Lithuania’s 2026 football season will begin in fitting fashion – with a trophy on the line. Lithuanian Cup winners FK Panevėžys will face reigning league champions FK Kauno Žalgiris in the LFF Super Cup today inside the Marijampolė Football Arena indoor hall. Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00.
For Panevėžys, the Super Cup is becoming familiar territory. This will be the club’s third appearance in the season-opening final, and their previous two ended in celebration. In 2021, they defeated FK Žalgiris Vilnius on penalties, and in 2024 they once again held their nerve in a shootout, this time overcoming TransINVEST.
Head coach Roland Vrabec believes his squad has developed well during the winter break. Panevėžys recorded five consecutive wins in friendly matches after an opening draw, results that reflected steady progress throughout their five-week preparation period.
“I think we’ve assembled a good combination of young, hungry, talented players who want to improve, and experienced players who can help raise our level,” Vrabec said ahead of the match. “Preseason wins are positive, but they don’t say everything about where you truly stand. Still, I’m pleased that we were able to refine the style of play we wanted. There are things to improve in both defense and attack, but we are ready. We have a clear plan for our game and also for how to defend against our opponent.”
While Panevėžys rely on continuity and growing cohesion, Kauno Žalgiris approach the final with both ambition and unfinished business. The Kaunas side has appeared in the Super Cup only once before – in 2023 – when they were defeated by Vilniaus Žalgiris after a penalty shootout. That disappointment still lingers.
Now led for a second consecutive season by head coach Eivinas Černiauskas, the champions have retained the majority of their key players while strengthening the squad with several notable additions. Among the newcomers are Joris Moutachy, Yukiyoshi Karashima, Leo Ribeiro and Latvian international forward Dāvis Ikaunieks, all of whom bring top-level experience in Lithuanian football.
Kauno Žalgiris sharpened their form during a training camp in Turkey, where they won three of four matches, including victories against Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv and Danish opposition. The preparation has left the squad confident heading into the first competitive fixture of the year.
Midfielder Gratas Sirgėdas was direct about the team’s objective. “There is only one goal – to win the title. It would be the club’s first Super Cup trophy. We are preparing intensely, just as we are for the start of the league season. After the previous final, there was a sense of bitterness. We didn’t complete the task then, and we want to do it now.”
As the whistle blows in Marijampolė on February 16, the 2026 season will officially begin – and one club will immediately claim momentum, confidence and the first silverware of the year.
Lithuanian Supercup – Complete History of Matches
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Not held | — | — |
| 1996 | Kareda Šiauliai | 2–1 | Inkaras-Grifas |
| 1997 | Not held | — | — |
| 1998 | Ekranas | 3–0 | Kareda Šiauliai |
| 1999 | Not held | — | — |
| 2000 | Not held | — | — |
| 2001 | Not held | — | — |
| 2002 | FBK Kaunas | Won the double | — |
| 2003 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 2–1 | FBK Kaunas |
| 2004 | FBK Kaunas | Won the double | — |
| 2005 | Ekranas | 2–1 | FBK Kaunas |
| 2006 | FBK Kaunas | 1–0 | FK Sūduva |
| 2007 | FBK Kaunas | 1–0 | FK Sūduva |
| 2008 | FBK Kaunas | Won the double | — |
| 2009 | FK Sūduva | 0–0 (2–1 pen.) | Ekranas |
| 2010 | Ekranas | Won the double | — |
| 2011 | Ekranas | Won the double | — |
| 2012 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 1–0 | Ekranas |
| 2013 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 1–0 | Ekranas |
| 2014 | Žalgiris Vilnius | — | — |
| 2015 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 4–1 | FK Trakai |
| 2016 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 1–1 (4–1 a.e.t.) | Trakai |
| 2017 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 1–0 | Trakai |
| 2018 | FK Sūduva | 5–0 | Stumbras |
| 2019 | FK Sūduva | 2–0 | Žalgiris Vilnius |
| 2020 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 1–0 | FK Sūduva |
| 2021 | Panevėžys | 2–2 (3–2 pen.) | Žalgiris Vilnius |
| 2022 | FK Sūduva | 0–0 (3–2 pen.) | Žalgiris Vilnius |
| 2023 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 1–1 (3–2 pen.) | Kauno Žalgiris |
| 2024 | Panevėžys | 0–0 (5–4 pen.) | TransINVEST |
| 2025 | Žalgiris Vilnius | 2–2 (3–2 pen.) | Banga |
Source: https://zalgiris.lt/naujienos/fk-kauno-zalgirio-futbolininkai-pries-finala-tikslas-vienintelis-laimeti-supertaure
https://fk-panevezys.lt/treciasis-supertaures-issukis/
