Ykkönen (Finnish for 'Number One'; , previously I divisioona) is the third highest level of the Finnish football league system (after the Veikkausliiga and Ykkösliiga), managed by the Football Association of Finland. Until the end of 2023, Ykkönen was the second-highest level in Finland, but after the creation of new second-tier Ykkösliiga, it was dropped down one level in the league pyramid.
History The first league format competition in the second level of Finnish football was called , which was founded in 1936. Before the inauguration of the , 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 was renamed II divisioona, or 2nd Division, with regional sections.
In 1973, this level of football in Finland became nationwide, and the new name was (First Division). The name has been used since 1995.
The new nation-wide third-tier Ykkönen started running in 2024, as the first ever nation-wide third-tier league in Finland.
Competition
Like the Veikkausliiga and Ykkösliiga, Ykkönen is played mainly during the summer. It comprises 12 clubs, all of whom play 27 matches. After 22 games the division is divided to teams who finished 1-6 and 7-12. These teams play against each other once. The winner of the Ykkönen qualifies directly for promotion to Ykkösliiga. The teams that finish second, third, and fourth play a one legged playoff, with the second placed team playing against the winner of the match between the third and fourth placed team. The winner of the matches enters a two-legged playoff against the second to last team in the Veikkausliiga for promotion. The bottom 2 clubs are directly relegated to Kakkonen.
Clubs The clubs in the Ykkönen for the 2025 season are:
ClubLocationStadium CapacityManagerAtlantis FCHelsinkiTöölön Pallokenttä 4,000 EPSEspooEspoonlahden urheilupuisto 1,200 FC Inter Turku II Turku Veritas Stadion 9,372 FC Jazz Pori UK-Tekonurmi JJK Jyväskylä Jyväskylä Harjun stadion 5,000 KPV Kokkola Kokkolan keskuskenttä 3,000 KuPS II Kuopio Väre Areena 5,000 MP Mikkeli Mikkelin Urheilupuisto 7,000 AC Oulu/OLS Oulu Castrén 2,500 PK Keski-Uusimaa Tuusula, Kerava, Järvenpää Kalevan Urheilupuisto, Kerava 2,500 RoPS Rovaniemi Rovaniemen keskuskenttä 2,803 Tampere United Tampere Tammelan Stadion 8,017
Champions and top scorers of second-tier Ykkönen, 1973–2023 Season Champion League promotions Top scorer Club Goals 1973 MiPK MiPK, FC Haka Matti Paatelainen FC Haka 21 1974 MyPa MyPa, VPS Kari Lehtolainen HPS 19 1975 GBK GBK, OPS Christian Nyman GBK 16 1976 Kiffen Kiffen, OTP Jarmo Lindahl Kiffen 15 1977 KPT KPT, Pyrkivä Raimo Kuuluvainen FC Ilves 17 1978 FC Ilves FC Ilves, KTP Ari Tissari KPT 21 1979 MP OTP, Sepsi-78 Tuomo Hakala RoPS 19 1980 MP MP, RoPS, MiPK Keijo Kousa FC Kuusysi 21 1981 FC Kuusysi FC Kuusysi, KPV, Elo Władysław Dąbrowski OTP 26 1982 Reipas Reipas, RoPS Craig Ramsay FF Jaro 18 1983 MP MP, KePS, PPT Arto Keisalo Jukka Mykkänen HPS MP 14 1984 OTP OTP Hannu Tiilikainen Elo 18 1985 MP MP Jukka Rautakallio FinnPa 17 1986 Reipas Reipas Jari Aaltonen TPV 18 1987 OTP OTP Kalle Lehtinen FC Kontu 18 1988 FF Jaro FF Jaro Juha Lahtinen VaKP 19 1989 KPV KPV, Kumu Mauri Keskitalo MyPa 18 1990 PPT PPT, FF Jaro Janne Murtomäki Jari Vanhala FC Kontu Grankulla IFK 14 1991 MyPa MyPa Igor Danilov Kumu 17 1992 TPV TPV, FinnPa Tomasz Arceusz Oleg Ivanov Valeri Popovitch VPS TPV TPV 16 1993 KuPS KuPS, FC Oulu Kimmo Savolainen KePS 17 1994 Ponnistus Ponnistus, VPS Mika Riutto Reipas 15 1995 FC Inter FC Inter Mika Marjamaa KePS 18 1996 TP-Seinäjoki TP-Seinäjoki Luciano Martins FC Kuusysi 18 1997 FC Haka FC Haka, PK-35 Valeri Popovitch FC Haka 25 1998 FC Lahti FC Lahti, KTP, Inter, TPV Ismo Lius FC Lahti 18 1999 Tampere United Tampere United Dionísio Tampere United 24 2000 KuPS KuPS, Atlantis FC Niclas Grönholm Hangö IK 25 2001 FC Hämeenlinna FC Hämeenlinna FF Jaro Jani Myllyniemi HIFK 18 2002 KuPS KuPS, FC Jokerit, FC KooTeePee Janne Kauria FC Honka 17 2003 TP-47 TP-47, RoPS Mikko Mäkelä PP-70 15 2004 KuPS KuPS, IFK Mariehamn Miikka Oinonen MP 15 2005 FC Honka FC Honka, VPS Dawda Bah Rami Louke KPV VPS 16 2006 FC Viikingit FC Viikingit, AC Oulu Petteri Kaijasilta PK-35 19 2007 KuPS KuPS, RoPS Petteri Kaijasilta PK-35 18 2008 JJK Jyväskylä JJK Babatunde Wusu JJK 22 2009 AC Oulu AC Oulu Pekka Sihvola FC Hämeenlinna 20 2010 RoPS RoPS Irakli Sirbiladze KPV 16 2011 FC Lahti FC Lahti Ville Salmikivi FC Viikingit 20 2012 RoPS RoPS Aleksandr Kokko RoPS 15 2013 SJK SJK Jussi Aalto Haka 15 2014 HIFK HIFK, FC KTP, FC Ilves Kalle Multanen Haka 30 2015 PS Kemi PS Kemi, PK-35 Vantaa Kalle Multanen Haka 19 2016 JJK JJK Aristote M'Boma AC Oulu 18 2017 TPS TPS, FC Honka Kalle Multanen Felix de Bona Haka EIF 14 2018 HIFK HIFK, KPV Alberto Alvarado Morín AC Oulu 17 2019 Haka Haka, TPS Salomo Ojala Haka 23 2020 AC Oulu AC Oulu, KTP Darren Smith EIF 18 2021 Vaasan Palloseura VPS Douglas Caé Gnistan 14 2022 KTP KTP Mika KTP 15 2023 EIF EIF, Gnistan Joakim Latonen Gnistan 19
Champions and top scorers of third-tier Ykkönen, 2024– Season Champion League promotions Top scorer Club Goals 2024 Klubi 04 Klubi 04 Aaron Lindholm PKKU 18 2025 MPMP Torfiq Ali-Abubakar MP 22
References
External links League information ; at the Football Association of Finland List of League Second Level tables since 1930 League321.com - Finnish football league tables, records & statistics database. Football scores for Finnish Football Leagues Ykkönen, standings, results & fixtures