NK Publikum Celje suffered a 4-2 home defeat to Swiss side Lugano in the UEFA Europa Conference League on August 15th, 2025. In a high-scoring encounter, Lugano's attacking quality ultimately proved decisive despite a spirited effort from the Slovenian hosts. Celje started brightly and took an early lead, but Lugano responded with two quick goals to turn the match around before the break. The visitors extended their lead early in the second half, but Publikum Celje fought back to score and make it 3-2, setting up a tense finale. However, Lugano killed off the contest with a fourth goal in stoppage time, securing a valuable away victory and taking control of the qualifying tie.