It’s a very special day on the Dubrovnik calendar today, the final of the Wild League. At 6.15 this afternoon Elite will take on Porporela to see who is the best amateur water polo team in Dubrovnik. The final will be held in the Old City harbour and it is sure to be a very colourful event.

The Dubrovnik Wild League is the largest amateur water polo championship in the world. Teams from local beaches from all over the region take part in a competition that begun back in 1950. Water polo is the traditional sport of Dubrovnik. The city’s water polo club “jug” which translates as “South” are very much the Barcelona of world water polo, winning countless national and international trophies.

Although the roots of the Wild League date back to 1950 it really took hold in 1983 when more teams and better organisation were added. Since then it has been played every year and almost every beach in Dubrovnik has a team. It is played for fun but there is also a keen competitive spirit. Nobody likes losing.