Football in Finland

Football in Finland
Football in Finland
	Home stadium of club HJK Helsinki
Country	Finland
Governing body	Football Association of Finland (Finnish: Suomen Palloliitto)
National team(s)	Men's national team; Women's national team
National competitions
	FIFA World Cup; UEFA European Championship; UEFA Women's Championship; UEFA Nations League;
Club competitions
	League: ; Tier 1: Veikkausliiga, Kansallinen Liiga; Tier 2: Ykkösliiga, Naisten Ykkönen; Tier 3: Ykkönen, Naisten Kakkonen; Tier 4: Kakkonen, Naisten Kolmonen; Tier 5: Kolmonen, Naisten Nelonen; Tier 6: Nelonen, Naisten Vitonen; Tier 7: Vitonen; Tier 8: Kutonen; Tier 9: Seiska ; Cups: ; Finnish Cup ; Finnish Women's Cup
International competitions
	FIFA Club World Cup; UEFA Champions League; UEFA Women's Champions League; UEFA Europa League; UEFA Europa Conference League; UEFA Super Cup;

Football in Finland is not, or at least has traditionally not been, the most popular spectator sport, which is in contrast to most European countries; it falls behind ice hockey, which enjoys a huge amount of popularity in the country.^[1] Football tops ice hockey in the number of registered players (115,000 vs. 60,000^[2]^[3]) and as a popular hobby (160,000 vs. 90,000 among adults and 230,000 vs. 105,000 among youths^[4]^[5]). It is the most popular hobby among 3-18 year olds, whereas ice hockey is 9th.^[5]

Football's standing is constantly increasing, especially among girls and women, where the yearly growth rate has lately been over 10 percent.^[6] In season 2006–07 19.9 percent of registered players were female.^[6] The Football Association of Finland (Finnish: Suomen Palloliitto) has approximately one thousand member clubs.^[2] According to a Gallup poll, nearly 400,000 people include football among their hobbies.^[4]^[5]

^ "Lajeja paikan päällä vähintään kerran vuodessa seuraavien määrä lajeittain 19-65-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ ^a ^b "Suomen Palloliitto". Football Association of Finland. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
^ "Info". Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
^ ^a ^b "Urheilulajien harrastajamäärät 19-65-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ ^a ^b ^c "Urheilulajien harrastajamäärät 8-13-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ ^a ^b "Jalkapallo kasvussa Suomessa ja maailmalla". refers to FIFA Big Count 2006. Football Association of Finland. 2007-06-19. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2010.

[1] "Lajeja paikan päällä vähintään kerran vuodessa seuraavien määrä lajeittain 19-65-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}

[fa-2] "Suomen Palloliitto". Football Association of Finland. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2010.

[3] "Info". Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2010.

[kky-4] "Urheilulajien harrastajamäärät 19-65-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}

[kka-5] "Urheilulajien harrastajamäärät 8-13-vuotiaiden keskuudessa" (PDF). Kansallinen liikuntatutkimus 2005-2006. Ministry of Education. 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}

[daa-6] "Jalkapallo kasvussa Suomessa ja maailmalla". refers to FIFA Big Count 2006. Football Association of Finland. 2007-06-19. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2010.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]