A three-dimensional team sport in which divers wrestle a slightly negatively buoyant ball into a heavy basket at the pool floor.
Origin and rules
Underwater rugby was developed in 1961 by Ludwig von Bersuda for the German Underwater Club in Cologne. It became a CMAS-recognised sport in 1978 and is now played across Europe, the Americas, and parts of Asia.
How it plays
Six divers per side fight for a ball filled with saltwater that sinks slowly in a deep pool. Players hold their breath and pass, dribble, and tackle in three dimensions, trying to push the ball into a metal basket on the pool floor. Goalkeepers defend the basket from above.
Competition
The CMAS Underwater Rugby World Championships and the European Championship are the headline events. Germany, Norway, Colombia, Sweden, and Denmark are the dominant nations. The sport is not on the Olympic programme but features in the World Games.
Find more sports by letter
Underwater Rugby starts with U and ends with Y. Browse other sports along the same letter.
Sports that contain a letter from "Underwater Rugby":