overcame NK Ližnjan 3:1 in the preliminary round. This will be the first official meeting between these two clubs in recent history.
The cup's preliminary round delivered several notable results. The most convincing victory was achieved by HNK Segesta, who won 18:0 away at NK Slatina. HNK Vukovar 1991 beat NK Radnički Dalj 4:1, and NK Kustošija defeated HNK Zadar 3:1. NK Varteks was eliminated by NK Bedem on penalties, while NK Vrbovec progressed against Daruvar. A total of 16 matches were played, determining 12 of the 16 pairings for the next stage.
Besides Hajduk's trip to Vardarac, the draw produced other interesting ties. NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac, who advanced from Predavac, will host Slaven Belupo. HNK Gorica travels to Klis to face NK Uskok, and HNK Segesta will welcome NK Osijek. Two pairings remain open and will be decided by an additional draw due to identical coefficients. These are the matches involving Neretva or Zagorec against Šibenik or Istra 1961, and Koprivnica or Zagora against Varaždin or Rudeš. However, Šibenik has ceased operations, so their opponent will likely receive a bye.
The Whites enter the cup competition with a clear aim to go as far as possible. They currently sit second in the HNL table, with just one defeat in the first five rounds. In their latest league match, they beat Istra 1961 3:0. A detailed overview of all players is available on the squad page. Before the trip to Vardarac, the team will play an important league derby against Gorica. The full schedule of matches can be found on the fixtures calendar.
NK Vardarac is a club competing in the 2. NL, East, the fourth tier of Croatian football. Their stadium has a capacity of a few hundred seats, which will create an intimate atmosphere for this cup tie. For Hajduk, this will be a challenge on a difficult pitch, typical of the early cup rounds where different qualities meet. The team must show concentration and respect for the opponent to avoid an upset.
The Croatian Cup first-round match between NK Vardarac and HNK Hajduk Split is scheduled for mid-September, with the exact date and time to be announced later.
