Football in Finland

Last updated
Football in Finland
Finnair Stadium Helsinki.JPG
Home stadium of club HJK Helsinki
CountryFinland
Governing body Football Association of Finland (Finnish: Suomen Palloliitto)
National team(s) Men's national team
Women's national team
National competitions
Club competitions
League:
Tier 1: Veikkausliiga, Kansallinen Liiga
Tier 2: Ykkösliiga, Naisten Ykkönen
Tier 3: Ykkönen, Naisten Kakkonen
Tier 4: Kakkonen, Naisten Kolmonen
Tier 5: Kolmonen, Naisten Nelonen
Tier 6: Nelonen, Naisten Vitonen
Tier 7: Vitonen
Tier 8: Kutonen
Tier 9: Seiska
Cups:
Finnish Cup
Finnish Women's Cup
International competitions

Football in Finland 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]

Contents

Football's standing is constantly increasing, especially among girls and women, where the yearly growth rate has lately been over 10 percent. [6] In season 2006–07 19.9 percent of registered players were female. [6] 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

A match between Finland and Moscow in Moscow on May 6, 1912. Moscow v Finland, 1912, Zamoskvoretsky Club, Moscow.png
A match between Finland and Moscow in Moscow on May 6, 1912.

Football developed in Finland in the early twentieth century when Finland was still part of the Russian Empire. Following the Bolshevik seizure of power in the October Revolution in November 1917, the Independence of Finland was recognised by the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in January 1918. Football was first brought to Finland in the 1890s by English sailors, and it was first played in Turku. The first national competition in the sport was set up in 1906, and won by a school team from Turku. The Football Association of Finland was founded in 1907 and it joined FIFA the following year. Due to the sport's historically low status in Finland, the country has never really excelled in football. Only since the 1980s, due to the revival of Finnish football, has the country produced such international stars as Jari Litmanen, Antti Niemi, Sami Hyypiä, Mikael Forssell, Mixu Paatelainen, Teemu Tainio and Jussi Jääskeläinen.

Domestic club competitions

Stadin derby HIFK-HJK 23. May 2017. Stadin derby 2017.jpg
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 Finnish Cup is Finland's national cup competition, open to all member clubs of the Finnish Football Association. In the 2009 season, 356 clubs signed up to take part in the competition. [7]

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 team

IFK Mariehamn home stadium (Wiklof Holding Arena) Wiklof Holding Arena Mariehamn.jpg
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 1984 European Competition for Women's Football qualification. [8] To date, their most successful competition has been UEFA Women's Euro 2005, where they reached the semi-finals stage. [8]

Åland Islands

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

PhotoStadiumCapacityCityHome Team
Olympiastadion 2 2020-08-12.jpg Helsinki Olympic Stadium 36,200 Helsinki Finland
Tampereen stadion 2.9.2017.jpg Tampere Stadium

(Ratina Stadion)

16,800 Tampere Finland,

Ilves

Lahti Stadium.jpg Lahden Stadion 14,465 Lahti FC Lahti
Kalevan Kisat 2011 Turussa (Finnish Championships in Athletics 2011 in Turku).jpg Paavo Nurmi Stadium 13,000 Turku
Porin stadion 12.7.2013b.jpg Porin Stadion 12,300 Pori FC Jazz
Finnair Stadium Helsinki.JPG Bolt Arena 10,770 Helsinki HJK, HIFK, Finland
Veritas Stadion 23.7.2015.jpg Veritas Stadion 9,372 Turku Inter, TPS
Pohjola stadion.jpg Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion 4,700 Vantaa PK-35 (men), PK-35 (women)
Tapiolan urheilupuisto.jpg Tapiolan urheilupuisto 3,000 Espoo Honka

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turun Palloseura</span> Finnish football club

Turun Palloseura, commonly known as TPS, is a professional football club based in Turku, Finland. During the 2024 season, the men's first team of the club competes in new Ykkösliiga, the second highest tier of men's football, and the women's representative team in the Kansallinen Liiga, the highest level of women's football in Finland. Nicknamed "Tepsi", the club was founded in 1922.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football Association of Finland</span> Sports governing body in Finland

The Football Association of Finland is the governing body of football and futsal in Finland. It was founded in Helsinki on 19 May 1907.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IFK Mariehamn</span> Football club

IFK Mariehamn is a Finnish football club based in Mariehamn, the capital of the Åland Islands. It plays in the Finnish Premier Division (Veikkausliiga), winning their first title in 2016. The club is managed by Bruno Romão, and it plays its home matches at Wiklöf Holding Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikkelin Palloilijat</span> Finnish football club

Mikkelin Palloilijat is a Finnish professional football club, based in Mikkeli, that competes in the Ykkösliiga, the new second-tier in Finnish football league system. The club was founded in 1929 and also included volleyball, bandy and ice hockey sections.

Sport is considered a national pastime in Finland and many Finns visit different sporting events regularly. Pesäpallo is the national sport of Finland, although the most popular forms of sport in terms of television viewers and media coverage are ice hockey and Formula One. In spectator attendance, harness racing comes right after ice hockey in popularity.

Kolmonen or III divisioona is the fifth level in the league system of Finnish football and comprises 108 Finnish football teams. The III divisioona was introduced in 1973 and in the mid-1990s became known as the Kolmonen. Until the end of 2023 season, Kolmonen was the fourth level in the pyramid, but after the creation of new second-tier Ykkösliiga, Kolmonen fell down one level, starting in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grankulla IFK</span> Finnish sports club

Grankulla IFK, or GrIFK as the name is commonly abbreviated, is a Finnish sports club from the city of Kauniainen. The club was formed in 1925 and the main activities covered are football, ice-hockey, handball, floorball and alpine. Each sport is organized in separated daughter clubs since 1997. These are GrIFK-Fotboll, GrIFK-Handboll, GrIFK-Salibandy, GrIFK-Icehockey and GrIFK Alpine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansallinen Liiga</span> Football league

The Kansallinen Liiga is the premier division of women's football in Finland. It was previously called the Jalkapallon naisten SM-sarja during 1974 to 2006 and the Naisten Liiga during 2006 to 2019, The first season under the name Kansallinen Liiga was played in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pallo-Kerho 37</span> Finnish football club

Pallo-Kerho 37, also known as PK-37, is a Finnish football club from the city of Iisalmi. The club was founded on 10 October 1937 as a bandy and football club, but later on it also became known for its pesäpallo and ice hockey sections. Nowadays PK-37 concentrates only on football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IF Gnistan</span> Finnish football club

IF Gnistan is a Finnish football club from the city of Helsinki, founded in 1924. The club is currently playing in the Veikkausliiga, the first tier of the Finnish league system. IF Gnistan play their home matches at Mustapekka Areena. Club's home district is Oulunkylä, which locates in northern part of the capital city.

2010 Finnish Cup was the 56th season of the main annual football (soccer) cup competition in Finland. It was organized as a single-elimination knock–out tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FC Kiffen 08</span> Association football club

Kronohagens Idrottsförening is a sports club from Helsinki, Finland. The club was founded on 27 September 1908, and has been mainly known for the achievements of its association football and handball teams. In the past the club also played at the top level in ice hockey and has won the Kalevan malja in athletics. Other sports that the club participates include shooting, bandy, bowling, and boxing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Närpes Kraft Fotbollsförening</span> Finnish football club

Närpes Kraft Fotbollsförening is a football club from Närpes, Finland. The original club was formed in 1930 and their home ground is at the Mosedal. The men's football first team currently plays in the Kakkonen.

Football in Åland is governed by the Åland Football Association (ÅFF), which was founded in 1943. ÅFF is a member of Football Association of Finland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HIFK Fotboll</span> Former Football club from Helsinki, Finland

HIFK Fotboll or IFK Helsingfors, was the association football section of HIFK, a sports club based in Helsinki, Finland. The men's football team most recently competed in the second tier of Finnish football, Ykkönen. Their home ground was the Bolt Arena. The team operated from 1897 to 2024 and was dissolved due to bankruptcy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naisten Ykkönen</span> Finnish womens football league

Naisten Ykkönen is the second highest division of women's football in Finland. It is overseen by the Suomen Palloliitto. Teams in Naisten Ykkönen can gain promotion to the top-tier Kansallinen Liiga or be relegated to the third-tier Naisten Kakkonen. At the conclusion of the 2019 season, PK-35 Vantaa gained promotion to the Kansallinen Liiga as champions of the Naisten Ykkönen and PK-35 gained promotion by winning the promotion/relegation series against IK Myran. Conversely, GBK Kokkola and Ilves/2, were relegated to the Naisten Kakkonen at the conclusion of the 2019 season.

The 2020 Finnish Cup is the 66th season of the Finnish Cup football competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Tamminen</span> Finnish footballer (born 1994)

Anna Reetta Alisa Tamminen is a Finnish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Hammarby IF and the Finland women's national football team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Kansallinen Liiga</span> Football league season

The 2020 Kansallinen Liiga was the 14th season of the Naisten Liiga, the top flight women's division of the Finnish football league system and the 1st season of the Kansallinen Liiga after its change of name. Åland United were the champions after 18 rounds of matches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PK-35 Vantaa (women)</span> Finnish football club

PK-35 Vantaa is a football club based in Vantaa, Finland. The club is "dedicated to women's football" and its representative team plays in the Kansallinen Liiga, the top-tier women's league in Finland. PK-35 Vantaa has won the Finnish Championship six times and the Finnish Women's Cup four times. The club's home ground is the Myyrmäen jalkapallostadion in the Myyrmäki district of Vantaa.

References

  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. 1 2 "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. 1 2 "Urheilulajien harrastajamäärät 19-65-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. 1 2 3 "Urheilulajien harrastajamäärät 8-13-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. 1 2 "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.
  7. ↑ "Participants". Finnish Cup 2009. Football Association of Finland. 2009. Archived from the original on April 8, 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  8. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-06-07. Retrieved 2014-06-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.