Slovenian PrvaLiga kicks off as Nafta 1903 host Koper

The 2024‑25 season of Slovenia's top football division, the PrvaLiga Telemach, opened on 17 July at the Sports Park in Lendava. Nafta 1903 faced Koper in the first‑round fixture, with Nafta debuting a revamped squad and coaching staff. Former captain Aleks Pihler has left, and striker Amadej Maroša, who netted 20 goals last season, leads the attack.

Pre‑season preparations for both clubs were mixed, with Nafta losing to Voluntari, Honvéd and Partizan, while Koper entered the match on the back of three wins from four games. The blog covering the league’s start highlighted the enthusiasm surrounding the season, noting strong fan turn‑outs at recent preparatory games in Celje and Maribor, the appointment of former star Zlatko Zahović as Maribor’s sporting director, and the return of veteran midfielder Žan Karničnik to the league.

The opening match serves as an early indicator of how competitive the renewed Nafta side will be against established teams as the campaign progresses.