Montenegrin First League of Men's Handball


The Montenegrin First League of Men's Handball is the top men's team handball league in Montenegro. It is organized by the Handball Federation of Montenegro.

History

Before independence

During the history, many Montenegrin clubs played in the SFR Yugoslavia / FR Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro First Handball League. Among them were RK Lovćen, RK Budućnost, RK Mornar, RK Rudar and RK Berane.

First Montenegrin team which played in Yugoslav First League is Rudar, which debuted in the top-tier on season 1964-65. More than 20 years passed until next teams from Montenegro played in the top-tier. At the end of nineties, member of First League became Lovćen, and at the beginning of nineties Budućnost and Mornar. On season 1994-95, third-placed Mornar gained participation in EHF Cities Cup 1995-96 and that was the first ever performance of some Montenegrin side in European competitions.
From season 1996-97, started the domination of Lovćen - who won two champion titles in FR Yugoslavia, with two consecutive seasons in EHF Champions League. On season 2000-01, Lovćen played in Champions League quarterfinals, against THW Kiel. That was the greatest result of some Montenegrin handball team in European competitions.
During the new century, except Lovćen, in the First League of FR Yugoslavia played Rudar, Berane and Budućnost.
Below is the list of performances of Montenegrin clubs in Yugoslav Handball League with final placements on each season.
Club6569899091929394959697989900010203040506
Rudar 1113-------------7785-
Lovćen --61115---7122321122573
Budućnost ----16---------15-----
Mornar -----78639913--------
Berane -------------911612-105

The only Montenegrin club who gained trophies in Yugoslav League was RK Lovćen. They gained two champion titles, with four finishes as a runner-up of championship.

Below is the list of Montenegrin clubs' champion titles in the First League of Yugoslavia.
ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning Years
RK Lovćen Cetinje
2
4
1999-00, 2000–01

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. During the history, RK Lovćen was most successful side and participated three times on regional SEHA League.

In the league participate eight or ten clubs, and the season have two parts. During the first part, there are 14 or 18 legs, after which are forming two groups - TOP4 and league for relegation.

First League is one of three men's handball competitions in Montenegro. Other high level competition is Montenegrin Cup.

Period 2006-2015

First title holder in independent Montenegro was RK Lovćen, who won the trophy on season 2006-07. Their biggest opponent at the time was RK Berane, who won the champions' battle during the next season.
Next two years saw the domination of RK Budućnost from Podgorica, who won two consecutive titles. Big incidents on the games were occurred during the both seasons. Match RK Budućnost - RK Lovćen, which decided about national champion, played on May 17, 2009, was the most attended game in the history of Montenegrin First League. Budućnost won 28:26 and held the first title in the club history. Match ended with incidents in Sports center 'Morača', with the clash of supporters, but the players Goran Đukanović and Igor Marković too. Big crowd disturbances previously happened on the game RK Berane - RK Lovćen.
RK Budućnost was dissolved during the summer 2010. During the season 2010-11, RK Brskovo gained their first-ever trophy, after title race with RK Lovćen.
From 2011 to 2015, RK Lovćen won four consecutive titles. At that time, team from Cetinje played three seasons in SEHA League, while RK Sutjeska participated once.

Period 2016-

With poor performances of RK Lovćen and following earlier relegations of many notable teams as RK Berane or RK Sutjeska, title holder on season 2015-16 was RK Budvanska Rivijera. Next season, the trophy won RK Partizan from Tivat.
New time of RK Lovćen domination started in 2017. Team from Cetinje won two consecutive trophies in seasons 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Season 2019-20 was interrupted after 12 weeks, due to coronavirus pandemic. During the April, Montenegrin national handball federation decided to erase all the results in every single competition. But, after the consultations with the First League members in May, federation changed the decision, so the table after 13 weeks became a final score of the season. With that decision, RK Lovćen won the title, while RK Komovi became a runner-up.

Champions

From the inaugural season, five different clubs won the champion title in Montenegrin First League.

Titles by season

Titles by Club

Montenegrin League

Since 2006, five different clubs won the trophy of Montenegrin handball champion.

Most successful were RK Lovćen Cetinje with 8 titles and RK Budućnost Podgorica. With 2 titles from FR Yugoslavia Championship, two trophies of FRY Cup Winner and 5 wins in Montenegrin Cup, RK Lovćen is the most successful participant of Montenegrin First League.

Clubs which have one champions trophy are RK Brskovo, RK Berane, RK Partizan Tivat and RK Budvanska Rivijera.
ClubTitlesRunners-upYears Won
RK Lovćen Cetinje
8
4
2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020
RK Budućnost Podgorica
2
-
2009, 2010
RK Budvanska rivijera Budva
1
2
2016
RK Berane
1
1
2008
RK Brskovo Mojkovac
1
2
2011
RK Partizan Tivat
1
2
2017

Overall

Below is an overall list, with titles won in both leagues - Montenegrin League and FR Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro Championship.
ClubTitlesRunners-upYears Won
RK Lovćen Cetinje
10
8
2000, 2001, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020
RK Budućnost Podgorica
2
-
2009, 2010
RK Budvanska rivijera Budva
1
2
2016
RK Berane
1
1
2008
RK Brskovo Mojkovac
1
2
2011
RK Partizan Tivat
1
2
2017

Performances by clubs

Seasons

During the past, in Montenegrin First League participated 17 different teams. Only one club competed in the all seasons - Lovćen.
ClubParticipationsSeasons
RK Lovćen Cetinje142007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
RK Brskovo Mojkovac112007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
RK Budvanska rivijera Budva102009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020
RK Berane92007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
RK Rudar Pljevlja92007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020
RK Partizan Tivat92007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
RK Sutjeska Nikšić82007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
RK Mornar Bar62007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
RK Mornar 7 Bar42017, 2018, 2019, 2020
RK Budućnost Podgorica32008, 2009, 2010
RK Ulcinj32013, 2014, 2015
RK Komovi Andrijevica32016, 2018, 2019, 2020
RK Danilovgrad32010, 2014, 2020
RK Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje32018, 2019, 2020
RK Cepelin Cetinje22007, 2012
RK Ivangrad Berane22017, 2019
RK Sedmerac Bar12012

Final placements

Below is the list of participants of the First League with their placements during the every single season.
Club0708091011121314151617181920
RK Berane 2147687-34----
RK Partizan 77-----3521233
RK Budućnost -511----------
RK Budvanska rivijera --56543221--57
RK Cepelin 8----7--------
RK Danilovgrad ---8---7-----8
RK Ivangrad ----------6-7-
RK Jedinstvo -----------345
RK Komovi ---------7-422
RK Lovćen 12232111132111
RK Brskovo Mojkovac 566-12256535--
RK Mornar 44877-6-------
RK Mornar 7 ----------5666
RK Rudar 6-7455--464--4
RK Sedmerac -----6--------
RK Sutjeska 33323344------
RK Ulcinj ------567-----

All-time table

All-time Montenegrin First League table is a ranking of all Montenegrin handball clubs based on their performance in top tier. In this ranking 2 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw, and 0 for a loss. Highlighted clubs played in the First League in the 2019/20 season.
RankClubSeasonsGamesWDLPts
1RK Lovćen142362091037428
2RK Budvanska Rivijera10184881581194
3RK Brskovo Mojkovac11194831495180
4RK Sutjeska8160811168173
5RK Partizan914876963161
6RK Berane9172721288156
7RK Rudar9164571097124
8RK Budućnost36452111105
9RK Mornar61123487076
10RK Komovi4582542954
11RK Jedinstvo3462132245
12RK Ulcinj3481243228
13RK Mornar 74541413929
14RK Cepelin234522712
15RK Ivangrad230422410
16RK Danilovgrad348504310
17RK Sedmerac11841139

Including the season 2019/20

Attendances by season

M = Number of matches ; H = Highest attendance on one match; CH = Club with highest average attendance; CL = Club with lowest average attendance

Current season

At the first part of competition, ten teams play a two-round robin competition. In second phase, four best-placed teams are playing six-weeks long League for champion, while all the others are participating in playout.
The following clubs compete in the First League during the 2020–21 season.
TeamCityArenaCapacity
BeraneBeraneGradska dvorana Berane2,200
BrskovoMojkovacŠC Vuksan Đukić1,500
Budvanska RivijeraBudvaMediterranean SC1,500
DanilovgradDanilovgradCity Hall1,000
JedinstvoBijelo PoljeSC Nikoljac3,000
KomoviAndrijevicaGradska dvorana Berane2,200
LovćenCetinjeSRC Lovćen1,500
Mornar 7BarTopolica3,000
PartizanTivatŽupa1,500
RudarPljevljaSC Ada3,000

Montenegrin handball clubs in SEHA League

Southeastern European Handball Association League, or SEHA League is founded at 2011, and Montenegrin clubs were part of it since first season. Most successful Montenegrin representative in regional league was RK Lovćen.

Below is list of participation of Montenegrin clubs by every season of SEHA League.
SeasonClubPosGWDL
2011–12RK Lovćen Cetinje
6
21
12
0
9
2011–12RK Sutjeska Nikšić
10
21
3
1
17
2012–13RK Lovćen Cetinje
6
18
9
2
7
2013–14RK Lovćen Cetinje
9
18
3
2
13

Montenegrin handball clubs in European competitions

Montenegrin men's handball clubs are participating in the EHF competitions since the season 1995–96.

First team which ever competed at the European cups was Mornar Bar and most successful Montenegrin represent in the European competitions is Lovćen Cetinje. The other Montenegrin clubs which competed at the EHF competitions are Berane, Rudar Pljevlja, Budućnost Podgorica, Sutjeska Nikšić, Brskovo and Budvanska rivijera Budva.

The greatest result in the European cups made RK Lovćen during the season 2000–01. As a champion of FR Yugoslavia, Lovćen won fifth place in the EHF Champions League.

Below is a list of Montenegrin teams which played in the European competitions.
ClubSGWDLGDPts
Lovćen Cetinje2073274421860:198456
Berane4161006459:45320
Budućnost Podgorica216925483:45020
Sutjeska Nikšić514329323:37211
Mornar Bar410406282:2808
Brskovo Mojkovac410307200:2746
Partizan Tivat38134187:2315
Rudar Pljevlja1420297:1144
Budvanska rivijera Budva36006135:1710
Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje1200246:730
10 TEAMS1595911894072:4402129

S - seasons; G - games; W - wins; D - draws; L - losses; GD - goal difference; Pts - points