As the clocks spring forward across much of Europe, it marks the commencement of the crucial stages in domestic football leagues. However, in Finland, it signals the beginning of the Veikkausliiga season, where clubs gear up for intense competition.
Will the competition continue as before in a league that has witnessed only two champions in the past eight years, or is it time for fresh contenders to emerge?
The 2024 champions, KuPS, put an end to HJK’s four-year reign, but the capital club has made a significant signing this summer in an effort to reclaim their position at the top of Finnish football.
Their first challenge will arrive on Saturday in a tough opening match against Ilves, but ahead of this, here’s all you need to know about the 2025 Veikkausliiga season.
Can KuPS Handle Pukki’s Power?
After clinching the title by a narrow two-point margin last year, KuPS are striving for something unprecedented: to retain the Veikkausliiga trophy. Despite having seven top-tier titles under their belt, the Kuopio club has never successfully defended the championship.
This winter has seen considerable change at Vare Areena, with promising young talent Matias Siltanen transferred to Djurgarden for €1.2 million, alongside a handful of other exits. However, the team has welcomed 10 new players, including Finland under-21 international Doni Arifi, joining from Ilves.
Manager Jarkko Wiss will be relying on the established strategy of building on past successes, but a recent Liiga Cup quarter-final victory against AC Oulu followed by a 3-1 defeat to HJK in the semi-finals indicates that the squad may need time to gel.
The most noteworthy addition ahead of the 2025 season is the return of Teemu Pukki, Finland’s all-time leading goalscorer, who has come back to HJK after a 14-year absence. At 35, Pukki enjoyed a fruitful spell with Minnesota United in the MLS, averaging a goal approximately every three matches, and is expected to be a significant asset in a league where his market value is unparalleled.
HJK have also promoted a host of young players to their first team for 2025, alongside the addition of seasoned Finnish international Alexander Ring. Coach Toni Korkeakunnas is attempting to fuse youth with experience to secure a 34th league title after finishing disappointingly in third place last season.
Who Will Compete for European Spots?
HJK’s third-place standing last season was a result of Ilves nipping ahead of them into second position late in the season. This was a remarkable turnaround from their tenth place finish in 2023. Although they will miss the departing Arifi, the signings of Matias Rale and Sauli Vaisanen are likely to bolster an already solid defence.
Consistency has been key for SJK, who have secured a spot in the Championship Round every year since it was instituted in 2021. While another strong season appears on the horizon, they will be without last season’s joint-top scorer Jaime Moreno, who has returned to Venezuela.
To fill this gap, SJK have brought in Honduran player Alenis Vargas from Sporting Kansas City.
Inter Turku is poised for a higher challenge this season after narrowly missing out on the Championship Round last term. They have started 2025 strongly, defeating HJK on penalties in a thrilling Liiga Cup final that ended 4-4 after regular time. Coach Vesa Vasara’s team has lost top scorer Darren Smith but will be hoping for impactful contributions from new recruit Loic Essomba.
Both VPS and Haka aim to maintain their top-six status after finishing fifth and sixth last year. Haka’s situation has become trickier with the departure of Maissa Fall to VPS, as he was instrumental in last season’s performances. After one Liiga Cup win in five attempts, his absence is already evident.
The Relegation Battle
The new faces in the 2025 Veikkausliiga are KTP, back in the top division after a year’s absence, and Jaro, who secured a return following a runners-up finish in the Ykkosliiga after a nine-year hiatus. KTP has suffered as some of their key players were snatched up by other clubs, while Jaro has made essential attacking acquisitions, with at least one needing to settle in quickly to ensure survival.
Ashley Coffey’s 12 goals were pivotal in Oulu’s survival last year, but his move to China has left a void for the Navy Blues in 2025. New signing Marokhy Ndione scored three times in the Liiga Cup; if he can replicate that form in the league, their prospects will look brighter.
Unlike many clubs, Gnistan has managed to retain their main offensive threat, Joakim Latonen, this winter. They comfortably avoided relegation in 2024 after gaining promotion in 2023, but should Latonen’s presence be diminished, they might be at risk of facing a tough second season.
Mariehamn narrowly escaped the relegation zone in 2024 and have turned to the loan market, bringing in two players each from HJK and Ilves to bolster their squad for a more secure 2025. Manager Gary Williams has also tapped into the English market, signing Admiral Muskwe from Harrogate Town to strengthen their attack, which was the least productive among the ten teams that survived.
How the League Functions
The 12 teams will compete against each other home and away, commencing with the first round on Saturday and concluding with the 22nd and final round by the end of August.
Subsequently, the league splits into two groups: the top six clubs will enter the Championship Round, while the bottom six face the Relegation Round, each consisting of five matches against the other clubs in their group. Points accumulated during the regular season will carry over.
At the end of these matches, the champions will be crowned, the team finishing in last place will be relegated, the 11th-placed team will participate in a playoff against the Ykkosliiga runner-up, and teams finishing fourth to eighth will compete for the final European qualification spot.
What to Expect in Round One?
All 12 teams will see action tomorrow, April 5th, with HJK looking to get one over Ilves in the opening match, while KuPS will begin their title defence against the Liiga Cup champions, Inter Turku.
Here are the fixtures for the opening day (All times are in Finnish time):
Ilves vs HJK (15:00)
Inter Turku vs KuPS
KTP vs SJK
Mariehamn vs Jaro
VPS vs AC Oulu
Haka vs Gnistan (19:00)
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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