Maribor Hosts the Opening of the 3rd Plazma Youth Sports Games Season in Slovenia

More than 2,000 children from Maribor and the surrounding area filled Maribor’s Poljane Stadium, where the 3rd season of the Plazma Youth Sports Games in Slovenia was officially opened. The event, filled with excitement, sporting spirit and loud cheering from the youngest participants, once again transformed the Styrian capital for one day into a large sports field of friendship, socializing and fair play.

At the central opening ceremony, the Flame of the Games was symbolically lit by the host of the event, Maribor Mayor Saša Arsenovič. On this occasion, he emphasized the importance of sporting events that bring young people closer to physical activity, healthy lifestyle habits and the values of cooperation. Alongside children, teachers, coaches and parents, numerous representatives of Slovenian sport, media and business, as well as long-standing partners of the largest amateur sports event for children in the region, gathered at Poljane.

Young athletes were accompanied throughout the day by well-known names from Slovenian sport. Special attention was given to Zlatko Zahović, Ažbe Jug and Marcos Tavares, icons of Maribor football. They encouraged the children by the sports fields and spent time with the youngest participants. The event was also joined by female and male volleyball players from the Maribor club I-Vent, former tennis player Mima Jaušovec, alpine skier Katja Koren, athlete Anita Horvat, Slovenian national team swimmer Katja Fain and former ski cross world champion Filip Flisar.

At Poljane, the children competed in dodgeball, athletics, street racket and an exhibition 3-on-3 basketball match, symbolically opening a season that will connect several tens of thousands of children across Slovenia this year. As part of the Games, more than 255 sports events, tournaments and sports days will be organized across the country by the summer, while educational zero waste workshops, aimed at raising children’s awareness of the importance of environmental protection, reuse and responsible waste management, remain an important part of the program.

After numerous qualifying competitions and sports days throughout the country, the Slovenian season will reach its peak on June 6 in Rogaška Slatina, where the national final will take place in ten sports disciplines. The most successful young athletes will then represent Slovenia at the large international finals of the Games in Split, which will bring together children from several countries of the region from August 17 to 22.

The Plazma Youth Sports Games are celebrating their 30th season in the region this year, while the Slovenian story began in 2024. Aleksander Čeferin, President of UEFA and one of the key ambassadors and long-standing supporters of the Games, played an important role in bringing the project to Slovenia.

At the opening, young participants were also addressed through video messages by the Games’ ambassadors. Šime Vrsaljko, Edin Džeko, Aleksandar Kolarov, Luka Modrić and European Commissioner Glenn Micallef emphasized that sport is not only competition, but also a space for friendship, connection, respect and unforgettable life experiences. They told the children to enjoy the game, support one another and build self-confidence, team spirit and a love of movement through sport.

The children at Poljane Stadium were also addressed via video link from the United States by Slovenian ambassador of the Games and former captain of the Slovenian national basketball team Goran Dragić. He encouraged the young athletes to enjoy socializing, sport and competition, while also emphasizing the importance of perseverance, mutual respect and the positive energy that sport brings into young people’s lives.

One of the main special features of the Plazma Youth Sports Games remains their accessibility, as all competitions and activities for children are completely free of charge. The project is supported by numerous partners and sponsors, including Coca-Cola and Plazma, and in Slovenia also Telemach Slovenia, which supports sports days and dodgeball and athletics competitions, NLB with the handball cup, Zavarovalnica Triglav with football tournaments, the GEN Group, which supports volleyball competitions, and Slovenian Railways with beach volleyball tournaments.

The final sports and entertainment atmosphere at Poljane Stadium was also provided by Trkaj, one of Slovenia’s most recognizable rappers and musicians. With his performance, he delighted the children gathered at the stadium. The young participants sang along with him, cheered and created a true festival atmosphere, bringing the grand opening of this year’s season of the Plazma Youth Sports Games to a close. Tevž Korent, President of the Slovenian Youth Sports Games, emphasized that the organizers want to use sport, play, socializing and music to bring children closer to the values of cooperation, friendship and an active lifestyle.