Rugby league in Serbia
Rugby league in Serbia is a growing team sport. It is overseen by the Rugby League European Federation, and Serbia has its own national team. There are about a thousand players registered across the country, with Belgrade and Novi Sad as the main base towns. The Dorćol Spiders are the most successful club, and Red Star Belgrade is another strong club. There are 17 clubs in total, with the Serbian Rugby League Championship as the main competition and the Serbian Rugby League Cup as well.
History in brief: Rugby league arrived in Serbia in 1953, introduced by Dragan Maršićević. The first Belgrade match was on 26 November 1953, between French students and a Serbian selection. The first Serbian clubs were Partizan and Radnički, and their first game was 26 April 1954, won by Partizan 21–11. In 1964, Yugoslav authorities pushed rugby union, and rugby league faded. It officially returned in 2001 with the formation of the Serbian Rugby League Federation, led by Slaviša Milenković. The inaugural Serbian Championship was held in 2001, won by Dorćol Belgrade. Dorćol later dominated many seasons.
Growth and development: In 2015 the European Rugby League funded development work that helped create several junior clubs and expand the sport to other regions. In 2013 Serbia helped spread rugby league to Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including areas like Banja Luka and Doboj. In 2019 Red Star Belgrade began participating in the English Challenge Cup.
National team and competitions: Serbia has competed in the Rugby League Mediterranean Cup (2003, 2004) and various European qualification events. The under-19 team played in the European Nations Cup in 2006 in Northern Catalonia, finishing fourth. In 2007 Serbia won the European Shield. In 2008 the side competed in both U18 and open-age events, with the U18 team finishing sixth in the European Nations Cup Shield. Later that year they played in the Euro-Med Challenge, finishing third.
Recent highlights: In February 2016 Serbia toured Australia, playing in the Cabramatta 9s and earning a test win over the Philippines (18–12). On 27 June 2016, Serbia narrowly lost 14–16 to the England Lion-hearts in Belgrade, marking an important moment for the sport in the country.
Notable players and links abroad: A number of players with Serbian heritage have played in England and Australia, including Dalibor Vukanović and Soni Radovanović (who trained in England in 2005–2006), Zoran Pesić (with Warrington Wizards), and Tom Opacic, who has played in the NRL for the Brisbane Broncos. The sport has also seen activity around players like Luka Simeunović and his brother James in English clubs.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 00:15 (CET).