It originated from the physical fitness training programs in German diving clubs during the early 1960s.

Recognized by the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) in 1978, it was first played in a world championship in 1980.

Air-filled balls are unsuitable for underwater games because they are buoyant and will return to the surface of the water.

Since the density of the ball was now greater than that of normal water, it no longer floated to the surface but slowly sank to the bottom.

Dr. Franz Josef Grimmeisen, a member of the German Underwater Club in Duisburg, a city near Cologne, decided to make a competitive sport from this ball game.

The German Lifeguard Association (DLRG) of Mülheim (since 1967 TSC Mülheim/Ruhr) had founded a divers' club, and through contact with members of DUC Duisburg, learned of the game.

Grimmeisen kept promoting the idea of an underwater rugby tournament to give the sport a character of serious competition.

To bring this game to the international arena, Grimmeisen turned to the two then most important members of CMAS, France and the USSR.

Just one French sports magazine, L'Equipe, printed a short article in its April 9, 1965 edition.

[3] Underwater Rugby was brought to the United Kingdom by Briton Rob Bonnar and Slovak Oliver Kraus in 2013.

[4] The British Underwater Rugby Association (BURA) is the UK's governing body affiliated with CMAS.

[6][7][8] The governing body is the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) Underwater Rugby Commission.

[9] As of June 2013, the following countries and territories have affiliated with the commission: Australia, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States of America and Venezuela.