Sports are a great way to bring people together through friendly competition. Slovenia is a place where people love staying active and sports are a big parts of daily life. So, if you’re looking to making new friends, or just feel the excitement of a game, exploring sports is a great way to connect with the locals.
In this blog post, you’ll learn about popular sports in Slovenia and some useful Slovenian sports vocabulary. If you’re a sports fan or just curious about Slovenian culture, this guide will give you all the info. So, let’s lace up our shoes and jump into the world of sports!
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Most Popular Sports In Slovenia
Slovenia has quite a rich sports culture. But we’ll go through seven key sports that represent the country’s passion for recreation and also some incredible achievements!
Popular Team Sports
First off, let’s have a look at some famous team sports played in Slovenia.
Football In Slovenia
Football has been big in Slovenia for some time now. It started all the way back in the late 1800s with the football club Laibacher Sportverein in Ljubljana.
After Slovenia gained independence, they started their own league called PrvaLiga. Important teams of this league are Maribor, Mura, and Olimpija. One that stands out is Maribor with lots of championships and competing in games around Europe.
Slovenia’s national team started in 1992 and they’ve done quite well, making it to big tournaments like UEFA Euro 2000, the 2002 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, and UEFA Euro 2024.
The games in Slovenia are played in stadiums Ljudski vrt in Maribor and Stožice Stadium in Ljubljana. Lots of Slovenian fans always come to cheer them on!
Basketball In Slovenia
Basketball is also a major Sport in Slovenia. Slovenia’s national team has been successful, winning the Eurobasket in 2017 and placing fourth in 2009. The top league is the Premier A Slovenian Basketball League, where teams compete across the country.
Basketball is popular, with players like Goran Dragić making a big impact. Women’s basketball is growing too, with Slovenia hosting Eurobasket Women in 2023.
The most famous basketball player from Slovenia is Luka Dončić. He’s known for his remarkable talent and achievements in the NBA.
Ice Hockey In Slovenia
Ice hockey in Slovenia started in the late 1920s and became popular over time. Teams like HK Olimpija and HK Jesenice became well-known while Slovenia was still part of Yugoslavia. Slovenian players were key members of Yugoslavia’s national team, winning Group B at the 1968 Winter Olympics.
After gaining independence, Slovenia formed its own league in 1991 and established its national ice hockey team in 1992. Players like Anže Kopitar and Jan Muršak have become well-known, especially Anže Kopitar in the NHL.
Ice hockey stadiums all over Slovenia host both local and international games, which shows how much the sport has grown and how committed Slovenia is to developing ice hockey.
Handball In Slovenia
Handball is also among popular team sports in Slovenia.
The Handball Federation of Slovenia oversees both men’s and women’s national teams. Both compete internationally, while locally Slovenian handball includes the Slovenian First League for men, the Slovenian Handball Cup, and the Slovenian Handball Supercup, with women also having their own Slovenian First League.
There’s matches happening in stadiums all across Slovenia, where enthusiastic fans come to cheer and promote the sport nationwide.
Popular Individual Sports
Apart from the team sports, Slovenians have also done really well in many individual sports.
Alpine Skiing In Slovenia
Alpine skiing is a very beloved sport in Slovenia. Slovenians have been skiing since the 1600s, and they started having competitions in the 1920s.
Tina Maze, a famous Slovenian skier, won two gold medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics, making Slovenians extremely proud with her achievements.
Davo Karničar is also a big name in Slovenia for skiing down Mount Everest’s tough south Col route in 2000. He’s known for skiing from the highest peaks on all seven continents between 2000 and 2006, a very impressive accomplishment!
Ski Jumping In Slovenia
In Slovenia, ski jumping is a big winter sport where athletes slide down a curved ramp on skis to try and make the longest leap possible.
Planica in Slovenia is renowned for ski jumping. Every March, Planica hosts the Ski Jumping World Cup finals, a major event attracting over ten thousand spectators. It’s a popular spot for sports and entertainment, set in a beautiful location near Italy and Austria.
The Alpine valley features record-breaking jumps, including the Gorišek Brothers’ hill, one of the world’s largest ski flying hills. Peter Prevc won many ski jumping awards for Slovenia.
Cycling In Slovenia
Cycling has been a big part of Slovenia’s sports scene for a long time, but it really took off recently with new clubs like Rog, Sava, and Karka popping up. Even though Slovenian cyclists didn’t do as well back in the early 1900s, the sport has grown a lot since then.
Slovenia got noticed in cycling when they won more UCI World Tour races per person than any other country in 2018.
In 2019, Primož Roglič became the first Slovenian to win a big race the Vuelta España. After that in 2020, Tadej Pogačar made history by being the first Slovenian to win the Tour de France.
How Do You Say Sports In Slovenian?
The word for sport in Slovenian is šport. The word is pretty much the same, but it is pronounced like ‘shport’. The ‘š’ sounds like ‘sh’ in English.
Slovenian Sports Vocabulary
Want to learn how to say all kinds of sports and related vocabulary in Slovenian? Here’s a table of all useful words that should give you a good foundation for discussing sports in Slovenian.
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Football | Nogomet |
| Basketball | Košarka |
| Tennis | Tenis |
| Swimming | Plavanje |
| Cycling | Kolesarjenje |
| Running | Tek |
| Gymnastics | Gimnastika |
| Volleyball | Odbojka |
| Hockey | Hokej |
| Skiing | Smučanje |
| Snowboarding | Deskanje na snegu |
| Surfing | Deskanje na vodi |
| Boxing | Boks |
| Martial arts | Borilne veščine |
| Golf | Golf |
| Swimming pool | Bazen |
| Stadium | Športni stadion |
| Coach | Trener |
| Team | Ekipa |
| Referee | Sodnik |
| Goal | Gol |
| Victory | Zmaga |
| Defeat | Poraz |
Keen on learning more? Ling app offers lessons on all kinds of different interesting topics, including Slovenian food, Slovenian clothes, Slovenian weather, and Slovenian date and time, among many many others!
FAQs About Sports In Slovenia
Why Are Slovenians So Good At Sports?
Slovenia has a strong sports tradition with over 13,000 clubs and more than 661,000 athletes. This is because the country has a well-organized infrastructure and natural landscapes, that are perfect for training.
Many Slovenians take part in recreational sports, and they’re supported by local communities and sponsors. They also have plenty of Olympic sports centers, which makes it perfect for athletic training and competitions!
What Is The National Sport Of Slovenia?
Football is Slovenia’s favorite sport. The national team has done very well, qualifying for big championships. This has made football very popular and widely recognized as Slovenia’s national sport.
What Are Popular Activities Or Sports In Slovenia?
Sports is super important in Slovenia, where despite busy lives, many Slovenians take part in outdoor activities. They don’t see exercise just as physical activity but as a must for a better quality of life.
Almost every Slovenian participates in some form of sports. This passion includes team sports like basketball, football, ice hockey, volleyball, and handball, as well as individual activities like running, skiing, cycling, and tennis.
Sports Bring People Together!
Sports in Slovenia are a big part of Slovenian culture. It unites communities and gives a great sense of pride with achievements from talented athletes.
Slovenians love staying active, so, why not lace up your shoes and join in? Experience Slovenia through its diverse sports, where every game is a chance to connect, have fun, and stay healthy!
