Montenegrin First League of Women's Handball
SportHandball
Founded2006
FounderHandball Federation of Montenegro
No. of teams6[1]
Country Montenegro
ContinentEuropean Union Europe
Most recent
champion(s)		Budućnost
Most titlesBudućnost (16 titles in independent Montenegro, 34 overall)
TV partner(s)RTCG
International cup(s)Champions League
EHF Cup
Challenge Cup
Official websiteMontenegrin Handball Federation

The Montenegrin First League of Women's Handball is the top women's team handball league in Montenegro. It is organised by the Handball Federation of Montenegro.

History

Before independence

Since 2006, Montenegrin women's handball clubs played in the competitions of SFR Yugoslavia, FR Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. Most successful was ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica, who gained 18 champion titles in Yugoslav championship, with three European trophies (1985, 1986, 2006). Budućnost was most successful Yugoslav handball club, and except them, in the Yugoslav First League played ŽRK Danilovgrad.
ŽRK Budućnost was the first Montenegrin team which participated in Yugoslav handball competitions for women. They debuted in the top-tier on season 1981-82[2] and soon after that begun era of their huge successes. After hard struggle with RK Radnički from Belgrade, ŽRK Budućnost won their first ever title on season 1984–85. Four years later, they won another title, defended next season. After the 1990-91 edition, finished with sensational trophy winning by ŽRK Lokomotiva Zagreb, team from Podgorica was the title holder in the last season of SFR Yugoslavia league (1991–92).
Below is the list of all-time participants of Montenegrin clubs in the First League of SFR Yugoslavia.

Club8283848586878889909192
Budućnost 910213221121
Danilovgrad ---12-12-----

In FR Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro, ŽRK Budućnost dominated during the every single season, so they won 14 consecutive titles (1992–93, 1993-1994, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999-00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06).

After independence

Soon after the Montenegrin independence referendum, Handball Federation of Montenegro founded its own competitions, with the First League as a top-tier competition for women. The league have two phases. In the first (regular season) participate six teams. Best three squads from regular season are qualifying for the final phase, together with ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica, who's not participant of the first phase.
During the history, ŽRK Budućnost was strongly dominant side, won every single trophy of national champion.
Except all domestic competitions, ŽRK Budućnost won the EHF Champions League on seasons 2011–12 and 2014–15, and EHF Cup Winners' Cup 2009-10.

EHF league ranking

EHF League Ranking for 2022/23 season:[3]

Champions

From the inaugural season (2006/07), ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica won all the champion titles in Montenegrin First League of Women's Handball.

Titles by season

SeasonChampionRunner up
2006–07ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Nikšić
2007–08ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Nikšić
2008–09ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Biseri Pljevlja
2009–10ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Biseri Pljevlja
2010–11ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Biseri Pljevlja
2011–12ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Biseri Pljevlja
2012–13ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Danilovgrad
2013–14ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Danilovgrad
2014–15ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Danilovgrad
2015–16ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Danilovgrad
2016–17ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Danilovgrad
2017–18ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Levalea Nikšić
2018–19ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Levalea Nikšić
2019–20Canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic[4]
2020–21ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Levalea Nikšić
2021–22ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Rudar Pljevlja
2022–23ŽRK Budućnost PodgoricaŽRK Rudar Pljevlja

Titles by Club

ClubTitles / MontenegroYears WonTitles / YugoslaviaYears Won
ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica162006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23181984–85, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993-1994, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999-00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06

Current season

Season 2023–24 is 17th edition of Montenegrin women's volley league. League have nine participants. In the first phase, eight teams are playing 14 legs and, after that, first placed team is advancing in the playoff finals against ŽRK Budućnost.

Team Arena Capacity City
ŽRK Budućnost Bemax Arena 2,500 Podgorica
ŽRK Budućnost 'B' University Hall 1,000 Podgorica
ŽRK Levalea Nikšić SC 4,000 Nikšić
ŽRK Mornar Topolica 3,000 Bar
ŽRK Nikšić Nikšić SC 4,000 Nikšić
ŽRK Rudar Ada SC 3,000 Pljevlja
ŽRK Tivat Župa 900 Tivat
ŽRK Ulcinj Sports Hall Ulcinj 1,500 Golubovci
ŽRK Zeta Golubovci Hall 600 Golubovci

Montenegrin women's handball clubs in WRH League

Women Regional Handball League (WRHL) is founded on 2009, and Montenegrin clubs are participating from its inaugural season. As one of strongest European clubs, ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica dominated in the history of competition, often playing seasons without any defeat. So, ŽRK Budućnost won five titles during the six seasons of WRHL.
Below is list of participation of Montenegrin clubs by every season of WRHL.

Club09101112131415171819
Budućnost 2111111221
Biseri -6678-----
Danilovgrad -----62---
Rudar ---------4

Montenegrin women's handball clubs in European competitions

Montenegrin women's handball clubs are participating in the EHF competitions since the season 1984/85.

Honours

Montenegrin side ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica was extremely successful in the European Cups and today is among the best and most-trophied European and global women's handball teams. They are most successful Montenegrin sports team in European Cups, too. ŽRK Budućnost won six European titles, and among them are:

All time list

Except ŽRK Budućnost, until today, representatives of Montenegro in women's EHF competitions were ŽRK Rudar Pljevlja, ŽRK Biseri Pljevlja, ŽRK Danilovgrad, ŽRK Nikšić and ŽRK Petrol Bonus Podgorica.
Majority of matches are played by ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica.

Team Seasons G W D L
ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica 35 377 208 29 140
ŽRK Biseri Pljevlja 5 12 1 0 11
ŽRK Danilovgrad 4 8 1 1 6
ŽRK Petrol Bonus Podgorica 1 4 2 0 2
ŽRK Nikšić 1 4 1 0 3
ŽRK Rudar Pljevlja 1 2 0 0 2

As of the end of EHF competitions 2022–23 season.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Prva liga (Ž) | Rukometni Savez Crne Gore". Archived from the original on 2017-06-15. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  2. ↑ "ŽRK Budućnost - Istorijat".
  3. ↑ "2021/22 season ranking" (PDF). European Handball Federation. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  4. ↑ Canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic
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