Ykkösliiga

''Ykkösliiga'' ( English: ''"League One"''; ) 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.

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

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 was used since 1995.

Creation of Ykkösliiga

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 is expected be a five-year long period, after which the top-tier Veikkausliiga could be expanded to consist 16 teams, but this claim has not been confirmed.

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. 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 the 2024 Ykkösliiga. Each group winner of the three groups in 2023 Kakkonen and the best runner-up, will play the 2024 Ykkösliiga play-offs. The winner of these qualifiers wins the last spot, and the three other clubs earn a position to the new third-tier 2024 Ykkönen.

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.

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 started on 13 April 2024.

Structure

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.Näin Ykkösliiga, Miesten Ykkönen ja Miesten Kakkonen pelataan kaudella 2024
Finnish News Agency/STT, stt.fi

Reserve teams

The reserve teams of Veikkausliiga clubs are permitted to compete in Ykkösliiga. However, they are prohibited to promote from Ykkösliiga to Veikkausliiga.

Clubs in 2025 season

The clubs in the 2025 Ykkösliiga season, the second campaign of ''Ykkösliiga'', are:

Champions and top scorers 2024–

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

Referees

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.Erotuomarit nimetty pääsarjoihin - Luokittelutapaan muutos
Finnish FA, 12 December 2023 The referees named in the Category 1 (primarily for top-tiers Veikkausliiga and Kansallinen Liiga) are also available for Ykkösliiga.

References

External links

Ykkösliiga
at the Football Association of Finland
List of League Second Level tables since 1930
- Finnish football league tables, records & statistics database.

{{UEFA second leagues

2
Fin
2022 establishments in Finland
Recurring sporting events established in 2024
Professional sports leagues in Finland