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Ykkösliiga

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This article is about the current second-tier of Finnish men’s football. For former second-tier and the current third-tier, see Ykkönen.
Ykkösliiga
Founded2022
First season2024
CountryFinland
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toVeikkausliiga (1–2 depending on the promotion play-offs)
Relegation toYkkönen (1–2 depending on the relegation play-offs)
Domestic cup(s)Finnish Cup
League cup(s)Ykkösliigacup
Current championsKTP
(2024)
Most championshipsKTP (1)
Top goalscorerAleksi Tarvonen (15)
TV partnersRuutu+
WebsiteYkkösliiga
Current: 2024 Ykkösliiga
Finnish football league tiers

Ykkösliiga (English:"League One"; Swedish: "Liga Ettan") is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system (after the Veikkausliiga), managed by the Football Association of Finland. The teams in Ykkösliiga also play a pre-season league cup, the Ykkösliigacup.[1][2]

The nation-wide second-tier league was first established in 1973 as I divisioona. It was later renamed Ykkönen, starting in 1994. The new and current Ykkösliiga will start running in 2024, and the former second-tier Ykkönen continues as the new third-tier level.

History

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Main article: Ykkönen

The first league format competition in the second level of Finnish football was called Suomensarja, which was founded in 1936.[3] Before the inauguration of the Suomensarja, from 1930 to 1935, there had been special qualification matches for the right to play in the Mestaruussarja.

In the autumn of 1969, the Finnish football underwent a league system reform, and the Suomensarja was renamed II divisioona, or 2nd Division, with regional sections.[4]

In 1973, this level of football in Finland became nationwide, and the new name was 1. divisioona (First Division). The name Ykkönen was used since 1995.[3]

Creation of Ykkösliiga

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In July 2022, Finnish sports media Elmo reported that the Finnish FA is planning to create a new second-tier football league. It was also reported that it would be a five-year long period, after which the top-tier Veikkausliiga could be expanded to consist 16 teams.

In the late August 2022, Finnish FA announced the creation of a new nation-wide league, contested with 10 teams, planned to be located between current Ykkönen and Kakkonen.[5][6] Later in October it was confirmed that the new second-tier league will be named Ykkösliiga, and the FA simultaneously announced the specific rules on how the new level is formed and which clubs will gain the position in it. The nine best teams of 2023 Ykkönen will automatically qualify for 2024 Ykkösliiga. Each group winner of the three groups in 2023 Kakkonen, and the best 2023 Kakkonen Group runner-up, will play the 2024 Ykkösliiga qualifiers. The winner of these qualifiers wins the last spot, and the three other clubs earn a position to the new third-tier 2024 Ykkönen.[7]

The new league was scheduled to start running in 2024. Ykkösliiga replaces Ykkönen as the second-highest Finnish football league, and the current second-tier Ykkönen will drop down one level in a league pyramid to establish a new and the first nation-wide third-tier Ykkönen with 12 teams, starting to run in 2024. All the previous third-tier levels in Finland had been divided to geographical groups based on locations of the clubs.[8][9][10]

As a conclusion, all the lower levels in Finland will drop down one level in the league pyramid (Kakkonen forms a new fourth-tier, Kolmonen a new fifth-tier etc.).

The inaugural season 2024 Ykkösliiga will start on 13 April 2024.[11][12]

Structure

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Like the first-tier Veikkausliiga, Ykkösliiga is a summer league, played usually from the start of April to October. All the competing teams play 27 matches, facing each other three times in total. After the matchday 18 follows the final phase where every team face each other once. The top-5 teams earn five home matches for the last nine matches, and the bottom-5 have four home matches. The winner of Ykkösliiga wins automatically a promotion to Veikkausliiga, and the second-placed team will play a two-legged promotion play-offs against 11th placed team in Veikkausliiga. The last placed team will be relegated to new third-tier Ykkönen, while the 9th placed team will play the relegation play-offs against Ykkönen runners-up.[10]

Clubs in 2024 season

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The clubs in the Ykkösliiga for the inaugural 2024 season are:

Club Location Stadium Capacity Manager
FF Jaro Jakobstad (Pietarsaari) Jakobstads Centralplan 5,000 Finland Niklas Vidjeskog
JIPPO Joensuu Mehtimäki 1,000 Finland Mikko Hallikainen
KäPa Helsinki Brahenkenttä 1,200 Finland Sami Okkonen
JäPS Järvenpää Järvenpään keskuskenttä 2,000 Finland Teemu Kankkunen
KTP Kotka Arto Tolsa Areena 4,780 Finland Jonas Nyholm
MP Mikkeli Mikkelin Urheilupuisto 7,000 Finland Juha Pasoja
PK-35 Helsinki Algeco Areena 1,200[13] Portugal Tiago Santos
SalPa Salo Salon Urheilupuisto 2,500 Spain Jordi Aluja
SJK Akatemia Seinäjoki OmaSP Stadion 5,817 England Ash Civil
TPS Turku Veritas Stadion 9,372 Finland Miika Nuutinen

Champions and top scorers 2024–

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Champions and top scorers of former second-tier Ykkönen 1973–2023

Season Champion League promotions Top scorer Club Goals
2024 KTP KTP, Jaro Finland Aleksi Tarvonen KTP 15

Referees

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For the 2024 season, the referee committee of Finnish FA has listed 14 referees primarily available for Ykkösliiga matches (Category 2). Additionally, there are also 23 named assistant referees available.[14] The referees named in the Category 1 (primarily for top-tiers Veikkausliiga and Kansallinen Liiga) are also available for Ykkösliiga.

References

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  1. ^ Ykkösliigacupin lohkojako julkaistu – kilpailu alkaa tammikuussa, Football Association of Finland, 22 November 2023
  2. ^ Tulospalvelu Palloliitto, Ykkösliigacup, Football Association of Finland
  3. ^ a b Pietarinen, Heikki. "Finland - List of League Second Level Tables". RSSSF. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  4. ^ Lautela, Yrjö & Wallén, Göran (2007). Rakas jalkapallo. Hämeenlinna: Teos. p. 61. ISBN 978-951-851-068-3.
  5. ^ Sarjajärjestelmäuudistus kaudeksi 2024 - Miesten Ykkönen laajenee kahdeksi sarjatasoksi, Finnish FA, 30 August 2022
  6. ^ Jalkapalloon tulee uusi sarjataso Suomessa, Helsingin Sanomat, 31 August 2022
  7. ^ Tulevan sarjajärjestelmäuudistuksen vaikutukset jalkapallosarjoihin kaudella 2023, Finnish FA, 12 October 2022
  8. ^ Jalkapallon uudesta sarjatasosta tulee Ykkösliiga, Yle, 12 October 2022
  9. ^ Ykkönen ei ole uusi Kakkonen, Helsingin Sanomat, 5 February 2023
  10. ^ a b Näin Ykkösliiga, Miesten Ykkönen ja Miesten Kakkonen pelataan kaudella 2024, Finnish News Agency/STT, stt.fi
  11. ^ Ykkösliigan otteluohjelma kaudelle 2024 julkaistu - kausi käyntiin lauantaina 13.4., Veikkausliiga, 25 January 2024
  12. ^ Ykkösliiga kausi 2024, suomifutis.com
  13. ^ Tekemisen meininkiä Pihlajamäessä: PK-35:llä uusittu stadion, lahitieto.fi, 5 July 2021
  14. ^ Erotuomarit nimetty pääsarjoihin - Luokittelutapaan muutos, Finnish FA, 12 December 2023
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