Veikkausliiga () is a professional association football league in Finland and the highest level of the Finnish football league system. The league comprises the top 12 clubs of the country. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agency Veikkaus, hence the league's name. Veikkausliiga was founded in 1990; before that the top division was called Mestaruussarja (championship series) since 1930 which was an amateur or semi-professional league. Between 1908 and 1930 the championship was decided as a knock-out cup competition.
Structure During the 1990 and 1991 seasons the Veikkausliiga was played under the name "Futisliiga" ().
As with certain other cold-climate European countries, league matches in Finland are played in summer, with a schedule usually from April to October. The format and number of teams has changed frequently. As of 2024, there are 12 teams, which first face the other teams twice in the regular season. After the regular season, the league is divided into championship round (6 teams) and relegation round (6 teams), and teams in both groups play five further matches, with points from the regular season carrying on as usual. The total number of matches in a season is thus 27. At the end of the season, the last team is relegated to Ykkönen (from 2024 to new-created tier 2, Ykkösliiga), whose winner is promoted to Veikkausliiga, and the second last team plays a two-leg play-off versus the Ykkönen (from 2024, versus Ykkösliiga) runner-up.
In 2010 the average annual salary with fringe benefits for a league player was 24,400 euros.Palkkatutkimus 2010 During the 2022 season, the highest earning league players earned just shy of €200,000.Simo Valakarin hirmupalkka julki – Pesi jopa HJK-kollegansa, Iltalehti, 9 November 2023 Veikkausliiga is a founding member of the European Professional Football Leagues association.
During 2019–2024, the certain Veikkausliiga Europa Play-offs were played after the season to decide the one remaining European qualifying spot for the next season. In late November 2024, it was announced the Europa Play-offs would be abolished for the 2025, and the league format would be changed. After 22 rounds (each team had played against each other twice), the last six teams will play a single relegation round, totalling 27 matches, and the six best teams continue to a double championship round, totalling 32 matches.Veikkausliigan sarjajärjestelmään muutos kaudelle 2025, veikkausliiga.com, 25 November 2024
Management
ChairmenSM-SARJASTA VEIKKAUSLIIGAAN Kari Kontuniemi (1989–1991) Matti Pelttari (1991–1996) Olli Rehn (1996–1997) Ari Lahti (1997–2001) Jussi Sarvikas (2001–2005) Hannu Rautiainen (2005–2010) Lasse Lehtinen (2010–2017) Matti Apunen (2017–2020) Kaarlo Kankkunen (2020–present)
CEOs Jukka Suominen (1989–1997) Mika Eskola (1997–2000) Jan Walden (2000–2010) Timo Marjamaa (2010–present)
Television rights Since 2015, the TV rights for Veikkausliiga have been owned by Sanoma Media Finland, and all the matches are broadcast in their online streaming service Ruutu+. Current deal is valued €3.9 million and it covers the seasons 2023–2027.Veikkausliigan rahapotti paisui 20-kertaiseksi, Helsingin Sanomat, 6 April 2023 Since the 2023 season, the national broadcasting company Yle shows 6–7 matches per season freely in the national television, according to contract with Nelonen Media.Veikkausliigan tv-näkyvyys kasvaa – Myös Yle televisioi tulevan kauden huippuotteluja, veikkausliiga.com, 20 March 2023 The international broadcasting rights are owned by OneFootball.Veikkausliigan näkyvyys kasvaa kansainvälisesti yli 100 miljoonan jalkapalloseuraajan saataville, veikkausliiga.com, 4 April 2023
Previously Veikkausliiga matches have been broadcast by Yle, Nelonen, Urheilukanava, Canal+, URHOtv, Kutonen and VeikkausTV, the streaming service of Veikkaus. The contract between the league and URHOtv covered the 2010–2014 seasons, but ended in April 2014 after URHOtv was shut down.
Current clubs
The Veikkausliiga clubs in the 2026 season are presented in the table below. Number of seasons includes seasons played in Veikkausliiga and preceding Mestaruussarja and seasons of predecessor teams after season 2025. In the case of mergers, the seasons of the predecessor with the most seasons are counted.
ClubCityStadiumCapacity2025 positionNumber of seasons*AC OuluOuluHeinäpää Football Stadium5,08010th7FC LahtiLahtiLahti Stadium7,4651st in Ykkösliiga52FC Inter TurkuTurkuVeritas Stadion9,3722nd29FF JaroJakobstadProject Liv Arena3,6167th24HJKHelsinkiBolt Arena10,7705th87IF GnistanHelsinkiMustapekka Areena2,6106th2IFK MariehamnMariehamnWiklöf Holding Arena1,6508th21IlvesTampereTammelan Stadion8,0003rd44KuPSKuopioVäre Areena5,0001st, Champions69SJKSeinäjokiOmaSP Stadion5,8174th15TPSTurkuVeritas Stadion9,3722nd in Ykkösliiga76VPSVaasaLemonsoft Stadion4,6609th61
Former clubs
Club Home town SeasonsAC AllianssiVantaa2002–2005Atlantis FCHelsinki2001Ekenäs IFRaseborg2024FC HonkaEspoo2006–2014, 2018-2023FC HämeenlinnaHämeenlinna2002–2004FC Jazz1Pori1991–2004 FC JokeritHelsinki1999–2001, 2003FC KooTeePeeKotka2003–2008FC Kuusysi2Lahti1990–1995FC LahtiLahti1999–2010, 2012–2024FC OuluOulu1992, 1994FC ViikingitHelsinki2007FinnPaHelsinki1993–1998HIFKHelsinki2015-2017, 2019-2022JJKJyväskylä2009–2013, 2017KPVKokkola1990, 2019KumuKuusankoski1990MPMikkeli1990–1996MyPaKouvola1992–2014OTPOulu1990–1991PK-35Helsinki1998PK-35 VantaaVantaa2016PonnistusHelsinki1995Reipas2Lahti1990–1991RoPSRovaniemi1990-2001, 2004-2005, 2008-2009, 2011, 2013-2020TPVTampere1993–1995, 1999Tampere United3Tampere2000–2010TPSTurku1990-2000, 2003-2014, 2018, 2020TP-SeinäjokiSeinäjoki1997TP-47Tornio2004–2005
1) FC Jazz was formerly known as PPT (Porin Pallotoverit). 2) Kuusysi and Reipas merged their professional teams in 1996 to form FC Lahti. Kuusysi returned to Kakkonen in 2011 under the name Lahti Akatemia, while Reipas returned to Kolmonen one year later. 3) Tampere United was formed in 1998 after it inherited the place of FC Ilves. Tampere United was dissolved in 2011 and Ilves, which in the meantime had bought the place of KooVee in second division, got promoted back to the highest league in 2015.
Veikkausliiga 1990–present
SeasonWinnerRunners-upThird place1990HJKKuusysiMP1991KuusysiMPFC Haka1992HJKKuusysiFC Jazz1993FC JazzMyPaHJK1994TPVMyPaHJK1995FC HakaMyPaHJK1996FC JazzMyPaTPS1997HJKVPSFinnPa1998FC HakaVPSPK-351999FC HakaHJKMyPa2000FC HakaFC JokeritMyPa2001TamUHJKMyPa2002HJKMyPaFC Haka2003HJKFC HakaTamU2004FC HakaAC AllianssiTamU2005MyPaHJKTamU2006TamUHJKFC Haka2007TamUFC HakaTPS2008FC InterFC HonkaFC Lahti2009HJKFC HonkaTPS2010HJKKuPSTPS2011HJKFC InterJJK2012HJKFC InterTPS2013HJKFC HonkaVPS2014HJKSJKFC Lahti2015SJKRoPSHJK2016IFK MariehamnHJKSJK2017HJKKuPSIlves2018HJKRoPSKuPS2019KuPSFC InterFC Honka2020HJKFC InterKuPS2021HJKKuPSSJK2022HJKKuPSFC Honka2023HJKKuPSVPS2024KuPSIlvesHJK2025KuPSFC InterIlves2026
Performance Performance by club The following clubs have won:
Finnish Championship Cup Competition (1908–1929) Mestaruussarja (1930–1989) Veikkausliiga (1990–present)
29 clubs have been Champions.
Club Titles Runners-up Winning years HJK 1911, 1912, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1923, 1925, 1936, 1938, 1964, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 FC Haka 1960, 1962, 1965, 1977, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 HPS 1921, 1922, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1957 TPS 1928, 1939, 1941, 1949, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975 KuPS 1956, 1958, 1966, 1974, 1976, 2019, 2024, 2025 HIFK 1930, 1931, 1933, 1937, 1947, 1959, 1961 FC Kuusysi 1982, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1991 Kiffen 1913, 1915, 1916, 1955 ÅIFK 1910, 1920, 1924 Reipas Lahti 1963, 1967, 1970 VIFK 1944, 1946, 1953 Tampere United 2001, 2006, 2007 VPS 1945, 1948 KTP 1951, 1952 OPS 1979, 1980 FC Jazz 1993, 1996 MyPa 2005 FC Inter Turku 2008 FC Ilves 1983 SJK 2015 PUS 1909 Sudet Vyborg 1940 KPV 1969 Unitas 1908 HT 1942 Ilves-Kissat 1950 Pyrkivä Turku 1954 TPV 1994 IFK Mariehamn 2016
Top scorers
Season Player Club Goals 1990 Marek Czakon Ilves 16 1991 Kimmo Tarkkio FC Haka 23 1992 Luiz Antônio Moraes FC Jazz 21 1993 Antti Sumiala FC Jazz 20 1994 Dionísio TPV 17 1995 Valeri Popovitch FC Haka 21 1996 Luiz Antônio Moraes FC Jazz 17 1997 Rafael HJK 11 1998 Matti Hiukka RoPS 11 1999 Valeri Popovitch FC Haka 23 2000 Shefki Kuqi FC Jokerit 19 2001 Paulus Roiha HJK 22 2002 Mika Kottila HJK 18 2003 Saku Puhakainen MyPa 14 2004 Antti Pohja TamU 16 2005 Juho Mäkelä HJK 16 2006 Hermanni Vuorinen FC Honka 16 2007 Rafael FC Lahti 14 2008 Aleksandr Kokko FC Honka 13 Henri Myntti TamU 2009 Hermanni Vuorinen FC Honka 16 2010 Juho Mäkelä HJK 16 2011 Timo Furuholm FC Inter Turku 22 2012 Irakli Sirbiladze FC Inter Turku 17 2013 Tim Väyrynen FC Honka 17 2014 Jonas Emet FF Jaro 14 Luis Solignac IFK Mariehamn 2015 Aleksandr Kokko RoPS 17 2016 Roope Riski SJK 17 2017 Aleksei Kangaskolkka IFK Mariehamn 16 2018 Klauss HJK 21 2019 Filip Valenčič FC Inter 16 2020 Roope Riski HJK 16 2021 Benjamin Källman FC Inter 14 Ariel Ngueukam SJK 2022 Lee Erwin FC Haka 20 2023 Bojan Radulović HJK 18 2024 Ashley Coffey AC Oulu 12 Jaime Moreno SJK 2025 Kasper Paananen SJK 18
Individual all-time records
Most matches played Player Time Matches Toni Huttunen1992–2009441 Mikko Hauhia2003–2019416 Ari Nyman2000–2018406 Valeri Popovitch1993–2009395 Saku Puhakainen1995–2009382 Tommi Kautonen1990–2006376 Juuso Kangaskorpi1993–2008373 Tuomas Aho1999–2017371 Aleksi Paananen2010–present363 Alexei Eremenko1991–2005360 Aarno Turpeinen1990–2004358 Rafael1997–2016358 Henri Lehtonen2000–2017358 Vesa Rantanen1991–2004354 Tero Taipale1997–2014352 Rami Nieminen1991–2004347 Petteri Pennanen2008–present346 Magnus Bahne1998–2015326 Last updated: 4 January 2026. Source: Veikkausliiga.com.
Most goals scored Player Time Goals Matches Average Valeri Popovitch1993–20091663950.42 Rafael1997–20161363580.38 Saku Puhakainen1995–20091143820.30 Juho Mäkelä2003–20181112880.39 Roope Riski2010–present952210.43 Luiz Antônio1992–2003941960.48 Antti Pohja1994–2009873020.29 Timo Furuholm2003–2021852300.37 Jari Vanhala1991–1999852360.36 Ismo Lius1991–1999841760.48 Akseli Pelvas2007–2020802330.34 Demba Savage2008–2021802800.29 Kimmo Tarkkio1990–1999791780.44 Ariel Ngueukam2012–2023772490.31 Juha Karvinen1990–2000772550.30 Ilja Venäläinen2001–2013763040.25 Aleksei Kangaskolkka2004–2018762460.31 Tim Väyrynen2010–present751950.38 Last updated: 4 January 2026. Source: Veikkausliiga.com.
Referees The referee committee of Football Association of Finland named ten referees available primarily for Veikkausliiga matches for the 2024 season (Category 1).Erotuomarit nimetty kotimaan pääsarjoihin, veikkausliiga.com, 12 December 2023 Currently there are four FIFA-certified international referees in Veikkausliiga.FIFA nimesi kansainväliset erotuomarit vuodelle 2024, veikkausliiga.com, 15 December 2023 Additionally, there are some other referees, certified by Finnish FA, available for Veikkausliiga matches (Category 2).Erotuomarit nimetty pääsarjoihin - Luokittelutapaan muutos, Finnish FA, 12 December 2023
As of 2024, there has not been a female referee named in the Veikkausliiga match. On 8 July 2023, Heini Hyvönen made history as she was the first female assistant referee in the league, in a match between HJK – FC Lahti.Heini Hyvönen teki historiaa Veikkausliigassa: ”Puhelin on laulanut” – tutut ongelmat riivasivat HJK:ta, kun Lahti haki yllätysvoiton, Yle, 8 July 2023
FIFA certified referees Mohammad Al-Emara Joni Hyytiä Oliver Reitala Peiman Simani
Referee statistics After the 2023 season. Referee Seasons Matches 1. Antti Munukka 2007–present 286 2. 1997–2016 284 3. Mattias Gestranius 2006–2022 244 4. 2010–present 241 5. Mikko Vuorela 1994–2008 220 6. 1996–2012 237 7. Ville Nevalainen 2011–present 215 8. Tony Asumaa 1998–2012 188 9. Jari Järvinen 2010–2022 208 10. Tero Nieminen 2003–2015 169
Notes
See also