Slovenia and Cyprus are set to face off in an international friendly at the Stozice Stadium in Ljubljana on Thursday, 4 June 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 23:00 WIB.
Neither team will be participating in the upcoming World Cup, so both sides will use this match to prepare for future competitions later in the year.
Slovenia failed to qualify for the World Cup after finishing third in their UEFA qualification group, going winless in all six European qualifiers with four draws and two defeats.
In their last friendly matches in March, Slovenia lost 1-0 to Hungary but bounced back with a 3-2 victory over Montenegro.
The national team, known as Fantje, will use the clash against Cyprus and another friendly against Croatia on 7 June as preparation for the next UEFA Nations League cycle, which begins in September.
They are set to face North Macedonia, Scotland, and Switzerland in the upcoming Nations League campaign.
Meanwhile, Cyprus also missed out on World Cup qualification after finishing fourth in their group behind Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania. The Cypriot national team has never qualified for either the European Championship or the World Cup.
In their most recent friendlies in March, Cyprus suffered a 1-0 defeat to Belarus before securing a 3-2 win over Moldova. Charalampos Charalampous netted twice after Grigoris Kastanos opened the scoring to seal the victory for Cyprus.
After their encounter with Slovenia, Cyprus will play against Liechtenstein in another international friendly on 7 June.
The main focus for Cyprus will also be preparation for the upcoming UEFA Nations League, which starts in September. The team, nicknamed I Galanolefki, will face Montenegro, Latvia, and Armenia in that competition.
Slovenia will once again be without their star striker Benjamin Sesko, who misses out due to a shin injury. The Manchester United forward was also unavailable during the March internationals.
In his absence, either Zan Vipotnik or Andraz Sporar is expected to lead the attack. Vipotnik, who scored 25 goals for Swansea last season, is slightly favoured, though both could start together.
Experienced midfielders Timi Max Elsnik and Jon Gorenc Stankovic have not been called up, while head coach Cesar has included three uncapped players — notably, young Club Brugge midfielder Tian Nai Koren.
On the other hand, Cyprus head coach Mantzios, who recently extended his contract until 2029, continues to reshape his national squad.
Youngster Panagiotis Andreou, aged 20, could feature again, while top scorer Ioannis Pittas, nearing 30, remains a key figure.
Veteran midfielder Grigoris Kastanos is expected to line up alongside Charalampous in the visitors’ midfield.
Slovenia: Oblak; Brekalo, Bijol, Drkusic; Karnicnik, Lovric, Gnezda Cerin, Seslar, Verbic; Sporar, Vipotnik
Cyprus: Michail; Shikkis, Sielis, Panagiotou, Correia; Loizou, P. Andreou, Charalampous, Kastanos; Kakoullis, Pittas
Both teams recorded high-scoring friendlies in March, so this match could see multiple goals. However, both managers are also expected to experiment with new combinations and players.
With home advantage on their side, Slovenia are predicted to come out on top.
Predicted Score: Slovenia 2-1 Cyprus
Slovenia’s home advantage and stronger attacking options should make the difference against Cyprus.
Even without Sesko, the hosts have proven goal scorers and will be eager to make a statement after their disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign.
Predicted Score: Slovenia 2-0 Cyprus
Although Slovenia will miss key striker Benjamin Sesko, they still boast experienced players like Jan Oblak, Jaka Bijol, Andraz Sporar, and Zan Vipotnik who can make a big impact.
Playing at the Stozice Stadium gives Slovenia a major psychological boost, as they tend to perform confidently in front of their home fans.
Cyprus have shown progress with their win over Moldova, but the quality of the opposition here is notably higher.
Given this is a friendly match, both coaches are expected to rotate and test new tactics, which could lead to an open game with several goal opportunities.
The significant gap in FIFA rankings (Slovenia around 58th and Cyprus outside the top 120) highlights the evident difference in team quality.
Predicted Score: Slovenia 3-1 Cyprus
