CELJE, Slovenia (Interstat) — ZKK Cinkarna Celje will open its women’s professional basketball season at home against Ilirija on Saturday, with both teams carrying 0-0 records into the game.

Celje will be the home team for the matchup at its home venue. Ilirija will be the visiting team. The game marks the first opportunity this season for either club to earn a win and begin shaping its early standing. Both sides enter with clean records, and the meeting will serve as a measuring point before a packed run of games.

For Celje, the opener begins a stretch that includes contests against Domel Skofja Loka, Campobasso, Maribor, KP Brno, Triglav, Nyon and Jezica. The schedule includes domestic and international matchups, giving Celje an early test of depth and rotation. The club will also face Ilirija again later in the season, with the teams scheduled to meet in Ilirija before Celje hosts the return fixture.

Ilirija’s early schedule features games against Triglav, Domel Skofja Loka, Jezica, Maribor and Celje. The road opener against Celje comes before a series of contests that will challenge Ilirija on both ends of the floor. Ilirija will look to use the visit as a foundation for its season and will aim to compete in a difficult road environment.

The matchup is expected to draw attention as one of the opening women’s professional basketball games on the schedule. Both clubs remain 0-0, so neither has an established form advantage. Celje will aim to protect its home court, while Ilirija will try to spoil the home opener and secure an early road result.

Celje and Ilirija will meet again multiple times during the season, including a return game in Celje. The early-season meeting could set the tone for the rivalry and provide both teams with a reference point for future adjustments. With the season just beginning, coaches and players will focus on execution, rebounding and limiting turnovers, areas that often decide close games. The contest also gives both programs a chance to build momentum before the schedule intensifies.

The game is set for Saturday. It will be played under women’s professional basketball rules and will count toward each team’s season record. Both Celje and Ilirija will enter with 0-0 records, making the result the first mark in the win-loss column for one of the clubs.

Interstat’s game simulator projects ZKK Cinkarna Celje to defeat Ilirija by a final score of 91-83.