Veikkausliiga Season Guide – team-by-team previews

We present to you our 2024 Veikkausliiga season guide just as the new season in Finland is about to start. The 2024 top-flight campaign begins on Saturday, April 6, for all 12 teams. Below we give you a detailed team-by-team Veikkausliiga season guide to get you going. 

HJK Helsinki season guide

The most successful team in Finland HJK grabbed yet another title in 2023. This wasn’t done convincingly though. After winning the title in 2022 by a single point last term HJK lifted it simply thanks to their superior goal difference. Still, with 12 Veikkausliiga titles in just 15 years, HJK remains the dominant force in the league. 

Despite all these successes, major changes took place at the club in the winter. HJK start the 2024 campaign with a new manager at the helm and a significantly revamped squad. 

HJK’s key players and outlook

HJK will need their new centre-backs Carlos Moros and Diogo Tomas to be solid and injury-free in 2024. Lucas Lingman remains a key figure in midfield, while hopes are that Hassane Bande will be impactful up front.

HJK: Notable incoming players

The most notable new signings were those of centre-backs Carlos Moros and Diogo Tomas. Striker Luke Plange is also seen as an important new arrival, the centre forward joined on loan from Crystal Palace.

HJK: Notable departures

Apart from the departure of the title-winning manager, several key players left too. The 2023 Veikkausliiga top goalscorer Bojan Radulovic (18 goals) moved to England. The long-serving captain Miro Tenho (centre-back) also left. The main left wing-back Tuomas Ollila and the important inner midfielder Filip Rogic departed the squad too.

HJK 2024 season: Our prediction

This could be a transitional year for HJK. We still think they will finish in the top 3 but we predict that they will miss out on the title.

KuPS season guide

Next in our Veikkausliiga season guide is a team hungry for success. In all of the last three seasons, KuPS finished in second place and their pains and frustration only keep growing. They missed out on the title in 2022 by a single point and last year they were beaten to the trophy only on goal difference. 

The team is determined to finally win the title and their efforts are only towards that goal. 

KuPS’s key players and outlook

KuPS can rely arguably on the best goalkeeper in Veikkausliiga – Johannes Kreidl. They also have two of the most dangerous attacking midfielders in Finland Axel Vidjeskog and Jaakko Oksanen.

We think KuPS will continue to play with a high pace and use the flanks a lot, they have done that successfully for several years. The overlapping runs served a good purpose for KuPS last season and more of the same is what we expect.

KuPS: Notable incoming players

It had been a relatively quiet off-season for KuPS in terms of new signings. Still, two vastly experienced inner midfielders were signed – Petteri Pennanen and Jerry Voutilainen – so KuPS are likely to have a very strong presence in this part of the pitch.

KuPS: Notable departures

Influential in 2023 centre-back Collins Sichenje returned to his parent club this winter. Also, Brazilians Gabriel Bispo and Elton Junior left, which could create a long-term issue in attack.

KuPS 2024 season: Our prediction

After several years of near misses, we are back to KuPS to finally be crowned champions in 2024.

Inter Turku season guide

Inter Turku has had four consecutive mediocre seasons. They barely made the top 6 last year and never got close enough to challenge for a top 3 finish. The club owners decided this off-season was the best time for major changes. Inter Turku capitalised probably most on Honka’s bankruptcy over the winter months. 

The ex-Honka manager Vesa Vasara is now in charge. He brought with him from the bankrupt team Honka’s two most important midfielders in 2023 Kevin Jansen and Florian Krebs too. 

Inter strengthened all other areas of their squad too and they are gearing up for a serious push towards the medals in 2024. The early signs are good with Inter Turku lifting the League Cup trophy after a dramatic win in the final vs KuPS. 

Inter Turku’s key players and outlook

Inter Turku are expected to play possession-based football under Vasara. Captain Juuso Hämäläinen remains a key figure in defence. The two new playmakers Jansen and Krebs will be vital in the middle of the park. Up front African duo Darren Smith and Jean Botue promise lots of goals.

Inter Turku certainly have the depth to challenge a long regular season. We can see them trying to establish their dominance through the middle in almost every game.

Inter Turku: Notable incoming players

The trio of new players that came from Honka (Eero Vuorjoki, Kevin Jansen and Florian Krebs), as well as, the hugely promising striker Jean Botue are the most important new signings.

Inter Turku: Notable departures

Inter decided to part ways with their two main ball-handlers in midfield Tommi Jyry and Petteri Forsell this winter. It just wasn’t working with them orchestrating things in recent years. Still, their departures were significant ones.

Inter Turku 2024 season: Our prediction

We like the new manager and the new additions to the squad so we back Inter Turku to win medals for the first time since 2019. We predict a second or third-place finish.

Ilves Tampere season guide

With our next team of the Veikkausliiga season guide, we look at Ilves. The Lynxes had probably the strangest 2023 campaign of any team in Finland. They were in danger of relegation all season and finished only just above the bottom 2. At the same time, their displays in the Suomen Cup were impressive. Ilves went on to win this trophy and with this earned an unexpected visa for Europe. 

Despite that success, the struggles in the league led to a managerial change this winter. 

Ilves’s key players and outlook

The new head coach Joonas Rantanen is known for his defensive tactics and ability to make the teams he manages hard to score against.

Ilves still has a small squad and several positions that could become major problems if injuries to certain players occur during the campaign. The fact that the Lynxes will also be distracted midway through the regular season by qualifying matches in Europe also might play against them.

Captain Otso Viertanen will remain massive for his team. The goalkeeper has been a top 4 goalie in Veikkausliiga for several years now. The main left-back Jorginho must stay healthy as there is no other typical left-back in the ranks. The same is valid for the only centre forward in the squad Roope Riski.

Ilves: Notable incoming players

Veteran striker Roope Riski, signed from champions HJK, and the duo of inner midfielders Anton Popovitch and Joona Veteli, signed from vice-champions KuPS, are the three most important new arrivals.

Ilves: Notable departures

Important defender Seydine N’Diaye and the very useful holding midfielder Yusif Moussa are the most important players who left the team this winter.

Ilves 2024 season: Our prediction

We don’t think Ilves has the squad or depth to challenge for a top 6 finish. They should survive but we can see somewhere between 8-10 place in the final standings.

Haka season guide

Haka had a disappointing 2023, finishing only in 9th place. Lacked consistency and struggled to find wins even when playing well. 

The mediocre last season made the ambitious owners look hard at things. This resulted in many expected changes over the winter months. Haka have the finances and the ambitions to be challenging for trophies soon and they trusted the North Irish manager Adam Smith to get them back close to the top in 2024. 

Haka’s key players and outlook

The new head coach is an unproven name in Veikkausliiga. He has a group of talented players at his disposal though. Also, Haka play a very different style than all other 11 teams. The new head coach likes to push the tempo and use a very fast pace.

The ex-Liverpool goalie Liam Hughes, also a Northern Irish, has signed to become the vital new number one of Haka. In defence captain Niklas Friberg must stay healthy, when he plays the results are good. Elias Mastokangas and Oliver Whyte will be key figures in midfield, while up front the new Serbian striker Marko Bacanin is the main hope for goals.

Haka: Notable incoming players

The mentioned already goalie Hughes and centre forward Bacanin are the two most important new arrivals. Wingers Evangelos Patoulidis and Arlind Sejdiu, plus defensive midfielder Guilherme are the other very good new signings.

Haka: Notable departures

In terms of departures for our Veikkausliiga season guide the most notable one was that of the 2022 assist-king Logan Rogerson. The New Zealander failed to replicate his 2022 form last year and was allowed to leave in the winter. Starting goalkeeper Aatu Hakala and centre-back Fallou Ndiaye were the two other regular starters who left Haka.

Haka 2024 season: Our prediction

We believe Haka will be back in the top 6. We still don’t see them as medal contenders though and a 4-6 finish is our prediction for them.

SJK Seinajoki season guide

SJK had the typical season of two halves in 2023. The solid team had by far the best defensive record in the first 11 games of the 22-round regular season. SJK went unbeaten in those 11 rounds and they spent the majority of that time in first place. 

Things dramatically changed after that. Won only one more game in the next set of 11 games and dropped to third place before the playoffs. The struggles continued in the post-season so in the end only a fourth finish was registered, leaving SJK with the “what if” feeling. 

SJK’s key players and outlook

Disappointed with the second half of the campaign SJK opted to change managers this winter. Toni Lehtinen is now in charge and he had to rebuild as numerous key players left. SJK remain a well-run team and their ambitions remain high. The squad is small though and for the 2024 season to be a success everyone important will have to stay fit.

The new duo of centre-backs Kelvin Pires and Fallou Ndiaye will be vital all season. In midfield, the Argentinian playmaker Valentin Gasc is expected to be the main ball distributor. Up front, Jaime Moreno should be consistent if SJK want another top 6 finish.

SJK: Notable incoming players

Signing two quality new centre-backs (Pires and Ndiaye) was important. Eetu Mömmö, on loan from Lecce, and striker Rasmus Karjalainen are two other important additions that are expected to improve the scoring record.

SJK: Notable departures

Parted ways with many important players this off-season. The main goalie Otto Huuhtanen, as well as three of the four starters in defence (Hradecky, Yegbe and Murilo), are no longer in the squad. To add to that the long-serving midfielders Jake Dunwoody and Diego Rojas also left.

SJK 2024 season: Our prediction

SJK are one of the hardest teams to place in the standings. They could easily achieve another 4-6 finish, or if the struggles from last autumn continue they could find themselves as low as 9-10.

VPS season guide

VPS won the bronze medals last year despite an awful start to the campaign. Only 1 win in the first 11 rounds left VPS in danger. Then they caught fire and finished the regular season with 11 consecutive wins. The good form continued in the playoffs and the third place was utterly deserved.

VPS’s key players and outlook

Coach Jussi Nuorela will be starting his third full season in charge of VPS, he took charge in June 2021, and under his guidance the team began to play much better football.

Finding consistency for an entire season has eluded VPS so far though and this is the next step for them. The team’s ability to defend without panic and to cause serious issues from set pieces make them one of the most uncomfortable opponents in Veikkausliiga.

Captain Mikko Pitkänen in defence, the tireless Evgeny Bashkirov in midfield and the fast-developing teenager Roni Hudd in attack are expected to play key roles for VPS in 2024.

VPS: Notable incoming players

Centre-backs Pedro Justiniano and Martti Haukioja, plus a duo of centre forwards – Gleofilo Vlijter and Mads Borchers – are the most important winter arrivals in our opinion.

VPS: Notable departures

Undoubtedly, the main departure was that of star striker Peter Michael. He scored in 15 consecutive matches at one stage last season and he will be bitterly missed. Centre-back Cristian Valencia is the other important player to leave the team.

VPS 2024 season: Our prediction

We back VPS to secure another top 6 finish. The departure of Michael is bound to hurt the productivity up front though and we think VPS will miss out on the medals this year.

AC Oulu season guide

AC Oulu looked on course to a top 3 finish last season for about 17 rounds. However, a bad ending to the regular season and a series of defeats saw Oulu miss out on the Championship Play-off. Oulu still won Play-off II but then lost the last test before being able to qualify for Europe. 

Oulu’s key players and outlook

It was a year of inconsistent form the last one. The main task for coach Rauno Ojanen, who took charge only last August with more than half of the season played, will be to find a much more stable style of play.

Oulu likes to take risks when they dominate the ball. They also struggle to defend set pieces. The same weaknesses were seen in the recent League Cup tests, so it remains uncertain that 2024 will bring better fortunes.

The huge number of new players and the many regulars that left also might make it hard for Oulu in the early months of the campaign.

Goalkeeper Callum Ward, new captain Niklas Jokelainen and last year’s top goalscorer Ashley Coffey remain the main figures in the team. Aleksi Paananen, joined from champions HJK, also should play a vital role.

Oulu: Notable incoming players

The mentioned already inner midfielder Aleksi Paananen was one of 15 new signings made this winter. Among the others that could become regular starters are centre-back Jose Elo, midfielders Jake Dunwoody and Dimitrios Metaxas, as well as, the American striker Justin Rennicks.

Oulu: Notable departures

With so many new faces it was expected that many would leave too. Among those no longer in the team are 6 players who started often in 2023 – Yann Affi, Noah Pallas, Cristian Valencia, Magnus Breitenmoser, Luquinhas and Onni Suutari.

Oulu 2024 season: Our prediction

We are not sure how all these changes will affect Oulu. They could sneak into the top 6 but we think it’s far more likely for them to finish in a 7-8 spot.

Lahti season guide

Lahti was expected to struggle last season. They did that but thanks to some solid defending and vital new signings made just before the play-offs the team managed to survive. It was the good defensive record that made that possible, which makes it even more worrying that Lahti parted ways with their entire backline in the off-season. 

Lahti’s key players and outlook

Lahti saw practically everyone who played a key role in their survival last season leave in the winter. The team’s finances remain poor and finding replacements was once more a bit hard. Still, with the arrival of a few decent players and lots more teenagers from the Academy Lahti will hope they have enough classes.

The defensive record is likely to decline in 2024 but Lahti’s new-look attack should bring them more goals. At least, we think it will.

We see a bunch of new signings to be the key players for Lahti this year and their names are below.

Lahti: Notable incoming players

Goalkeeper Joshua Oluwayemi arrived from England and his role will be huge. The same can be said for the new team captain Mikko Viitikko (centre-back), his new expected partner Dylan Fox, the new right-back Riku Selander and the pair of new centre forwards Luke Ivanovic and Michael López.

Lahti: Notable departures

All of the players on this list were vital for Lahti last season but they all moved on – Marin Ljubic (GK), Arian Kabashi (CB), Juho Pirttijoki (CB), Luka Simunovic (RB), Mikko Kuningas (CM), Matheus Alves (CF), Leon Krekovic (RW), Anouar El Moukhantir (LW).

Lahti 2024 season: Our prediction

We worry about Lahti. We can’t see them finishing outside the bottom 4. Can they stay outside the bottom 2 is yet to be seen.

Mariehamn season guide

Our next team of the Veikkausliiga season guide is the only side in the top flight that is not located on the mainland. It was an extremely hard campaign last season for the 2016 Veikkausliiga champions IFK Mariehman. The Islanders spent most of the regular season in last place. Only late in the playoffs, they managed to lift themselves above KTP and avoid relegation. They still had to win a survival play-off against Gnistan to do that but a major disaster was averted. 

Mariehamn’s key players and outlook

After such a hard season not many were surprised that major clear-out began in the winter months. The manager and all but 8 of the players from the squad in 2023 were released.

Mariehamn is now ready to start the 2024 campaign with a new Portuguese manager at the helm (Bruno Romao) and a practically fully revamped squad. There are 16 new players in the new-look team of the Islanders.

Among those the likes of Eero-Matti Auvinen (CB), Noah Nurmi (DM), Sebastian Dahlström (CM) and Hugo Cardoso (CF) should play vital roles.

Mariehamn: Notable incoming players

All 4 players mentioned above are arguably the most important new signings. Among the other important new arrivals are goalkeeper Matias Riikonen, midfielder Matias Ojala and striker Jayden Reid.

Mariehamn: Notable departures

As the team underperformed badly in 2023 it’s hard to say many of those that left will be missed. Still, captain Timi Lahti (CB), experienced Albin Granlund (RB) and the solid Aly Ndom (CM) are players that could have been very useful if still in the squad.

Mariehamn 2024 season: Our prediction

Mariehamn hope for a better season and we think they will have that. We think they will finish in 8-10 place and stay out of the relegation zone.

Gnistan season guide

Our next team of the Veikkausliiga season guide is the only side that didn’t know it would play in the top flight until well into the off-season. The small team from Helsinki Gnistan is about to embark on their first-ever top flight campaign. However, they earned that right not due to a promotion but because of Honka’s bankruptcy. Gnistan finished second in their division and then lost the promotion play-off against Mariehamn but the circumstances mentioned above still saw them promoted. 

Gnistan’s key players and outlook

Before they knew they would be playing in the top flight Gnistan sacked their manager from 2023 after they lost the promotion play-off. The first-ever campaign in Veikkausliiga for the club will be under the guidance of Jussi Leppälahti. He coached in the top flight last season but his team KTP finished last and got relegated.

To avoid the same fate with Gnistan the new manager looked for experienced veterans to add to the squad this winter. He found several of those. This was needed as Gnistan’s main squad seriously lacked top-flight experience.

Captain Jiri Koski’s goal will have to be hugely impressive if Gnistan is to survive. Most of the other players that should be playing key roles are new ones and will be mentioned below.

Gnistan: Notable incoming players

Adding to the ranks veteran centre-backs Jukka Raitala and Juhani Ojala were seen as great moves. Also, the experienced 34-year-old striker Jonas Enkerud and the technical attacking midfielder Tomas Castro should be vital at the other end of the pitch.

Gnistan: Notable departures

The only notable departures were defender Matias Paavola and striker Zachary Sukunda. Both started most games in 2023 but they were not likely to play that much this year.

Gnistan 2024 season: Our prediction

Good experience was added to the squad. Still, we can picture them struggling. Can they stay above the bottom 2, we think more likely not.

Ekenas season guide

Ekenas earned their promotion to the top flight convincingly. They won the second tier of Finnish football and only for the second time in their history, they will be part of the Veikkausliiga. Ekenas come from a small town but the local fan base is always passionate and loud when the team plays at home. 

Ekenas’s key players and outlook

Last season was the first in charge for the Spanish specialist Gabriel Garcia Xatar. He made Ekenas play some nice modern possession-based football and more of the same can be expected in 2024.

Xatar values strongly the ability to dominate possession and Ekenas should have very good stats in this particular department.

Last season’s top goalscorer Salomo Ojala remains the main hope up front. Also, the team’s captain Enoch Kofi Adu and the main number 10 Stanislav Efimov will have to continue being the influential figures they were in 2023 in the middle of the park.

Ekenas: Notable incoming players

Expecting to have to defend much more Ekenas strengthened their back line a lot this off-season. Goalkeeper Nikolaos Giannakopoulos, centre-backs Arian Kabashi and Kalle Katz, plus the new left-back Henri Malundama seem to be the most important signings of the winter.

Ekenas: Notable departures

The only two regular starters from 2023 who left the squad were defenders Tabi Manga and Jeannot Esua.

Ekenas 2024 season: Our prediction

Ekenas will struggle but we can see them avoiding direct relegation. Any finish between 9-11 place is likely in our opinion.