Balkan Super League
Current season or competition: 2022 Balkan Super League season | |
| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 2017 |
| Number of teams | 5 |
| Country |  Bulgaria (1 teams)  Montenegro (1 team)  Serbia (3 teams) |
| Champions | Red Star Rugby League Club (2022) |
| Most titles | Red Star Rugby League Club (3 titles) |
| Website | BSL website |
| Broadcast partner | Sportuzivo |
The Balkan Super League is a rugby league football competition for clubs in the Balkans region of Europe. The competition operates in addition to the national leagues of the respective nations as a Champions League-style competition. As of 2022 clubs from Serbia, Greece, Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy and Montenegro have competed.
History
The Balkan Super League first round started 11 April 2017.[1] Partizan defeated Red Star 32–26 in the inaugural Balkan Super League Grand Final.[2]
The competition will expand to 15 teams in 2018, with the addition of Greek, Montenegro and Albanian clubs. In the second Grand Final Red Star defeated Partizan. The 2019 season saw the competition split into two divisions. The 2020 season was planned to be a knock-out system with 11 clubs competing from 5 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro and Turkey, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The 2022 format featured an incomplete round robin followed by a Grand Final.
Winners
| Season | Winner | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Partizan Belgrade | Serbia
|
| 2018 | Red Star Belgrade | Serbia
|
| 2019 | Red Star Belgrade | Serbia
|
| 2020 | Partizan Belgrade | Serbia
|
| 2021 | Red Star Belgrade | Serbia
|
| 2022 | Red Star Belgrade | Serbia
|
Teams
Current clubs
| Team | Country | Domestic League |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal Tivat
|
Montenegro | Montenegro Rugby League (No league) |
| Dorcol Belgrade RLFC
|
Serbia | Serbian Rugby League Championship |
| Lokomotiv Sofia RLFC
|
Bulgaria | Bulgarian Rugby League (No league) |
| Partizan Belgrade RLFC
|
Serbia | Serbian Rugby League Championship |
| Red Star Belgrade RLFC
|
Serbia | Serbian Rugby League Championship |
Source: [3]
Former clubs
Tirana RLFC
Borac Banja Luka RLFC- Warriors Drvar RLFC
- FIS Vitez Knights RLFC
Valacite Pernik RLFC
Aris Eagles RLFC- Patras RLFC
- Rhodes Knights RLFC
Lignano Sharks RLFC
South Region RLFC
Belgrade Youth RLFC- Morava Cheetahs RLFC
- Radnicki New Belgrade RLFC
- Red Kangaroo Belgrade RLFC
- Tzar Dusan Mighty RLFC
Ankara Phrygians RLFC- Bilgi Badgers RLFC
- Kladikoy Bulls RLFC
Source: [4]
References
- ^ "Big wins at the start of Balkan Rugby League". RLEF.com. 11 April 2017. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
- ^ "Honours shared as Serbia reports best ever domestic season". RLEF. 21 November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 December 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
- ^ "Clubs". Balkanrl.com. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ "Clubs". Balkanrl.com. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2022.