Regional Water Polo League

The Regional Water Polo League (abbr. RWP), 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.

Regional Water Polo League
Official logo
SportWater polo
Founded2008 (2008)
No. of teams22
(10 clubs in A1, 12 clubs in A2)
CountryCroatia
Montenegro
Serbia
Slovenia
ContinentLEN (Europe)
Most recent
champion(s)		Mladost (2nd title)
(2019–20)
Most titlesJug (4 titles)
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toAdriatic Water Polo League A2
Domestic cup(s)No
Official websiterwp-league.com

As of the 2019–20 season, ten clubs participate in Regional Water Polo League A1 and twelve clubs participate in Regional Water Polo League A2.

History

The league was established in 2008 as the "Adriatic Water Polo League" and the inaugural 2008–09 season consisted of clubs from Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia. Members of the inaugural season were Jug, Mladost, Primorje, POŠK, Jadran Split, Medveščak Zagreb, Šibenik, Mornar, Jadran, Primorac, Budva, and Koper. The first league champions were VK Jug.

In the 2009–10 season, Cattaro joined the league and the Final Four was introduced into the league. In the 2011–12 season, the Italian water polo club Pro Recco request to join the Adriatic League was granted and immediately in their first season they became champions, but left the league after the season. The Serbian clubs (Partizan, Crvena Zvezda, Radnički and Vojvodina) joined the league in the 2014–15 season.[1]

Starting from the 2015–16 season, second-tier Regional League A2 was introduced.[2]

In February 2019, three team members of Serbian club Crvena zvezda were attacked in Split by Croatian ultra-nationalists, before regional league game against Mornar.[3] The incident was condemned by Croatian and Serbian public, and by many organizations and officials as well.[4] Following the incident, the Water Polo Federation of Serbia and Serbian clubs in competition sought to not play any further games in Split, and competition's Board of Directors made a decision to postpone any further games in Split in which Serbian clubs are included.[5]

Current clubs
Galeb
Zadar 1952
Split
Zagreb
Kotor
Belgrade
Nais
Zemun
Triglav
Belgrade clubs:
Zagreb clubs:
Mladost
Medveščak
Split clubs:
Kotor clubs:
Location of clubs in the 2019–20 season.
Red: Division A1; Yellow: Division A2

Clubs that participate in the 2019–20 season:

Regional Water Polo League A1
ClubCityLast season
ranking
HAVK MladostZagreb1st
Jug CODubrovnik2nd
Jadran SplitSplitSF
Jadran CarineHerceg NoviSF
ŠabacŠabac5th
Mornar BrodospasSplit6th
Crvena zvezdaBelgrade7th
PrimoracKotor8th
PartizanBelgrade9th
BudvaBudvaDNP
Regional Water Polo League A2
ClubCity
CattaroKotor
GalebMakarska
MedveščakZagreb
NaisNiš
POŠKSplit
Primorje Erste BankaRijeka
RadničkiKragujevac
SolarisŠibenik
TriglavKranj
VojvodinaNovi Sad
Zadar 1952Zadar
ZemunZemun

All-time participants

The following is a list of clubs who have played in the Regional Water Polo League at any time since its formation in 2008 to the current season. A total of 21 clubs from five countries have played in the Regional League (A1).

2D Played in A2 Division
1st Champions
2nd Runners-up
3rd Third place
SF Semi-finalists
R Regular season champions
y Clubs playing in 2019–20 season
Club 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Total
seasons		 Highest
finish
Branik Maribor—————12th15th—————212th
Budva5th5th5th7th4th6th11th—7th9th—8th104th
Cattaro—6th12th—————————26th
Crvena Zvezda——————8th10th——7th5th47th
Jadran Split9th10th10th12th7th9th12th—8thSFSFSF11SF
Jadran Herceg Novi2nd1st1st5th8thSF5th4th2ndSFSFSF121st
Jug1st2ndR2nd3rd2nd2nd2nd1stR1stR1stR2nd2nd121st
Koper10th13th8th11th————————48th
Medveščak11th11th9th9th10th10th14th—————79th
Mladost4th4th4th4th3rd3rdSFSFSF2nd1stR1stR121st
Mornar8th8th7th6th5th5th7th6th6th5th6th10th125th
Partizan——————6th5thSF6th9th9th6SF
POŠK12th12th13th8th6th8th10th9th—7th10th—106th
Primorac3rd3rd6th10th9th7th13th——8th8th6th103rd
Primorje7th7th3rd2nd1st1st1stR2nd5th10th——101st
Pro Recco———1st————————11st
Radnički——————SF7th————2SF
Šabac——————————5th7th25th
Šibenik6th9th11th13th12th11th——————66th
Triglav Kranj————11th———————111th
Vojvodina——————9th8th9th———38th

Finals
Season Champions Runners-up Result 1st of Regular Season
2008–09
 Jug Jadran
–note
 Jug
2009–10
 Jadran Jug
11–8
 Jug
2010–11
 Jadran Jug
9–7
 Jadran
2011–12
 Pro Recco Primorje
15–4
 Pro Recco
2012–13
 Primorje Jug
9–8
 Primorje
2013–14
 Primorje Jug
8–7
 Primorje
2014–15
 Primorje Jug
15–9
 Primorje
2015–16
 Jug Primorje
9–5
 Jug
2016–17
 Jug Jadran
15–3
 Jug
2017–18
 Jug Mladost
15–8
 Jug
2018–19
 Mladost Jug
13–12
 Mladost
2019–20
 Mladost Jug
15–11
 Jug

note In 2008–09 season, the league was played in a round-robin tournament format.

Records and statistics

Performance by clubs
Club Winners Runners-up Years won Years runners-up
Jug462008–09, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–182009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2018–19
Primorje322012–13, 2013–14, 2014–152011–12, 2015–16
Jadran222009–10, 2010–112008–09, 2016–17
Mladost212018–19, 2019–202017–18
Pro Recco102011–12

By country
Club / Nation Won Runners-up
 Croatia
9
10
 Montenegro
2
2
 Italy
1
0

References
  1. "Predstavljena nova regionalna vaterpolo liga". dnevnik.hr (in Croatian). 5 September 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  2. "Regionalna liga od 25.septembra". waterpoloserbia.org (in Serbian). 26 August 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  3. "Serbian water polo team attacked in Croatia". washingtonpost.com. Associated Press. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  4. "Srbi sazvali izvanrednu konferenciju zbog napada u Splitu, HVS i HOO najoštrije osudili izgred". dnevnik.hr (in Croatian). 9 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  5. "ODRŽANA SEDNICA UO REGIONALNE LIGE: Mornar ne snosi odgovornost za napad, utakmice sa splitskim klubovima se odlažu do daljnjeg". novosti.rs (in Serbian). Tanjug. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
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