Return to Belgrade - Serbian Groundhop - Game 2 and 3

 Game 2 and 3

Friday November 28th 2025

FK Ušće Novi Beograd 1 FK Voždovac 3

Serbia Prva Liga 

Admission: Free

Programme - Nil but some did get hold of a teamsheet

Attendance: 121

This was a re-visit for a few on the hop but the ground had changed dramatically since their visit - low crowd due to a Friday lunchtime kick off ( for the benefit of betting firms) . Probably as many away fans present as home supporters. The ground just had one stand open today. The ground is overlooked by a large hill, one supporter had been before and said the trek to the top of the hill was difficult and probably impossible today due to the rain/ wet and mud! Our ex Military hopper, saw this as a challenge and made it to the top of the hill, soon followed by 11 others after he had made the route safe!

This enabled hoppers to get a great view of the ground, the church behind one goal and the large Soviet style housing estate close to the ground - before the game, we visited the church and also found within the estate some wall murals, that featured 'Del Boy' Cocktail in hand.

Football wise, the home team took the lead after 13 minutes, but they were outgunned in the second half with the visitors very threatening from every set piece.

FK Loznica 2 FK FAP Priboj 0

Serbia Prva Liga

Stadion Lagator

Admission: £2.25

Attendance: 298

Easy drive on quality toll roads got us to a city on the Bosnian border - one of a number of new grounds built for future Euro U21 championships that Serbia will co-host with Albania, stadium shared with another club from Belgrade ( even if the city is 90 minutes at least away)

An impressive ground, but a future 'white elephant' - The home team winning with two second half goals. Smooth drive back to Belgrade meant many of us could have a second night in the Bruno Bar.

Return to Belgrade - Serbian Groundhop 9 - Game 1

Game 1

27 November 2025

Europa League

Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) 1 FCSB (Romania) 0

Stadion Rajko Mitić

Admission: £19

Programme: £3.70 - only available in VIP areas

Attendance: 26,054 (584 away) - looked lower

A game that the team from Bucharest did not look like they wanted to win, even with Red Star going down to 10 men after a Red Card the Romanian team did not threaten much, with just one real good effort, that came just before Red Star got the winner on 50 minutes.

Public transport now free in the city, so it was tram to the game, as most of us only arrived a few hours before kick off, it was quick walk back into town and few beers in the Bruno Bar before getting our heads down in the early hours.  

Return to Belgrade - Serbian Groundhop 9

The 9th edition of the Serb hop took place between 27 November and 1 December 2025

Organised by our great Serb host, Alek Pekovic and the indomitable Peter Miles

My 5th Serb hop, some similarities with the Romanian version but there are some differences, I love this hop but it is not for everyone, it is not just about the football but also the culture, meeting other fans from different countries but at the same time visiting some great stadiums - if getting in as many games as possible is your thing, this is not for you - having a group meal, visiting an Orthodox Church, an occasional monastery, enjoy a bottle of the local spirit with both teams after a game are all part of the experience.

The Serb hop is also a great one for supporters making their first trips outside the UK, in the company of supporters from the UK, Denmark and Norway - sharing information, trying to include everyone is also part of the ethos of these hops - and re-visits not an issue - as obvious any new visitor to Serbia will want to see both Red Star and Partizan.

32 of us were on the 9th version of the hop, coming from Serbia, UK, Norway and Denmark - some arriving early on the Wednesday to see Red Star in a top basketball match. We had 7 games planned 6 from the top 2 divisions and one non-league game. 3 re-visits (if you had been on every Serb hop) but an option to miss one of those games to see the Red Star Ice Hockey team play.

Belgrade Football grounds

A recent weekend in Belgrade, Yugoslavia enabled me to see 5 games but I also got the chance to visit some other cracking grounds. Now I just hope to be able to go again in 2018 to see games at some of these grounds;

Red Star Belgrade

FK Sindelic (prison in the background)

FK Obilic - club used to be owned by Serb warlord Arkan

FK Zemun

FK Mladi Radnik