Slovenian Football Cup

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Slovenian Football Cup
Slovenian Football Cup.png
Founded1991; 30 years ago (1991)
RegionSlovenia
Number of teams12 (2021–22)
Qualifier forUEFA Europa Conference League
Current championsOlimpija Ljubljana (3rd title)
Most successful club(s)Maribor (9 titles)
Websitenzs.si
2020–21 Slovenian Football Cup

The Slovenian Football Cup (Slovene: Pokal Nogometne zveze Slovenije, pronounced [pɔˈkáːl nɔɡɔˈméːtnɛ ˈzʋéːzɛ slɔˈʋèːnijɛ]) is the top knockout tournament of Slovenian football and the second most important football competition in Slovenia after the Slovenian PrvaLiga championship. The cup was established in 1991 following the breakup of Yugoslavia. Since 2020, it has been known as Pokal Pivovarna Union after its headline sponsor, the Union Brewery.

As of 2021, a total of 16 clubs have reached the cup final; the most successful side in the history of the competition is Maribor, who have triumphed 9 times in their 14 cup final appearances. They are followed by Olimpija, who won four titles before folding in 2005. Primorje hold the record for most appearances in the final without winning the title, finishing as runners-up in three consecutive finals between 1996 and 1998. Aluminij and Nafta 1903 are the only sides from outside the top flight which managed to reach the cup final, having finished as runners-up in 2002 and 2020, respectively.

Olimpija Ljubljana is the current cup holder, having beaten Celje 2–1 in the 2021 final.[1]

Format[]

Until 2021, the Slovenian Cup was contested by a total of 28 clubs: 18 lower league sides that qualified via regional cups organised by the Intercommunal Football Associations, and 10 teams that competed in the Slovenian PrvaLiga the previous season. In the first round proper, 18 lower league clubs were joined by the six lower placed top flight clubs. The twelve winners were then joined by the best four top flight clubs who automatically entered the second round proper. The games were played in a single leg knock-out format until the quarter-finals and semi-finals when home and away matches were played and aggregate scores were taken into account. Since 2005 the final is also held as a single-legged match, although it was a two-legged affair in the period between 1994 and 2004.

From the 2022–23 season, the number of teams in the first round will increase significantly to 120. Four teams that will represent Slovenia in UEFA competitions will join in the second round. In all rounds, only one match will be played, and the seeding system will be abolished; lower league teams will also not automatically play their matches at home.[2]

List of finals[]

Key

Match ended after extra time
Match decided by a penalty shoot-out after the extra time
Match decided on aggregate score in a two-legged tie
Italic Team from outside the top flight
Season Winners Score Runners-up Venue Attendance
1991–92 Maribor 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 pen.) 		Olimpija Bežigrad 2,000
1992–93 Olimpija 2–1 Celje Skalna Klet 2,500
1993–94 Maribor 3–2 (agg.) Mura
1994–95 Mura 2–1 (agg.) Celje
1995–96 Olimpija 2–1 (agg.) Primorje
1996–97 Maribor 3–0 (agg.) Primorje
1997–98 Rudar Velenje 4–2 (agg.) Primorje
1998–99 Maribor 5–2 (agg.) Olimpija
1999–2000 Olimpija 3–2 (agg.) Korotan Prevalje
2000–01 Gorica 4–3 (agg.) Olimpija
2001–02 Gorica 6–1 (agg.) Aluminij
2002–03 Olimpija 3–3 (agg.) (a) Celje
2003–04 Maribor 7–4 (agg.) Dravograd
2004–05 Celje 1–0 Gorica Arena Petrol 3,800
2005–06 Koper 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 pen.) 		Celje Arena Petrol 3,200
2006–07 Koper 1–0 Maribor Arena Petrol 3,500
2007–08 Interblock 2–1 Maribor Arena Petrol 5,400
2008–09 Interblock 2–1 Koper Ljudski vrt 2,500
2009–10 Maribor 3–2 (a.e.t.) Domžale Ljudski vrt 6,000
2010–11 Domžale 4–3 Maribor Stožice 6,000
2011–12 Maribor 2–2 (a.e.t.)
(3–2 pen.) 		Celje Stožice 4,132
2012–13 Maribor 1–0 Celje Bonifika 1,500
2013–14 Gorica 2–0 Maribor Bonifika 3,500
2014–15 Koper 2–0 Celje Bonifika 3,000
2015–16 Maribor 2–2 (a.e.t.)
(7–6 pen.) 		Celje Bonifika 2,500
2016–17 Domžale 1–0 Olimpija Ljubljana Bonifika 3,230
2017–18 Olimpija Ljubljana 6–1 Aluminij Stožice 8,804
2018–19 Olimpija Ljubljana 2–1 Maribor Stadion Z'dežele 8,623
2019–20 Mura 2–0 Nafta 1903 NNC Brdo 200
2020–21 Olimpija Ljubljana 2–1 Celje Bonifika 1,200

List of winners[]

Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence.

Club Winners Last final won Runners-up Last final lost
Maribor 9 2016 5 2019
Olimpija[a] 4 2003 3 2001
Gorica 3 2014 1 2005
Koper 3 2015 1 2009
Olimpija Ljubljana[a] 3 2021 1 2017
Domžale 2 2017 1 2010
Interblock 2 2009 0 —
Celje 1 2005 9 2021
NK Mura[b] 1 1995 1 1994
Rudar Velenje 1 1998 0 —
NŠ Mura[b] 1 2020 0 —
Primorje 0 — 3 1998
Aluminij 0 — 2 2018
Korotan Prevalje 0 — 1 2000
Dravograd 0 — 1 2004
Nafta 1903 0 — 1 2020

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b The original Olimpija went bankrupt and folded in 2005. In the same year, NK Bežigrad was founded. The club was later renamed to Olimpija Ljubljana in 2008. Legally, the original and the new club are two separate entities.
  2. ^ a b The original Mura went bankrupt and folded in 2005. Legally, the original and the new club are two separate entities.

References[]

  1. ^ "Tolažba za konec sezone - zmaji osvojili pokal" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Zadeva: Sprememba tekmovalnega sistema v Pokalu Slovenije s tekmovalnim letom 2022/2023" (PDF). nzs.si (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.

External links[]

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