The first sound to greet viewers of EuroLeague’s Eternal Derby broadcast on 22 October 2026 was the deafening chorus of the Grobari. A wall of sound so relentless and united that it was immediately apparent this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill fixture.

Then the game began, and Partizan built an eighteen-point advantage, appearing comfortably in control. Still, Crvena Zvezda refused to roll over, mounting an incredible comeback to force overtime.

They led for much of overtime, and then, rather spectacularly, Alessandro Pajola buried the dagger, giving Partizan the lead with 17 seconds remaining.

The EuroLeague cameras panned to the Grobari section, where absolute limbs had broken out. Supporters were leaping into the air, embracing one another as the ball swished through the net.

Partizan then denied Zvezda even a chance to shoot, securing the first Eternal Derby victory of the season. The home side won 85–82.

For context, Partizan were on a slide, having lost their previous three games, while Crvena Zvezda came into the Eternal Derby with a four-game win streak. But this fixture’s significance cannot be measured solely by the scoreboard.

For the best part of eighty years, both clubs and their supporters have sustained competition on the court and in the stands. A rivalry born between two sporting institutions in post-war Belgrade became a game watched by eyes spanning the globe.

I was among them: a nineteen-year-old basketball supporter from County Durham who planned his entire day around this one fixture.

How did a rivalry born from the aftermath of war travel from Belgrade to captivate a young basketball writer in the North East of England?

From the Ruins of War

In 1945, as Yugoslavia began rebuilding after the Second World War, Josip Broz Tito’s communist-led authorities began consolidating power. Belgrade had been liberated from German occupation the previous calendar year, as a new political order took shape.

Sport played a role in the country’s transformation, as the new powers quickly stamped their mark on the sporting landscape. Tito’s government reorganised institutions, suppressed clubs that predated the war, and, as we will discover shortly, formed state-aligned organisations.

Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) became the first of the two clubs, founded on 4 March 1945 by Serbian anti-fascist youth, with a basketball section formed early on. The founding members debated extensively before choosing the name Crvena Zvezda, with potential names including Dinamo and Lokomotiva.

Exactly seven months later, Partizan followed. Unlike Red Star, Partizan emerged directly from the Yugoslav Army, established as the sporting society of the Central House of the Yugoslav Army. Basketball grew out of the existing army team, joining football, tennis, athletics and cycling within Partizan’s expanding sporting organisation.

This is not to say basketball emerged after the war. It had existed for numerous years beforehand, with official games and championships organised from 1942-45.

Partizan’s military leaders accused Red Star supporters of opposing the army. In response, Red Star supporters accused those leaders of disloyalty to the new government.

What began as competition between two institutions within the same political order grew into something much more: a rivalry that survived Yugoslavia’s death and became far more than intra-city politics.

The Men Who Shaped the Eternal Derby

Every sporting club has its share of legends, but few rivalries have histories as intertwined as Partizan and Red Star.

Despite the hostility between supporters, both Belgrade institutions have helped shape some of European basketball’s most extraordinary figures.

The first decade of post-war organised basketball in Yugoslavia saw Red Star dominate. The pioneer who shaped Zvezda’s success was Nebojša Popović, a player-coach who led Red Star to ten consecutive Yugoslav titles from 1946-1955. He also played a role as one of the founders of the initial movement.

The 1970s saw the rise of their intra-city counterparts, Partizan. Their first national championship came during the 1975/76 campaign under coach Borislav Ćorković, with two players in particular helping the club achieve this feat. Dragan Kićanović and Dražen Dalipagić helped Partizan reverse an early imbalance that Zvezda established.

Aleksandar Nikolić is regarded as the father of Yugoslav basketball. Nikolić wore the jersey of both clubs before later coaching both clubs.

In addition to this remarkable set of roles, Nikolić advised a young Željko Obradović during his first coaching campaign for Partizan. That was the 1991/92 season, when Partizan dared to dream and embarked on a historic run to the 1992 European Club Championship.

The summer of 1991 brought an extraordinary twist. Obradović inherited the role of a coach on the verge of crossing the sporting Rubicon.

Duško Vujošević resigned from Partizan after feeling that club officials didn’t support his authority during a coach-player dispute, and he joined the rivals. He later said revenge was a major motivation for beating Partizan during his tenure with Crvena Zvezda.

As Yugoslavia descended into conflict, FIBA prohibited Yugoslav clubs from hosting European fixtures on home soil. Partizan consequently took much of their European campaign to Fuenlabrada, near Madrid, where local supporters embraced Obradović’s team.

Revenge and Redemption

In the 1992 Yugoslav championship final, the two clashed in a coaching battle for the ultimate domestic prize, and Partizan ultimately won, sweeping them 3–0. Partizan won all three games by more than ten points, meaning Vujošević’s chance for revenge ended in a comprehensive defeat.

Duško would not remain the coach who jumped ship forever, though. In 2001, Vujošević made a remarkable return to the black-and-white side of Belgrade. From that season on, Partizan went on to win nine consecutive national championships (2002-10). Between 2007 and 2010, Duško also oversaw a remarkable four consecutive Adriatic League titles.

The man who once suffered a finals walloping at the hands of KK Partizan became the one to dish them out.

Vujošević returned once more to Partizan in 2012, but the final chapter had an incredible reversal of fortunes. By 2015, Europe saw Dejan Radonjić mould Red Star into a credible contender to topple the longstanding dominance of Partizan.

By the 2015 Serbian championship final, the balance of power had begun to shift. Under Radonjić, Red Star had already claimed the Adriatic League and Serbian Cup that season. Crvena Zvezda would then complete an incredible 3–0 sweep over Partizan, claiming their first national title in 17 years. It also proved consequential for derby bragging rights, ending Partizan’s 13 consecutive championship victories.

This incredible symmetry had emerged for Vujošević. Twenty-three years after suffering a sweep coaching Red Star, he endured the same fate on Belgrade’s opposite side. But this is about more than one man’s unbelievable journey between rival institutions.

Coaches can come and go. Dynasties rise and fall. The power balance between the Belgrade clubs can shift year on year. Yet through the triumphs and embarrassments, an important aspect remained constant.

The extraordinary devotion of those watching in the stands.

More Than Forty Minutes

Both sets of organised supporter movements had their own origins, and we have to start with the Grobari. During the 1950s, Partizan supporters had begun gathering in organised groups, but the 1970s saw the Grobari develop into a more recognisable supporter movement.

The name, translated into English, means the gravediggers. This started off as a nickname used derogatorily by Red Star fans in reference to the black colours of Partizan. Instead of feeling offended by it, the supporters embraced it themselves and made it their proud identity.

On 7 January 1989, several Red Star supporter groups, including the Red Devils, Ultras and Zulu Warriors, united under the banner of Delije Sever.

Both supporter groups started off with specific allegiances to the footballing teams, but basketball became an extension of their support.

During a 2020 interview, football manager Aleksandar Vuković explained that the football and basketball support groups heavily overlapped. Nevertheless, he went on to elaborate that there were plenty of spectators who had devoted themselves exclusively to basketball.

Songs have remained central to both groups. When both supporter groups are present during the derby, they compete with their voices, giving their absolute all to get behind their team.

Look no further than the latest Eternal Derby fixture (22 October 2026), where a section of the Delije occupied the higher tiers of Belgrade Arena. Despite the overwhelming numbers of Partizan fans, they continued to celebrate anytime a basket was made or when Zvezda had a defensive stop.

Just before this game, Red Star were playing FC Copenhagen. After the football match finished, Red Star fans boarded arranged buses from the Rajko Mitić Stadium to Belgrade Arena for the basketball derby. Two very different sports and venues, but the supporters carry the same allegiance.

Songs of the Eternal Derby

Before matches, Partizan supporters traditionally stand with their scarves held high, as they sing Da volim crno-bele. When translated to English, it reads “That I love the black-and-whites”.

Furthermore, the tradition, according to Vuković, originated in basketball, instead of being imported from football. Their supporter culture may be deeply embedded in football, but basketball has never been just a passenger.

The Delije have their own equivalent musical tradition, with supporters singing Dobro znaj da uvek tu sam ja. When translated to English, it reads “Know well that I am always here.”

These songs create a shared identity for those who join in with the singing. On 4 January 2024, Nemanja Nedović led the supporters in singing Dobro znaj, immediately after Red Star won 88-72 against Partizan.

During May 2026, the Delije themselves announced a nearly hour-long studio medley of supporter songs. It placed great emphasis on songs developed over the past two decades, with their original lyrics and melodies.

The multitude of supporter songs across both organised groups aren’t mere tools to create noise. They are declarations of belonging, passed down through generations.

Allegiance to either club has a substantial meaning in Serbian culture, especially Belgrade. A 2018 BBC feature mentions a comment from Darko Nikolić, describing how newborn children receive gifts with the emblem of either club.

During a 2021 interview with Vuković, he explained that supporting Partizan was deeply rooted within the family. Successive generations of his lineage support the black-and-whites, illustrating the influence of family on sporting allegiance.

A 2022 BasketNews interview with Luka Mitrović explores how Luka’s allegiance formed through school and friendships. His parents didn’t support a particular club, so other relationships helped to shape his fandom.

But perhaps the clearest indication that these groups extend beyond sport came in 2023. Partizan hosted Real Madrid in game four of the EuroLeague playoff quarterfinals.

Outside of basketball, the previous day saw Vladislav Ribnikar Primary School suffer the immense tragedy of a school shooting. The fans responded by gathering outside the arena, laying flowers and lighting candles.

Then the Grobari announced in solidarity with the victims and families, they would not organise any chanting in the first half. Instead, they raised scarves and flowers during their planned silence.

Despite enormous sporting stakes, the Grobari opted for restraint and remembrance. A powerful moment that came from choosing what not to do. After the first half, structured singing resumed, and the first song that could be heard from the stands was Da volim crno-bele.

Yet the extraordinary passion exhibited by both supporter movements has been accompanied by a much darker history that can’t be ignored.

When Passion Turns Destructive

The derby on 22 October 2026 was also marred by serious disturbances in the stands that gave cause for concern. Shortly before tip-off, a flare had been thrown near the away support section.

Subsequently, Partizan supporters crossed a security barrier, confronting the rival fans. Police intervened to separate the supporters, while the visiting fans temporarily withdrew from their section before returning a few minutes later.

Further disturbances followed in the fourth quarter.

Flares, firecrackers and other pyrotechnics were thrown between supporter sections, causing loud bangs to be heard within the arena and enforced stoppages to the game. The public-address system repeatedly urged fans to stop, but it persisted on and off throughout the quarter.

Despite the interruptions, the match continued, with Partizan eventually winning 85–82 in overtime. But these were far from isolated incidents, as the documented history points to events causing significant consequences.

During game two of the 2006 Serbo-Montenegrin championship final at Pionir Hall, Red Star supporters were embroiled in a physical confrontation with police.

A crowd surge resulted in a perimeter barrier collapsing, with supporters falling three metres from the stand. Even Red Star players were attempting to intervene in this clash. This disorder did not remain contained within the arena, as it spread outside.

The Serbian Interior Ministry reported nine police injured, eighteen supporters hurt and thirty people detained by authorities. As a result of this confrontation, the match could not be completed as Red Star refused to return to the court. Officials awarded Partizan a 20–0 victory, with the subsequent game three fixture played without spectators.

Seven years later, the Radivoj Korać Cup final between the same rivals descended into similar disorder. Importantly, the Serbian basketball federation provided its own contemporary account. The score was 43-43, after 25 minutes and 53 seconds of play. The contest was forced to a stop, following supporters entering the playing area.

Multiple objects were thrown onto the court, causing police intervention as the disorder escalated. The interruptions lasted over an hour before match officials and the Serbian Basketball Federation determined playing conditions were not safe to continue. The federation’s vice president, Dejan Tomašević, confirmed that action could not continue due to concerns about player safety.

The fixture resumed the following evening, and no spectators were in attendance, with Red Star ultimately winning 78-69.

One of the most serious sporting outcomes followed from the incidents at the 2024 Serbian championship final. Partizan were leading 57-45 during the third quarter as proceedings were disrupted after deeply offensive chanting and objects were thrown onto the court. Red Star players and match officials left the court and eventually returned, but by that point Partizan players did not return to resume the contest.

The consequences meant Red Star were handed a 20–0 victory, resulting in them lifting the National Championship.

Partizan disputed the ruling, claiming their representatives had been told the fixture would resume the following day. An announcement inside the arena had also indicated this. However, league director Aleksandar Grujin maintained that the clubs had been instructed to resume play that evening, defending the subsequent forfeiture.

These incidents do not implicate every supporter of these two sporting institutions. Nevertheless, repeated incidents cannot be dismissed as isolated exceptions.

Police interventions, abandoned games and sporting sanctions have all arisen due to supporter misconduct. Yet disorder has continued to recur, raising serious questions regarding whether the measures taken have been effective in preventing future disorder.

Supporters have poured immense passion into supporting their teams, yet the actions of some have directly undermined the occasions these communities cherish.

Both sides of the Eternal Derby are now visible to audiences around the world: the extraordinary atmosphere that attracts international attention, and the disorder that repeatedly threatens to overshadow it.

From Belgrade to the World

Belgrade’s extraordinary drawing power was already apparent in March 2009, when Duško Vujošević’s Partizan hosted Željko Obradović’s Panathinaikos. Partizan won 63–56 before 22,567 spectators. At the time, this set a European indoor club basketball attendance record, which was broken only five years later by their rivals.

Red Star faced off against Budivelnyk Kyiv during the EuroCup quarter-finals. They went on to defeat the Ukrainian side 79-70 after going to overtime. That evening saw 24,232 spectators pack into the arena then known as Kombank Arena.

Neither occasion was an Eternal Derby, but both demonstrated the extraordinary support these institutions commanded long before EuroLeague’s unprecedented derby-specific media campaign in 2025.

On 8 December 2022, a new chapter began. For the first time, the Eternal Derby appeared on the EuroLeague schedule.

Red Star eventually won 76-73 through Nemanja Nedović’s three-point dagger, with approximately two seconds remaining on the clock.

This exposed the fixture to EuroLeague’s international broadcasting audience, bringing the rivalry directly onto EuroLeague’s regular-season stage.

Three years later, EuroLeague took the international presentation of the derby to another level.

For the 12 December 2025 instalment of the Eternal Derby, EuroLeague undertook its most extensive distribution and production for a regular-season game. Over one hundred countries worldwide had the fixture available to them through the EuroLeague’s distribution machine.

The production also involved international basketball personalities and digital media outlets, including the likes of Joakim Noah, The Professor, Overtime and others. House of Highlights, which EuroLeague reported had 104 million social-media followers, also streamed the fixture on YouTube in selected countries, including the United States and Canada.

The most intimate feature of this production was the “I Was There” participation feature. This enabled fans experiencing the Eternal Derby to share footage and record short videos outside or inside Belgrade Arena for official social media coverage.

The people who were responsible for cultivating the atmosphere were invited to become participants in the game’s story to the world.

This fixture has always been significant to the countless people involved in the game. The world did not need to discover the Eternal Derby for it to have substantial meaning.

Epilogue: Where It All Began

The Eternal Derby has not always been played in front of vast crowds, with elaborate broadcasting productions behind it. The inaugural fixture in this rivalry took place outdoors.

Eight clubs gathered at Mali Kalemegdan to compete in the Yugoslav Club Basketball Championship during September 1946. They competed in a round-robin tournament, with the championship awarded to the leading team.

Instead of a hardwood court, players stepped onto a clay court. A world away from the enormous indoor arenas of today.

Crvena Zvezda emerged as the inaugural Yugoslav club champions, winning six of their seven games. Their only defeat came against the very rivals who have come to define so much of their sporting history.

On 6 September 1946, the two sporting clubs contested their first basketball derby. The final score would look almost unrecognisable in modern professional basketball.

24–21.