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Football in Finland

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Football in Finland
Helsinki Olympic Stadium, the national stadium of Finland
CountryFinland
Governing bodyFootball Association of Finland (Finnish: Suomen Palloliitto)
National teamsMen's national team
Women's national team
NicknamesHuuhkajat;
Helmarit
First playedat least 1890s (men);
at least 1970s
Registered players1907
National competitions
Club competitions
League:
Tier 1: Veikkausliiga (m), Kansallinen Liiga (w)
Tier 2: Ykkösliiga (m), Naisten Ykkönen (w)
Tier 3: Ykkönen (m), Naisten Kakkonen (w)
Tier 4: Kakkonen (m), Naisten Kolmonen (w)
Tier 5: Kolmonen (m), Naisten Nelonen (w)
Tier 6: Nelonen (m), Naisten Vitonen (w)
Tier 7: Vitonen (m)
Tier 8: Kutonen (m)
Tier 9: Seiska (m)
Cups:
Finnish Cup (m)
Finnish Women's Cup (w)
International competitions

Football in Finland (Finnish: jalkapallo) is not, or at least has traditionally not been, the most popular spectator sport, which is in contrast to most European countries; it falls behind ice hockey, which enjoys a huge amount of popularity in the country.[1] Football tops ice hockey in the number of registered players (115,000 vs. 60,000[2][3]) and as a popular hobby (160,000 vs. 90,000 among adults and 230,000 vs. 105,000 among youths[4][5]). It is the most popular hobby among 3-18 year olds, whereas ice hockey is 9th.[5] Around 2 million people in Finland, or 45% of the population, are considered football fans.[6]

Football's standing is constantly increasing, especially among girls and women, where the yearly growth rate has lately been over 10 percent.[7] In season 2006–07 19.9 percent of registered players were female.[7] The Football Association of Finland (Finnish: Suomen Palloliitto) has approximately one thousand member clubs.[2] According to a Gallup poll, nearly 400,000 people include football among their hobbies.[4][5]

History

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A match between Finland and Moscow in Moscow on 6 May 1912

Due to a number of names and variants of football played in the late 19th century, it is unclear when exactly football arrived in Finland.[8] In 1906, a Finnish club, Unitas, traveled to Saint Petersburg for a friendly match. To regulate the game, the Football Association of Finland was founded in 1907 and it joined FIFA the following year.

A national men's league started in 1908 and is played out since.[9] The men's national team played its first match in 1911 and soon played at the Olympics 1912, finishing fourth.[8]

A national women's league started as late as 1971.[10] The women's national team played its first match in 1973 and entered the first edition of the Nordic Football Championship a year later, finishing third and thus last.

Domestic club competitions

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Stadin derby HIFK–HJK 23 May 2017

The highest division in Finnish men's football is the Veikkausliiga, comprising 12 professional football teams. Below that is a league system maintained by the Finnish Football Association, with Ykkönen, or First Division, as the second highest division, with 10 teams. Beneath Ykkönen, each division is divided into 'groups' based on the location of the clubs. For instance, the Second Division, or Kakkonen, has 40 teams divided into four regional groups, each of 10 teams.

The highest division in Finnish women's football is the Kansallinen Liiga, comprising 10 semi-professional and amateur teams.[11] Below that, five amateur divisions exist, with Kansallinen Ykkönen being the second national division.

The Finnish Cup and Finnish Women's Cup are Finland's national cup competitions, open to all member clubs of the Finnish Football Association. In the 2009 season, 356 clubs signed up to take part in the men's competition alone.[12]

All Finnish domestic football competitions take place in the spring, summer and autumn, due to weather conditions. Similar systems are used in the other Nordic countries as well, except for Denmark which had that system in the past.

National teams

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IFK Mariehamn home stadium (Wiklof Holding Arena)

The Finland national team played its first international match in 1911 against Sweden. Finland was still then a Grand Duchy part of the Russian Empire, and became independent in 1917. Finland have played in a few Olympic Games, finishing fourth in 1912, but have so far never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Finland qualified to UEFA European Championship for the first time in 2020.

The Football Association of Finland also organizes national under-19 and under-21 teams.

The Finland women's national football team made their competitive debut in the 1974 Women's Nordic Football Championship and entered their first UEFA competition a decade later, playing in the 1984 European Competition for Women's Football qualification.[13] To date, their most successful competition has been UEFA Women's Euro 2005, where they reached the semi-finals stage.[13] In 2024, they won their first international competition, the invitational 2024 Pinatar Cup in Spain.

Åland Islands

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Main article: Football in Åland

Since 1943 the Åland Football Association (ÅFA) has organized football in Åland. The ÅFA is a district association of the Football Association of Finland. However, the Åland Islands fields independent men's and women's national teams, principally competing in the Island Games.

Football stadiums in Finland

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Stadiums with a capacity of 10,000 or higher are included.

# Photo Stadium Capacity City Home team Founding year Cite
1 Helsinki Olympic Stadium 36,200 Helsinki Finland 1938 [14]
2 Tampere Stadium

(Ratina Stadion)

16,800 Tampere Finland,
Ilves 		1966 [15]
3 Lahden Stadion 14,465 Lahti FC Lahti 1981 [16]
4 Paavo Nurmi Stadium 13,000 Turku 1893 [17]
5 Porin Stadion 12,300 Pori FC Jazz 1966 [18]
6 Bolt Arena 10,770 Helsinki HJK,
HIFK,
Finland 		2000 [19]

Most successful clubs overall

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See also: List of football clubs by competitive honours won

local and lower league organizations are not included.

Club Domestic Titles
Veikkausliiga Suomen cup Liigacup Total
HJK 33 15 6 54
Haka 9 12 1 22
KuPS 8 5 1 14
TPS 8 3 1 12
HPS 9 1 - 10
Reipas Lahti 3 7 - 10
HIFK 7 - - 7
Kuusysi 5 2 - 7
KTP 2 4 - 6
Inter Turku 1 2 3 6
Tampere United 3 1 1 5
Ilves 1 4 - 5
KIF 4 - - 4
ÅIFK 3 1 - 4
VPS 2 - 2 4
MyPa 1 3 - 4
Honka - 1 3 4
VIFK 3 - - 3
SJK 1 1 1 3
Lahti - - 3 3
Jazz 2 - - 2
OPS 2 - - 2
Mariehamn 1 1 - 2
MP - 2 - 2
RoPS - 2 - 2
Allianssi - - 2 2
HT 1 - - 1
Ilves-Kissat 1 - - 1
KPV 1 - - 1
PUS 1 - - 1
Pyrkivä Turku 1 - - 1
Sudet 1 - - 1
TPV 1 - - 1
Unitas 1 - - 1
Atlantis - 1 - 1
Drott - 1 - 1
Jokerit - 1 - 1
PPJ - 1 - 1
  • The articles in italic indicate the defunct leagues and the defunct cups.
  • The figures in bold indicate the most times this competition has been won by a team.

Attendances

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The average attendance per top-flight football league season and the club with the highest average attendance:

Season League average Best club Best club average
2025 3,144 HJK 6,223
2024 2,958 HJK 6,361
2023 2,706 HJK 5,631
2022 1,894 HJK 4,002
2021 — — —
2020 1,594 SJK 2,172
2019 2,620 HJK 5,007
2018 2,308 HJK 3,779
2017 2,476 HJK 4,779
2016 2,550 HJK 5,101
2015 2,574 HJK 5,281
2014 2,046 HJK 4,017
2013 2,287 HJK 5,098
2012 2,037 HJK 3,758
2011 2,159 HJK 3,610
2010 2,225 TPS 3,658
2009 2,389 TPS 4,904
2008 2,636 HJK 4,516
2007 2,976 TPS 5,294
2006 2,909 HJK 5,580
2005 2,695 HJK 4,684
2004 2,614 TPS 3,822
2003 2,351 HJK 3,646
2002 1,933 Tampere 3,202
2001 2,234 HJK 3,818
2000 2,152 HJK 3,976
1999 1,943 KTP 3,105
1998 2,110 HJK 3,460
1997 2,045 VPS 3,893
1996 2,298 HJK 4,159
1995 2,161 HJK 3,418
1994 1,886 HJK 3,224
1993 2,367 Jazz 4,065
1992 1,990 HJK 3,250
1991 1,902 HJK 3,493
1990 2,322 HJK 4,673
1989 2,350 HJK 5,034
1988 2,006 HJK 4,033
1987 2,094 HJK 5,106
1986 2,364 HJK 6,770
1985 2,559 HJK 6,789
1984 2,317 HJK 5,049
1983 1,934 Tampere 4,069
1982 1,852 HJK 3,001
1981 2,361 KTP 3,473
1980 2,060 KTP 2,980
1979 2,114 HJK 3,889
1978 1,412 HJK 2,757
1977 1,924 KuPS 2,935
1976 1,948 HJK 2,886
1975 2,533 HJK 3,489
1974 2,405 HJK 3,481
1973 2,368 HJK 3,781
1972 2,403 TPS 3,611
1971 2,747 Reipas 3,980
1970 2,444 HJK 5,177
1969 2,995 HJK 8,058
1968 2,946 HJK 6,271
1967 3,071 HJK 7,197
1966 2,958 HJK 7,150
1965 2,615 HJK 7,381
1964 2,330 HJK 3,952
1963 2,662 Åbo 4,007
1962 2,603 TPS 4,366
1961 2,603 TPS 4,511
1960 1,989 TPS 4,019
1959 2,482 HIFK 3,920

Source:[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Lajeja paikan päällä vähintään kerran vuodessa seuraavien määrä lajeittain 19-65-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2010.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ a b "Suomen Palloliitto". Football Association of Finland. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Info". Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Urheilulajien harrastajamäärät 19-65-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  5. ^ a b c "Urheilulajien harrastajamäärät 8-13-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  6. ^ "(Soccer) Football Fans by Country 2025". 4 April 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Jalkapallo kasvussa Suomessa ja maailmalla". refers to FIFA Big Count 2006. Football Association of Finland. 2007-06-19. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  8. ^ a b "uomalaisen jalkapallon historia; Finland". SPL. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  9. ^ "Finland - List of Champions; Finland". RSSSF. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  10. ^ "Finland - List of Women Champions; Finland". RSSSF. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  11. ^ "Women's football in Finland: Zero budget teams take on professionals as league seeks growth; Finland". yle. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  12. ^ "Participants". Finnish Cup 2009. Football Association of Finland. 2009. Archived from the original on April 8, 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  13. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-06-07. Retrieved 2014-06-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ^ "Stadium Facts | Olympiastadion". www.stadion.fi. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  15. ^ "Tampere Stadium | www.tampere.fi". www.tampere.fi. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  16. ^ "Lahden stadion – StadiumDB.com". stadiumdb.com. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  17. ^ "Paavo Nurmen stadion – Nokiamissio.com" (in Finnish). 2019-02-17. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  18. ^ "Stadion". Porin kaupunki (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  19. ^ "Coming to a match? Information for match event! - HJK Helsinki - Bolt Arena". HJK Helsinki. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  20. ^ https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/nav/attnfin.htm
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