Football Club International Turku, commonly referred to as Inter Turku () and colloquially known as Inter, is a Finnish professional football club based in Turku that competes in the Veikkausliiga, the top flight of Finnish football. Founded in 1990 by Stefan Håkans, Inter has a rivalry with Turun Palloseura. The club has won one Finnish championship title, three Finnish Cup titles, and four Finnish League Cup titles. They play home matches at Veritas Stadion, with a capacity of 9,372.
History FC Inter was founded in 1990 by Stefan Håkans, the managing director of the towage and salvage company Alfons Håkans, allegedly after his 11-year-old son could not fit into any of the other youth teams in Turku. Both the name and the black and blue vertically striped jersey are inspired by Inter Milan, the club involved in a memorable near miss of future city rivals TPS, who beat Inter 1–0 at San Siro in the 1987–88 UEFA Cup but then lost the return leg 2–0 in Turku, exiting the competition after nearly achieving a historic breakthrough. The club's name was officially registered in September 1991. The club started out as a youth team, but in 1992 a senior squad was founded and it entered the Finnish league system at the fourth level (third division Kolmonen). The following year, the club assumed the place of the financially troubled local club Turun Toverit in the Second Division. Manager Timo Sinkkonen invested in new players, and eventually the club finished first and was promoted to the First Division (Ykkönen).
In 1995, Inter finished first in the Ykkönen and was promoted, as well as reaching the semi-final stage in the Finnish Cup. The squad was strengthened with new players, and in 1996, as both of Turku's better teams were now playing in the Veikkausliiga, the club's attendance records were broken with 8,200 spectators in the local derby between Turun Palloseura (TPS) and Inter.
In 1997, the club were relegated after finishing last in the Veikkausliiga, but achieved promotion again the following season. New foreign players were bought to strengthen the squad, such as Richard Teberio and Fernando Della Sala. Since then the club has consistently finished between 7th and 4th in the league, and maintained a steady inflow of foreign players as well as young starlets from its own youth academy.
During the 2006 season Inter sacked their manager Kari Virtanen and hired new coach, Dutchman Rene van Eck. After the season van Eck returned to Switzerland to coach FC Wohlen, and another Dutchman Job Dragtsma took over.
In 2008 Inter led the league since early season and clinched their first Finnish championship title after winning against FF Jaro in their final game.
In the 2011 Veikkausliiga season, the club's first-choice striker Timo Furuholm scored 22 goals and won the Veikkausliiga Golden Boot, and helped Inter to finish as the season's runner-up.
In August 2026, Inter sold the centre-back Ilari Kangasniemi to English club Leicester City for the league's record-high transfer fee of €2.5 million.
European cup history SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate Y/N 2005 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R ÍA 0–0 4–0 4–0 2R NK Varteks 2–2 3–4 5–6 2009–10 UEFA Champions League 2Q Sheriff 0–1 0–1 0–2 2010–11 UEFA Europa League 3Q Genk 1–5 2–3 3–8 2012–13 UEFA Europa League 2Q Twente 0–5 1–1 1–6 2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1Q Víkingur Gøta 0–1 1–1 1–2 2019–20 UEFA Europa League 1Q Brøndby 2–0 1–4 3–4 2020–21 UEFA Europa League 1Q Honvéd 1−2 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League 1Q Puskás Akadémia 1–1 0–2 1–3 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League 1Q Drita 1–0 0–3 1–3 2026–27 UEFA Conference League 1Q Sarajevo 2–1 1–1 3–2 2Q İstanbul Başakşehir 2–0 1–1 3–1 3Q Vaduz 2–1 2–2 4–3 PO Copenhagen 0–0 1–4 1–4
Season to season
SeasonLevelDivisionSectionAdministrationPositionMovements1992Tier 4III divisioona (Third Division)Group 3Turku District (SPL Turku)6th1993Tier 3II divisioona (Second Division)West GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Promoted1994Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd1995Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted1996Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5thUpper Group – 6th1997Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7thThird round – 10th – Relegated1998Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division)South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Upper Group – 3rd – Promoted1999Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rdUpper Group – 5th2000Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th2001Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th2002Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th2003Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th2004Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th2005Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th2006Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th2007Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th2008Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions2009Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th2010Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th2011Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd2012Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd2013Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th2014Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th2015Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th2016Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 11th2017Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)9th2018Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)7th2019Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)2nd2020Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)2nd2021Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)3rd2022Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)5th2023Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)6th2024Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)7th2025Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League)Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)2nd 29 seasons in Veikkausliiga 3 seasons in Ykkönen 1 seasons in Kakkonen 1 seasons in Kolmonen
Record transfers RankPlayerToFeeYear1. Ilari Kangasniemi Leicester City€2.5 million2026Ylen tiedot: Ilari Kangasniemi jättisiirrolla Englantiin – FC Inter kuittaa ennätyssumman, Yle, 24 August 20262. Axel Kouame AIK€1.0 million2025Expressen: Suomen pääsarjassa jysähti – Tähtipelaaja lähtee miljoonasiirrolla, Iltalehti, 29 August 20253. Antoin Essomba Al-Kholood€1.0 million2026FC Inter on saamassa tehottomasti tällä kaudella operoineesta laituristaan Loic Essombasta yli miljoonan euron siirtokorvauksen. Essomban uusi osoite tarkentunee piakkoin., Timo Innanen, 31 August 20264. Djoully Nzoko Jong Genk€800,0002024Belgiassa kiinnostuttiin Interin teinitähdestä – turkulaisseura tavoittelee ainakin miljoonan euron siirtopottia neljässä vuodessa, Turun Sanomat, 4 September 20245. Timo Stavitski Mjällbyundisclosed2024Timo Stavitski siirtyy Ruotsin pääsarjaan, suomifutis.com, 23 August 2024
Current squad
Out on loan
Management As of 29.04.2026 NameRole Vesa VasaraManager Riku PaularinneAssistant coach Jussi-Pekka SavolainenReserve team head coach Miika SalmiGoalkeeping coach Niko LehikoinenFirst Team Administrator Ville PeltonenPhysiotherapist Teemu AhonenPhysiotherapist Aleksi MoilanenPhysiotherapist Seppo PajunenKit Manager Tero SiltoTeam doctor Jani MeriläinenInterAction director Kalle ParviainenSporting director
NameRole Jyrki AholaScout Viki SavonenHead of scout
Honours Veikkausliiga Winners (1): 2008 Runners-up (3): 2019, 2020, 2025 Finnish Cup Winners (3): 2009, 2017–18, 2026 Runners-up (5): 2014, 2015, 2020, 2022, 2024 Finnish League Cup Winners (4): 2008, 2024, 2025, 2026 Runners-up (2): 2007, 2022
Player records Most goals scored: Tero Forss (74 goals) Most matches played: Petri Lehtonen (227 matches)
Past managers Anders Romberg (1992) Timo Sinkkonen (1993 – 1994) Hannu Paatelo (1995 – 1997) Tomi Jalo (1997 – 1998) Steven Polack (1998) Timo Askolin (1999 – 2000) Pertti Lundell (January 1, 2001 – December 31, 2002) Kari Virtanen (January 1, 2003 – September 16, 2006) René van Eck (September 16, 2006 – November 16, 2006) Job Dragtsma (January 1, 2007 – May 26, 2016) Jami Wallenius (May 26, 2016 – August 3, 2016) Shefki Kuqi (August 3, 2016 – August 3, 2017) Fabrizio Piccareta (August 3, 2017 – June 10, 2018) José Riveiro (January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2021) Miguel Grau (January 1, 2022 – September 19, 2022) Ramiro Muñoz (September 20, 2022 – December 31, 2022) Jarkko Wiss (January 1, 2023 – November 6, 2023) Vesa Vasara (January 1, 2024 – present)
References
External links FCInter.fi – The club's official site.