Hokejska liga (Slovenia) 2026/27

The **Slovenian Ice Hockey League** (Slovenska hokejska liga), also known as the **Državno prvenstvo** (National Championship), serves as the premier domestic ice hockey competition in Slovenia. Founded in 1991 following the country's independence, the league operates at the apex of the national hockey pyramid. It is governed by the **Ice Hockey Federation of Slovenia** (Hokejska zveza Slovenije, HZS), which oversees participation through a closed system based on licensing and invitation rather than promotion or relegation.

The competition features a regular season followed by a playoff phase called the *končnica* to determine the national champion. The final series is typically contested as a best-of-5 or best-of-7 format. The league currently includes six clubs: HK Olimpija, HD Jesenice, HDK Maribor, HK LedX Celje, HK Slavija jr, and HK Triglav Kranj.

HK Olimpija, including its predecessor HDD Olimpija Ljubljana, stands as the most successful club with 21 titles since 1991. HDD Jesenice, also known as HK Acroni Jesenice, holds 13 titles. The current reigning champion is HK Olimpija.

A key distinction of the league is its relationship with international competitions. While the domestic tournament crowns the national champion, top Slovenian clubs often compete in the **Alps Hockey League** (AlpsHL), an international league involving teams from Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. This dual participation means the 'national champion' is determined domestically, but the 'best' team on the ice may be defined by international results. There is no official second-tier domestic league in Slovenia.