Veikkausliiga

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 two times 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 amount 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. During the 2022 season, the highest earning league players earned just shy of €200,000. 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.

Management

;Chairmen

• 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. 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. The international broadcasting rights are owned by OneFootball.

Previously Veikkausliiga matches have been broadcast by Yle, Nelonen, Urheilukanava, Canal+, , 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.

Former clubs

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

Main article: List of Finnish football champions

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.

Top scorers

Individual all-time records

Most matches played

Last updated: 4 January 2025. Source: Veikkausliiga.com.

Most goals scored

Last updated: 4 January 2025. 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). Currently there are four FIFA-certified international referees in Veikkausliiga. Additionally, there are some other referees, certified by Finnish FA, available for Veikkausliiga matches (Category 2).

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.

FIFA certified referees

• Mohammad Al-Emara
• Joni Hyytiä
• Oliver Reitala
• Peiman Simani

Referee statistics

:After the 2023 season.

Notes

References

References

1. [https://yle.fi/aihe/a/20-10004625 Kansallisen Liigan ja Veikkausliigan ensimmäiset ottelut nähdään Ylen kanavilla huhtikuussa], [[Yle]], 29 March 2023
2. Antti Koivukangas. (31 March 2016). "Fotbollsligan 1990: Kuusela ledde HJK till guld". Yle.
3. [http://www.jpy.fi/files/cms_userfile/Tiedostot/Palkkatutkimus/Palkkatutkimus_2010.ppt Palkkatutkimus 2010] {{webarchive. link. (July 20, 2011)
4. [https://www.iltalehti.fi/veikkausliiga/a/a797df00-8d4b-4fe5-a3f9-fc4fa530ea82 Simo Valakarin hirmupalkka julki – Pesi jopa HJK-kollegansa], [[Iltalehti]], 9 November 2023
5. "The Finnish Football League Association Veikkausliiga - EPFL".
6. [https://www.veikkausliiga.com/uutiset/2024/11/25/veikkausliigan-sarjajarjestelmaan-muutos-kaudelle-2025 Veikkausliigan sarjajärjestelmään muutos kaudelle 2025], veikkausliiga.com, 25 November 2024
7. [https://web.archive.org/web/20141006121949/http://urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/veikkausliiga/perustaminen.htm SM-SARJASTA VEIKKAUSLIIGAAN]
8. [https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000009501562.html Veikkausliigan rahapotti paisui 20-kertaiseksi], [[Helsingin Sanomat]], 6 April 2023
9. [https://www.veikkausliiga.com/uutiset/2023/03/20/veikkausliigan-tv-nakyvyys-kasvaa-myos-yle-televisioi-tulevan-kauden-huippuotteluja Veikkausliigan tv-näkyvyys kasvaa – Myös Yle televisioi tulevan kauden huippuotteluja], veikkausliiga.com, 20 March 2023
10. [https://www.veikkausliiga.com/uutiset/2023/04/04/veikkausliigan-nakyvyys-kasvaa-kansainvalisesti-yli-100-miljoonan-jalkapalloseuraajan-saataville Veikkausliigan näkyvyys kasvaa kansainvälisesti yli 100 miljoonan jalkapalloseuraajan saataville], veikkausliiga.com, 4 April 2023
11. [https://www.veikkausliiga.com/uutiset/2023/12/12/erotuomarit-nimetty-kotimaan-paasarjoihin Erotuomarit nimetty kotimaan pääsarjoihin], veikkausliiga.com, 12 December 2023
12. [https://www.veikkausliiga.com/uutiset/2023/12/15/fifa-nimesi-kansainvaliset-erotuomarit-vuodelle-2024 FIFA nimesi kansainväliset erotuomarit vuodelle 2024], veikkausliiga.com, 15 December 2023
13. [https://www.palloliitto.fi/ajankohtaista/erotuomarit-nimetty-paasarjoihin-luokittelutapaan-muutos Erotuomarit nimetty pääsarjoihin - Luokittelutapaan muutos], [[Football Association of Finland. Finnish FA]], 12 December 2023
14. [https://yle.fi/a/74-20040246 Heini Hyvönen teki historiaa Veikkausliigassa: ”Puhelin on laulanut” – tutut ongelmat riivasivat HJK:ta, kun Lahti haki yllätysvoiton], [[Yle]], 8 July 2023
15. [https://www.palloliitto.fi/ajankohtaista/antti-munukka-erotuomaritilaston-ykkoseksi-jan-peter-aravirralle-400-tayteen Antti Munukka erotuomaritilaston ykköseksi – Jan-Peter Aravirralle 400 täyteen], Finnish FA, 20 June 2024