The Slovenian PrvaLiga ({{langx|sl|Prva slovenska nogometna liga}}, {{IPA|sl|ˈpərʋa slɔˈʋeːnska nɔɡɔˈmɛtna ˈliːɡa|pron}}), currently named Prva liga Telemach due to sponsorship reasons, also known by the abbreviation 1. SNL, is the top level of the Slovenian football league system. Contested by ten clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Slovenian Second League (2. SNL). Seasons typically run from July to May with each team playing 36 matches.

The competition was founded in 1991, after Slovenia became an independent country. From 1920 until the end of the 1990–91 season, the Slovenian Republic League was a lower division within the Yugoslav league system, although the top Slovenian clubs usually competed in the highest levels of the Yugoslav league system. The league is governed by the Football Association of Slovenia. Celje and Maribor are the only two founding clubs that have never been relegated from the league since its foundation in 1991.

47 clubs have competed since the inception of the PrvaLiga in 1991. Eight of them have won the title: Maribor (16), Gorica (4), Olimpija (4), Olimpija Ljubljana (3), Celje (2), Domžale (2), Koper (1), and Mura (1).

History

File:NK Maribor2011.jpg

The Slovenian First League (1. SNL) was established after Slovenia's independence in 1991 and initially consisted of 21 clubs in the inaugural season.{{cite web | url = https://siol.net/sportal/prva-liga/zgodovina-1-snl-472823 | title = Fenomen NK Maribor: Ima jih več kot preostala Slovenija skupaj! | publisher = Siol | language = sl | date = 23 May 2022 | access-date = 27 May 2022 | first = Rok | last = Plestenjak | archive-date = 27 January 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210127164107/https://siol.net/sportal/prva-liga/zgodovina-1-snl-472823 | url-status = live }}{{cite web| url = https://www.prvaliga.si/Klubska_tekmovanja/Prva_liga/Zgodovina| title = Zgodovina| trans-title = History| publisher = Slovenian PrvaLiga| language = sl| access-date = 27 May 2022| archive-date = 19 June 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220619112927/https://www.prvaliga.si/Klubska_tekmovanja/Prva_liga/Zgodovina| url-status = live}}{{cite web | url = http://www.nzs.si/nzs/predstavitev-nzs/zgodovina|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311123022/https://www.nzs.si/nzs/predstavitev-nzs/zgodovina|archive-date=11 March 2016 | title = Zgodovina |trans-title=History | publisher = Football Association of Slovenia | language = sl | access-date = 3 May 2012}} Prior to that, Slovenian teams competed in the Yugoslav football league system. Olimpija, Maribor, and Nafta were the only Slovenian teams to play in the Yugoslav top division between 1945 and the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991. While they were part of the Yugoslav football system, most Slovenian clubs competed for the title of regional champions in the Slovenian Republic League, the third tier of Yugoslav football.

File:Matjaž Kek.jpg won the PrvaLiga title as a footballer and manager.{{cite news | url = https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/dobra-igra-ne-steje-pomemben-je-le-izid/124605 | title = Dobra igra ne šteje, pomemben je le izid | trans-title = Good performance is not important, only the result is important | publisher = RTV Slovenija | language = sl | date = 21 August 2008 | access-date = 17 May 2012 | archive-date = 19 December 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191219211848/https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/dobra-igra-ne-steje-pomemben-je-le-izid/124605 | url-status = live }}]]

In 1991, the Football Association of Slovenia separated from the Football Association of Yugoslavia and established its own competitions, where Slovenian clubs competed for the title of Slovenian national champions. As of 2024, Celje and Maribor remain the only two founding clubs that have never been relegated from the league since the inaugural 1991–92 edition.{{cite web |first=Dolores |last=Subotić |title=Sežanci vzeli Goričanom prvoligaški status |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/prva-liga/sezanci-vzeli-goricanom-prvoligaski-status/489866 |publisher=RTV Slovenija |access-date=5 June 2019 |location=Nova Gorica |language=sl |date=2 June 2019 |archive-date=2 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602200055/https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/prva-liga/sezanci-vzeli-goricanom-prvoligaski-status/489866 |url-status=live }} The competition format and the number of clubs in the league have changed over time, ranging from 21 clubs in the first season to 10 clubs in its present form.

Olimpija won the first title. They had a long tradition of playing in the Yugoslav First League and their squad was still composed of players from that era. Olimpija dominated the league and won a further three championships before Gorica won their first in the 1995–96 season. Following Gorica's success, Maribor won their first championship in 1997. This started a record-breaking streak of seven successive league championships which came to an end when Gorica won their second title in the 2003–04 season. The club from Nova Gorica went on to win an additional two titles, becoming the third club to win three consecutive championships. During the 2006–07 season, Domžale won their first title, a feat they repeated the following season. Starting with the 2008–09 season, Maribor became the major force in Slovenian football for the second time, having won 9 out of 16 championships since then, including five consecutive titles from 2011 to 2015.

Maribor is the most successful club; they have won the championship 16 times. Seven of Maribor's titles came during the late 1990s and early 2000s when the club was led alternately by managers Bojan Prašnikar, Ivo Šušak and Matjaž Kek.{{cite web | url = https://www.nkmaribor.com/Zgodovina/1991-2000#10017 | title = Zgodovina 1991–2000 | trans-title = History 1991–2000 | publisher = NK Maribor | language = sl | access-date = 3 May 2012 | archive-date = 12 February 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210212020152/https://www.nkmaribor.com/Zgodovina/1991-2000#10017 | url-status = live }}{{cite web | url = https://www.nkmaribor.com/Zgodovina/2001-2010#9916 | title = Zgodovina 2001–2010 | trans-title = History 2001–2010 | publisher = NK Maribor | language = sl | access-date = 3 May 2012 | archive-date = 12 February 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210212020147/https://www.nkmaribor.com/Zgodovina/2001-2010#9916 | url-status = live }} Darko Milanič has led the club to four championships between 2009 and 2013.{{cite news | url = https://www.dnevnik.si/1042592755 | title = Milanič odhaja v Sturm Graz: "Po malem se je kuhalo že nekaj časa" | newspaper = Dnevnik | language = sl | date = 4 June 2013 | access-date = 9 June 2018 | author = STA, rk | archive-date = 12 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143318/https://www.dnevnik.si/1042592755 | url-status = live }} Olimpija have won four titles, all in successive years between 1992 and 1995. Tied with four championships is Gorica who won their first title in 1996 and an additional three in successive years between 2004 and 2006. Olimpija Ljubljana have won three titles, followed by Celje and Domžale with two titles each. Koper and Mura have won one title each, in 2010 and 2021, respectively. Maribor have won the most doubles, winning the league and the Slovenian Cup four times in the same season.{{cite web |last1=Lorenčič |first1=Jaša |title=Kako do 16. naslova? Rožman: »Ne bom trpel švercanja!« |url=https://maribor24.si/sport/kako-do-16-naslova-rozman-ne-bom-trpel-svercanja |website=maribor24.si |access-date=24 May 2023 |language=sl-SI |date=16 April 2021 |archive-date=24 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524180858/https://maribor24.si/sport/kako-do-16-naslova-rozman-ne-bom-trpel-svercanja |url-status=live }}

=Names=

Since 1991, the league has been named after sponsors on several occasions, giving it the following names:

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:center" !Period !Sponsor !Name
1991–1999	No sponsor	1. SNL
1999–2004	Si.mobil	Liga Si.mobil{{cite web \|title=Znani pari 1. kroga novega nogometnega prvenstva \|url=https://www.sta.si/417594/znani-pari-1-kroga-novega-nogometnega-prvenstva \|publisher=Slovenian Press Agency \|access-date=27 May 2022 \|language=sl \|date=23 June 1999 \|archive-date=27 May 2022 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527121310/https://www.sta.si/417594/znani-pari-1-kroga-novega-nogometnega-prvenstva \|url-status=live }}
2004–2006	Si.mobil Vodafone	Liga Si.mobil Vodafone{{cite web \|title=Nogometna liga z novim imenom \|url=https://www.sta.si/809530/nogometna-liga-z-novim-imenom \|publisher=Slovenian Press Agency \|access-date=27 May 2022 \|language=sl \|date=23 February 2004 \|archive-date=7 December 2022 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207234702/https://www.sta.si/809530/nogometna-liga-z-novim-imenom \|url-status=live }}
2006–2009	Telekom Slovenije	Prva liga Telekom Slovenije{{cite news\|url=https://www.finance.si/154649/Telekom-Slovenije-pokrovitelj-slovenskih-nogometasev\|title=Telekom Slovenije pokrovitelj slovenskih nogometašev\|language=sl\|date=5 June 2006\|access-date=27 May 2017\|website=Finance.si\|archive-date=4 August 2021\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804114026/https://www.finance.si/154649/Telekom-Slovenije-pokrovitelj-slovenskih-nogometasev\|url-status=live}}
2009–2013	No sponsor	Prva liga
2013–2021	Telekom Slovenije	Prva liga Telekom Slovenije{{cite news\|url=https://snportal.si/prva-liga/novi-sponzor-prve-lige-telekom-slovenije/\|title=Nov sponzor Prve Lige: Telekom Slovenije\|language=sl\|date=1 March 2013\|access-date=27 May 2017\|website=Slovenski nogometni portal\|archive-date=12 October 2017\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012103012/https://snportal.si/prva-liga/novi-sponzor-prve-lige-telekom-slovenije/\|url-status=live}}
2021–present	Telemach	Prva liga Telemach{{cite web \|title=1. SNL nosi novo uradno "sponzorsko" ime, Mijatović trdi, da je slovenski klubski nogomet v vzponu \|url=https://www.nogomania.com/Novica/-1-SNL-nosi-novo-uradno-sponzorsko-ime-Mijatovic-trdi-da-je-slovenski-klubski-nogomet-v-vzponu \|publisher=Nogomania \|access-date=2 July 2021 \|language=sl \|date=1 July 2021 \|archive-date=1 July 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701165421/https://www.nogomania.com/Novica/-1-SNL-nosi-novo-uradno-sponzorsko-ime-Mijatovic-trdi-da-je-slovenski-klubski-nogomet-v-vzponu \|url-status=live }}

Format

PrvaLiga is contested on a round-robin basis. Each team play against each other four times, twice at home and twice away, for a total of 36 rounds. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked according to the total sum of points and if two teams are tied, head-to-head score is used as the first classification criteria. At the end of the season, the top three clubs qualify for the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Conference League qualifying rounds, with the ninth-placed team being qualified for the relegation play-offs and the bottom one being relegated to the Slovenian Second League.{{cite web | url = https://int.soccerway.com/national/slovenia/1-snl/20212022/regular-season/r63294/ | title = Summary – 1. SNL – Slovenia | publisher = Soccerway | access-date = 27 May 2012 | archive-date = 5 July 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210705035109/https://int.soccerway.com/national/slovenia/1-snl/20212022/regular-season/r63294/ | url-status = live }}

The current system is in use since 2005. Between 1993 and 1995, a regular double round-robin format with 16 clubs was used, before being replaced with the current ten-club system for three seasons until 1998. Triple round-robin with twelve clubs and two direct relegations was then used between 1998 and 2003. In the next two seasons, in 2003–04 and 2004–05, the league was divided into the championship and relegation groups after the end of the regular season.

List of champions

{\| class="wikitable"
Season	Champions	Runners-up
style="text-align:center"\|1991–92 \| Olimpija \| Maribor
style="text-align:center"\|1992–93 \| Olimpija \| Maribor
style="text-align:center"\|1993–94 \| Olimpija \| NK Mura
style="text-align:center"\|1994–95 \| Olimpija \| Maribor
style="text-align:center"\|1995–96 \| Gorica \| Olimpija
style="text-align:center"\|1996–97 \| Maribor \| Primorje
style="text-align:center"\|1997–98 \| Maribor \| NK Mura
style="text-align:center"\|1998–99 \| Maribor \| Gorica
style="text-align:center"\|1999–2000 \| Maribor \| Gorica
style="text-align:center"\|2000–01 \| Maribor \| Olimpija
style="text-align:center"\|2001–02 \| Maribor \| Primorje
style="text-align:center"\|2002–03 \| Maribor \| Celje
style="text-align:center"\|2003–04 \| Gorica \| Olimpija
style="text-align:center"\|2004–05 \| Gorica \| Domžale
style="text-align:center"\|2005–06 \| Gorica \| Domžale
style="text-align:center"\|2006–07 \| Domžale \| Gorica
style="text-align:center"\|2007–08 \| Domžale \| Koper

{| class="wikitable"

Season

Champions

Runners-up

style="text-align:center"|1991–92

Country !TV channel
class="wikitable"
Bosnia and Herzegovina \|rowspan="4" \|Sportklub
Croatia
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Poland \|Sportklub Polska
Serbia \| Sportklub
rowspan="2"\|Slovenia \|Sportklub
Šport TV

Slovenian PrvaLiga

History

=Names=

Format

List of champions

=Performance by club=

Clubs

=2024–25 season=

UEFA coefficient

Statistics

=Top scorers=

Awards

=Trophy=

=Player awards=

=Manager awards=

Broadcast

References

External links