The Water Polo Regional League is set to continue in the 2026/27 season, following talks between the water polo federations of Serbia and Montenegro.
A meeting was held at the premises of the Water Polo Federation of Serbia, officially resuming cooperation between the Serbian federation and the Water Polo and Swimming Federation of Montenegro after the constitution of the new VSS leadership.
Montenegro was represented by federation president Nikola Milic, vice-president Milos Mracevic and Drago Pejakovic, president of the Expert Council for Water Polo. The Serbian hosts were VSS president Slobodan Soro and sports director Aleksandar Nikolic.
The main topic of discussion was the future development of the Water Polo Regional League, known as VRL, which was launched as a joint project between Serbia and Montenegro following the suspension of the wider Adriatic-style regional competition.
According to the statement, both sides assessed that the first season of the competition had largely justified expectations, bringing sporting value, improved visibility and media benefits for the participating clubs.
However, the two federations also acknowledged that the league was formed in a short period of time, leaving room for improvement in its organisational structure. In the coming period, the league’s governing bodies are expected to be formally defined, including its Board of Directors and other working bodies.
The competition system was also discussed. Both federations agreed that the number of clubs in the Premier League should be increased, while retaining the First League as part of the overall structure.
The statement confirms that the VRL will continue in the 2026/27 season, with both Serbia and Montenegro expressing a commitment to further developing the league from an organisational, competitive and media perspective.
The announcement is also significant given the wider uncertainty around regional club water polo. Earlier discussions had raised the possibility of another regional structure being explored, potentially involving Croatian clubs and different political and sporting figures within the region.
For now, however, this latest statement makes no reference to Croatian participation. Instead, it points to a continued Serbia-Montenegro framework, at least as the basis for the next phase of the VRL.
Whether the league will expand beyond its current national partnership remains unclear. Croatian clubs were not mentioned in the announcement, although previous discussions around the future of regional water polo have repeatedly left open the possibility of a broader format returning in some form.
What is clear is that Serbia and Montenegro intend to keep the VRL alive. After a first season that both federations view positively, the focus now appears to be on stabilising the league’s governance, expanding the top division, and building a more sustainable competition for the 2026/27 season.
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