Yugoslav Handball Championship Explained

The Yugoslav Handball Championship was the highest level competition in men's team handball in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, played regularly for almost four decades between 1953 and 1992, before being abandoned due to the breakup of Yugoslavia.

History

The first five editions from 1953 to 1957 were decided via a finals play-off tournament contested by clubs who had qualified in regional competitions, before a regular round-robin league format was introduced for the 1957–58 season. The league featured clubs from all of Yugoslavia's federal subjects, with the most successful being RK Bjelovar with 9 titles, followed by RK Borac Banja Luka and RK Metaloplastika with 7 titles each.

Following the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, the competition was eventually succeeded by the following handball leagues:

Title holders

.....1953 Prvomajska
.....1954 Prvomajska
.....1955 Crvena zvezda
.....1956 Crvena zvezda
.....1957 Zagreb
- - - - 1957–58 Partizan Bjelovar 1958–59 Borac Banja Luka 1959–60 Borac Banja Luka 1960–61 Partizan Bjelovar 1961–62 Zagreb
1962–63 Zagreb
1963–64 Prvomajska/Medveščak
1964–65 Zagreb
1965–66 Medveščak
1966–67 Partizan Bjelovar
1967–68 Partizan Bjelovar
1968–69 Crvenka
1969–70 Partizan Bjelovar
1970–71 Partizan Bjelovar
1971–72 Partizan Bjelovar
- - - - 1972–73 Borac Banja Luka 1973–74 Borac Banja Luka 1974–75 Borac Banja Luka 1975–76 Borac Banja Luka 1976–77 Partizan Bjelovar
1977–78 Željezničar Sarajevo
1978–79 Partizan Bjelovar
1979–80 Slovan
- - - - 1980–81 Borac Banja Luka 1981–82 Metaloplastika 1982–83 Metaloplastika 1983–84 Metaloplastika 1984–85 Metaloplastika 1985–86 Metaloplastika 1986–87 Metaloplastika 1987–88 Metaloplastika 1988–89 Zagreb
1989–90 Proleter
1990–91 Zagreb
1991–92 Proleter

Championships by club

Titles	width=120	Club	width=80	City	Republic
9	Partizan Bjelovar	Bjelovar
7	Borac Banja Luka	Banja Luka
7	Metaloplastika	Šabac
6	Zagreb	Zagreb
4	Medveščak	Zagreb
2	Crvena zvezda	Belgrade
2	Proleter	Zrenjanin
1	Crvenka	Crvenka
1	Željezničar	Sarajevo
1	Slovan	Ljubljana

European success

Traditionally one of the strongest handball leagues in Europe, several Yugoslav clubs went on to compete with considerable success in the European Cup (present-day EHF Champions League), the premier continental handball competition. Prior to the breakup of Yugoslavia, six Yugoslav clubs had managed to reach the European finals 11 times, winning four titles.

Club	width=50		width=50	width=50		Years won	Years runners-up	Years semi-finalists
Metaloplastika	2	1	3		1982–83, 1986–87, 1987–88
Partizan Bjelovar	1	2	2		1967–68, 1970–71
Borac Banja Luka	1	1	—
Medveščak	—	1	—
Slovan	—	1	—	1980–81
Proleter	—	1	—	1990–91
Crvenka	—	—	1		1969–70

Notable clubs

(at least 10 top-flight seasons or at least one title)

- - Borac, Banja Luka Željezničar, Sarajevo Krivaja, Zavidovići

- Medveščak, Zagreb Partizan, Bjelovar
RK Zagreb, Zagreb

Slovan, Ljubljana