The Yugoslav Water Polo Championship was the premier league competition for men's water polo clubs in Yugoslavia. Originally established in 1921 in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, it ran for almost 20 years before being suspended due to the Second World War and the Invasion of Yugoslavia.
In 1945 it was re-established as the top water polo club competition in the communist SFR Yugoslavia. It ran until 1991 and was dissolved following the breakup of Yugoslavia and the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars.
Jug was the most successful club in the interwar period, winning 14 titles between 1925 and 1940. In the post-war period, Belgrade-based Partizan won 17 titles, followed by Jug with eight, Jadran Split with seven and Mladost with six. [1]
Partizan and Mladost also had success in European competitions, with each winning the LEN Champions League seven times. Jug, KPK Korčula, Mornar and POŠK had also won LEN competitions.
| Club | City | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jug | Dubrovnik | 22 | 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1980, 1981, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1984-85 |
| Partizan | Belgrade | 17 | 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983-84, 1986-87, 1987-88 |
| Jadran Split | Split | 9 | 1923, 1939, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1954, 1957, 1960, 1990-91 |
| Mladost | Zagreb | 6 | 1962, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1988-89, 1989-90 |
| Mornar | Split | 5 | 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1961 |
| Polet Sombor | Sombor | 3 | 1921, 1922, 1924 |
| Jadran | Herceg Novi | 2 | 1958, 1959 |
| Primorje | Rijeka | 1 | 1938 |
| PR Croatia | Zagreb | 1 | 1945 |
| Primorac Kotor | Kotor | 1 | 1985-86 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina → Bosnia and Herzegovina Water Polo League 
Croatia → Croatian First League of Water Polo (1992–present)
Montenegro → Montenegrin First League of Water Polo (2006–present; from 1992–2006 had a joint league with Serbia)
Serbia → Serbian Water Polo League A (2006–present, from 1992–2006 had a joint league with Montenegro)The Yugoslav First League was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918–1941) and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1945–1992).
The Yugoslav Cup, officially known between 1923 and 1940 as the King Alexander Cup (Serbian: Куп краља Александра; Croatian: Kup kralja Aleksandra, and between 1947 and 1991 as the Marshal Tito Cup, was one of two major football competitions in Yugoslavia, the other one being the Yugoslav League Championship. The Yugoslav Cup took place after the league championships when every competitive league in Yugoslavia had finished, in order to determine which teams are ranked as their corresponding seeds. The Marshal Tito Cup trophy was based on a design by Branko Šotra.
Sport in Montenegro revolves mostly around team sports, such as football, basketball, handball, and volleyball. Other sports involved are boxing, tennis, swimming, judo, karate, athletics, table tennis, and chess.
Vanja Udovičić is a Serbian politician and former professional water polo player who served as minister of youth and sports from 2013 to 2022. An independent politician, he is aligned with the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
The First League of Yugoslavia's 1991/1992 season was the 64th edition of the Yugoslav First League, the premier football club competition of SFR Yugoslavia. It was the last edition in which professional football teams from SR Bosnia and Herzegovina and SR Macedonia participated, as well as the last of the SFR Yugoslavia in general as the First League of FR Yugoslavia was established the following season. Red Star Belgrade won the competition.
The Montenegrin First League of Water Polo is the national professional water polo league in Montenegro. It was established in 2006. shortly after Montenegro declared its independence from Serbia and Montenegro. It is organized by the Water Polo and Swimming Federation of Montenegro.
Three clubs from Montenegrin League are playing in Adriatic Water Polo League.
The Serbia and Montenegro men's national water polo team, also widely known as the FR Yugoslavia men's national water polo team, represented Serbia and Montenegro in international water polo games, from 1993 to 2006. It was governed by the Water Polo Association of FR Yugoslavia (1992–2003), then the Water Polo Association of Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006). The team won medals in the Olympics, World and European Championships, FINA World Cup, FINA World League, Mediterranean Games and Universiade.
Filip Filipović is a Serbian professional water polo player widely considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He was a member of the Serbia men's national water polo teams that won bronze medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and gold medals in 2016 and 2020. He also held the world title in 2009 and 2015 and the European title in 2003, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018. He was named Most Valuable Player at the 2011 World Championships. He was also voted as the male water polo "World Player of the Year" in 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2021 by the FINA magazine. He played for Pro Recco in Italy and won three LEN Champions League and three LEN Super Cup with them. Currently, he plays for Novi Beograd.
Duško Pijetlović is a Serbian water polo center forward for VK Novi Beograd. He was a member of the Serbia men's national water polo teams that won Olympic gold medals in 2016 and 2020, and bronze medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. He held the world title in 2009 and 2015 and the European title in 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018. Pijetlović won three consecutive Euroleague titles with three teams: in 2011 with Partizan in 2012 with Pro Recco and in 2013 with Crvena Zvezda.
Andrija Prlainović is a Serbian professional water polo player widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever. He was a member of the Serbia men's national water polo teams that won bronze medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and gold medals in 2016 and 2020. He also held the world title in 2009 and 2015 and the European title in 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018. In 2011, he won the LEN Euroleague with VK Partizan and in 2013 with Red Star Belgrade, where he was one of the best scorers.
The 1991–92 Football Cup of Yugoslavia was the national knock-out football competition in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was held during the breakup of the state.
The LEN Champions League is the top-tier European professional water polo club competition with teams from up to 18 countries. It is organized by the Ligue Européenne de Natation.
The Regional Water Polo League, commonly known as the Regional League or Adriatic League, is a regional water polo league in Southeast Europe. Originally, the league featured clubs from Croatia, Montenegro, and Slovenia. In later years, clubs from Serbia joined the league and in one season club from Italy participated in the league.
The Serbian Super League is the highest level of men's water polo in Serbia and it is organized by the Water polo Federation of Serbia.
This page details statistics of the European Cup, Euroleague and Champions League.
Vaterpolski klub Jadran Split, commonly referred to as Jadran Split or simply Jadran, is a professional water polo club based in Split, Croatia. As of 2021–22 season, the club competes in the Croatian League, Regional League A1 and LEN Champions League.
The COMENCup was a competition in the sport of water polo, organized by the Mediterranean Swimming Confederation the period from 1984 to 2007. Participation rights had clubs from European, African and Asian countries bordering the shores of the Mediterranean Sea like Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Yugoslavia and after her split Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Ιn addition there was the possibility of participation of clubs that did not qualify, simply as visitors.
Vaterpolski klub Mornar is a professional water polo club based in Split, Croatia. As of 2021–22 season, it competes in the Croatian League and Regional League A1.
The 2014–15 Adriatic League was the 7th season of the Adriatic Water Polo League, with 15 teams from Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia participating in it.