Serbian Water Polo League A

Serbian Water polo League A
Founded	2006; 18 years ago
First season	2006–07
Country	Serbia
Confederation	LEN (Europe)
Number of teams	12
Level on pyramid	1
Domestic cup(s)	Serbian Water polo Cup
International cup(s)	LEN Champions League; LEN Euro Cup
Current champions	Novi Beograd (2nd title) ; (2022–23)
Most championships	Partizan; (29 titles)
Website	waterpoloserbia.org

The Serbian Water polo League A (Serbian: Прва А лига Србије у ватерполу, romanized: Prva A liga Srbije u vaterpolu) is the highest level of men's water polo in Serbia and it is organized by the Water polo Federation of Serbia.

History edit

Kingdom of Yugoslavia / SFR Yugoslavia edit

Domestic water polo club competition in Serbia started in 1921, three years after Kingdom of Serbia became Kingdom of Yugoslavia, although officially was known as Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes between 1918 and 1929. It was the first season of the Yugoslav Water Polo Championship which was played regularly from 1921 to 1991 with only exception being between 1940 and 1944 when the league was halted because of the Second World War. The first edition was won by VK Polet Sombor, which will also become Yugoslav champion in 1922 and 1924. However, the period referring to the kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1921 and 1940 was dominated by VK Jug Dubrovnik who won 14 out of 20 editions.

The later period referring to SFR Yugoslavia between 1945 and 1991 was dominated by VK Partizan who won 17 out of 46 editions.

FR Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro edit

In the early 1990s several of the Yugoslav republics broke-away and in 1992 Serbia and Montenegro formed the FR Yugoslavia Water Polo Championship which would be played until 2006. Since in 2003 the country was renamed from FR Yugoslavia to Serbia and Montenegro, the league also followed the name changed properly in its 3 last editions. During this period another Serbian club came into prominence, VK Bečej, which won 6 out of 15 editions. Montenegrin clubs won 5 editions, 4 of which were won in the consecutive 4 last editions by PVK Jadran Herceg-Novi, and one by VK Budva in 1994. The rest of the editions were won by Serbian clubs, namely VK Crvena zvezda in 1992 and 1993, and VK Partizan in 1995 and 2002.

Serbia edit

In 2006 Montenegro declares independence and, consequently, the Serbian Water Polo League A and Montenegrin First League of Water Polo are formed. In the Serbian League A VK Partizan restored its domination by winning the first 6 consecutive editions.

Current teams edit

Map edit

Belgrade

Šabac

Valis

Radnički

Proleter

Nais

Vojvodina

Belgrade clubs:

Novobeogradski Vukovi
Crvena zvezda
Partizan
Novi Beograd
Stari Grad
Taš

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Locations of the 2023–24 Serbian Water Polo League A teams

The following 12 clubs compete in the Serbian Water Polo League A during the 2023–24 season:

Team	City	Founded
Serbian Water Polo League A
Novi Beograd	Belgrade	2015
Radnički	Kragujevac	2012
Crvena zvezda	Belgrade	1945
Šabac	Šabac	1990
Vojvodina	Novi Sad	1935
Partizan	Belgrade	1946
Nais	Niš	2011
Stari Grad	Belgrade	2005
Valis	Valjevo	1993
Proleter	Zrenjanin	2000
Novobeogradski Vukovi	Belgrade	2015
Taš	Belgrade	2009

Champions edit

Serbian Water Polo League A (Prva A liga Srbije u vaterpolu)
season	Champion	Runner-up	3rd
2006–07	Partizan	Crvena zvezda	Vojvodina
2007–08	Partizan	Crvena zvezda	Vojvodina
2008–09	Partizan	Vojvodina	Nais
2009–10	Partizan	Vojvodina	Beograd
2010–11	Partizan	Vojvodina	Crvena zvezda
2011–12	Partizan	Crvena zvezda	Vojvodina
2012–13	Crvena zvezda	Radnički	Partizan
2013–14	Crvena zvezda	Radnički	Partizan
2014–15	Partizan	Radnički	Crvena zvezda
2015–16	Partizan	Crvena zvezda	Radnički
2016–17	Partizan	Vojvodina	Crvena zvezda
2017–18	Partizan	Crvena zvezda	Šabac
2018–19	Šabac	Crvena zvezda	Radnički
2019–20	Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21	Radnički	Novi Beograd	Crvena zvezda
2021–22	Novi Beograd	Radnički	Partizan
2022–23	Novi Beograd	Crvena zvezda	Radnički

Performances edit

All–time champions edit

1921 to present

Team	Championships	Years Won
Partizan	29	1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1995, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Bečej	6	1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
Crvena zvezda	4	1992, 1993, 2013, 2014
Polet Sombor	3	1921, 1922, 1924
Novi Beograd	2	2022, 2023
Šabac	1	2019
Radnički Kragujevac	1	2021

Serbian water polo clubs in European competitions edit

LEN Champions League

Team	Winner	Years Won
Partizan	7	1964, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1976, 2011
Bečej	1	2000
Crvena zvezda	1	2013

LEN Cup Winner's Cup

Team	Winner	Years Won
Partizan	1	1991

LEN Euro Cup

Team	Winner	Years Won
Partizan	1	1998
Radnički Kragujevac	1	2013

LEN Super Cup

Team	Winner	Years Won
Partizan	2	1991, 2011
Crvena zvezda	1	2013

COMEN Cup

Team	Winner	Years Won
Partizan	1	1989

Notable players edit

External links edit

Official website (in Serbian)
Water Polo news in Serbia at vaterpolovesti.com (in Serbian)
Serbian Water Polo League A at waterpoloworld.com (in English)