First football match in Croatian territory was played in Rijeka. At the Robert Whitehead's incentive in 1873, it involved the teams of the Hungarian Railways employees and English workers.

Factory workers from England, who were employed in Županja's wood industry, brought a football in 1880. Today, at the location of the former tannin factory, where this football first appeared, stands the Stadium of the First Football in Croatia.

The first two unofficial matches of the Croatian national team were played in Prague, against Slavia. The Czechs won both matches (15:2 i 20:0).

April 15th, 1919 - An inaugural session of the Croatian Football Federation was convened. During the proceedings, it became the inaugural session of the Yugoslav Football Federation.

On January 30th, the representatives of football associations from Zagreb, Split and Osijek abandoned the Yugoslav Football Federation Assembly. On May 14th, the representatives of 217 Croatian clubs founded the Croatian Sports Unity, and on August 6th, 1939, Croatian Football Federation was founded as a section of Croatian Sports Unity. Thus, the relations with Yugoslav Football Federation were ended.

The first match of the Croatian national team, which then represented the state of Banovina Hrvatska, was played. On April 2nd, Croatia beat Switzerland in Zagreb 4:0. Only a month later, on May 2nd in Pecs, the first match of the youth national team was played, against Hungary.

July 17th, 1941 - HNS was admitted to FIFA.

Croatian youth national team won the first official competition in which Croatia appeared, the Championship of Yugoslav Republics, held in Celje, Slovenia (July 12th - July 19, 1959). In the final, Croatia beat Serbia 3:1.

Croatia hosted the X. UEFA Congress, in Dubrovnik, on May 8th, 1970.

Croatia hosted the final tournament of the UEFA European Championships 1976. Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb was the venue for one semi-final match (Czechoslovakia - Netherlands 3:1) and the third-place match (Netherlands - Yugoslavia 3:2).

On October 17th, 1990, Croatian national football team played a friendly against the United States at Maksimir Stadium and won 2:1. That was the first match of the Croatian national team after the declaration of independence.

Croatian Football Federation gains independence

July 3rd, 1992 - After the recognition of independence for the Republic of Croatia, FIFA confirmed Croatia's membership in the International Federation of Association Football. Interestingly enough, Croatian membership of 1941 was never cancelled.

June 17th, 1993 - HNS was admitted with full membership to UEFA. Therefore, all the conditions were fulfilled for Croatia's official matches. On October 20th of the same year, Croatia U-17 played the first official competitive match of all the Croatian national teams. In the qualifying round for the European U-17 Championship, Croatia U-17 managed to draw in Turkey (2:2), and eight days later the same team, in the same qualifying round, recorded the first win in official competitions, beating Hungary 3:1 in Pecs.

Playing only the second major tournament, and the first FIFA World Cup, Croatia won the bronze medal with a win over Netherlands in France 1998. With six goals, Davor Šuker won the award for the best goalscorer of the tournament.

Croatian Football Federation hosted the XXXII. UEFA Congress in Hypo Expo Centre in Zagreb, on January 31st, 2008.

Croatian Football Federation hosted the final tournament of the UEFA Regions' Cup 2009 in Zagreb area.

Croatian Football Federation hosted the UEFA Futsal Championship in Split and Zagreb. During same year, HNS celebrated its centenary.

Croatian Football Federation hosted the UEFA TEP strategy meeting and UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Dubrovnik.

HNS president Davor Šuker was elected to the UEFA Executive Committee, thus becoming the first Croatian in the most important UEFA body.

The Croatian Football Federation hosted the UEFA European U-17 Championship.

Croatia achieved the highest result in history at the FIFA World Cup in Russia by winning a silver medal. Luka Modrić won the award for the best player of the tournament, and in the same year he won the Golden Ball for the best player in the world in 2018.