Balkan Super League

Balkan Super League

Current season or competition: 2024 Balkan Super League season
Sport	Rugby league
Inaugural season	2017; 8 years ago (2017)
Number of teams	5
Country	Bulgaria (1 teams) Montenegro (1 team) Serbia (3 teams)
Champions	Partizan Belgrade RLFC (2024)
Most titles	Red Star Rugby League Club 5 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, with some clubs holding licences to compete annually, like the EuroLeague. 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.

Teams

Current clubs

Below are the teams for the 2023 season.

Division 1

Team	Country	Domestic League
AEK Athens	Greece	Greek Rugby League Association
Arsenal Tivat	Montenegro	Montenegro Rugby League
Lokomotiv Sofia RLFC	Bulgaria	Bulgarian Rugby League
Partizan Belgrade RLFC	Serbia	Serbian Rugby League Championship
Radnicki Nis	Serbia	Serbian Rugby League Championship
Red Star Belgrade RLFC	Serbia	Serbian Rugby League Championship

Source: ^[3][4]

Division 2

Team	Country	Domestic League
Division 2 North
Bilgi Badgers RLFC	Turkey	Turkish Rugby League Association
Boshporus Wolves RLFC	Turkey	Turkish Rugby League Association
Valiacite Pernik	Bulgaria	Bulgarian Rugby League
Zemun Belgrade	Serbia	Serbian Rugby League Championship
Division 2 South
Tirana RLFC	Albania	Albanian Rugby League
Morava Cheetahs Lescovka	Serbia	Serbian Rugby League Championship
Mornar Bar	Montenegro	Montenegro Rugby League

Former clubs

• 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
• Dorcol Belgrade RLFC
• Radnicki New Belgrade RLFC
• Red Kangaroo Belgrade RLFC
• Tzar Dusan Mighty RLFC
• Ankara Phrygians RLFC
• Bilgi Badgers RLFC
• Boshporus Wolves RLFC
• Kladikoy Bulls RLFC

Source: ^[5]

Champions

Balkan Super League 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
2023	Red Star Belgrade	Serbia
2024	Partizan Belgrade	Serbia

References

1. "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.
2. "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.
3. "Clubs". Balkanrl.com. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
4. BalkanRL (25 February 2023). "The seventh season of the Balkan Super begins". Balkanrl.com. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
5. "Clubs". Balkanrl.com. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2022.

External links

• Balkan Super League Facebook
• Balkan Super League – Serbia Rugby League
• Official Site