Veikkausliiga
Season2023
Dates5 April – 5 November
ChampionsHJK
RelegatedKTP
Champions LeagueHJK
Conference LeagueIlves (via Finnish Cup)
KuPS
VPS
Matches played132
Goals scored329 (2.49 per match)
Top goalscorerBojan Radulović
(18 goals)
Biggest home winHJK 4–0 VPS
(19 April 2023)
Biggest away winOulu 0–3 SJK
(29 April 2023)
SJK 1–4 Oulu
(27 June 2023)
Highest scoringLahti 3–4 KuPS
(1 July 2023)
Longest winning run10 matches
VPS
Longest unbeaten run11 matches
SJK
Longest winless run11 matches
Haka, Lahti
Longest losing run5 matches
VPS
← 2022
2024 →
All statistics correct as of 9 October 2023.

The 2023 Veikkausliiga was the 93rd season of top-tier football in Finland, which takes place from April to November.

The winners (HJK, their fourth successive title win) qualified for the Champions League first qualifying round. The 2023 Finnish Cup winners (Ilves) qualified for the Conference League second qualifying round. The second-placed team (KuPS) and Conference League play-off winners (VPS) qualified for the Conference League first qualifying round. The eleventh-placed team (Mariehamn) defended its league spot in the Veikkausliiga play-off against the second placed team from the 2023 Ykkönen, IF Gnistan. The bottom-placed team (KTP) were relegated to the 2024 Ykkösliiga.

Teams

The league consisted of twelve teams; the top eleven teams from the previous season, and one team promoted from the Ykkönen. After 22 games, the season split into a championship/relegation round.

HJK were the defending champions. Veikkaus was the league’s sponsor.[1]

Promoted from
2022 Ykkönen		 Relegated to
2023 Ykkönen
KTP HIFK

Stadia and locations

Location of teams in 2023 Veikkausliiga
Club Location Stadium Turf Capacity
AC Oulu Oulu Raatti Stadion Natural 5,000
FC Haka Valkeakoski Tehtaan kenttä Artificial 3,516
FC Honka Espoo Tapiolan Urheilupuisto Natural 6,000
FC Inter Turku Veritas Stadion Natural 9,372
FC Lahti Lahti Lahden Stadion Natural 7,465
HJK Helsinki Bolt Arena Artificial 10,770
IFK Mariehamn Mariehamn Wiklöf Holding Arena Artificial 1,650
Ilves Tampere Tampere Stadium Natural 16,800
KTP Kotka Arto Tolsa Areena Artificial 4,780
KuPS Kuopio Savon Sanomat Areena Artificial 2,700
SJK Seinäjoki OmaSP Stadion Artificial 5,817
VPS Vaasa Hietalahti Artificial 6,005

Regular season

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 HJK 22 12 8 2 39 19 +20 44 Qualification for the Championship Round
2 KuPS 22 13 4 5 34 15 +19 43
3 SJK 22 11 5 6 29 24 +5 38
4 VPS 22 11 3 8 30 23 +7 36
5 Honka 22 10 5 7 23 17 +6 35
6 Inter Turku 22 10 4 8 33 31 +2 34
7 Oulu 22 9 4 9 32 37 −5 31 Qualification for the Relegation Round
8 Haka 22 5 9 8 27 37 −10 24
9 Lahti 22 5 7 10 21 32 −11 22
10 Ilves 22 4 8 10 20 27 −7 20
11 KTP 22 5 5 12 20 33 −13 20
12 Mariehamn 22 3 6 13 21 34 −13 15
Source: Flashscore
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored; 7) Play-off
(Note: Play-off is only played if need to decide champion, teams for relegation or UEFA competition and will be played on a neutral ground).

Results

Home \ Away HAK HJK HON ILV INT KTP KPS LAH MAR OUL SJK VPS
Haka — 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 4–2 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–0 2–2
HJK 2–0 — 2–0 1–0 4–1 1–0 2–2 0–1 4–2 1–1 0–0 4–0
Honka 0–2 1–1 — 2–0 1–0 0–1 0–1 3–0 2–1 4–1 0–0 1–0
Ilves 1–2 1–1 1–1 — 2–1 1–0 0–3 2–2 0–0 1–2 1–1 0–2
Inter Turku 3–0 1–3 2–0 2–1 — 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–2 0–2
KTP 1–2 3–3 1–2 0–0 1–4 — 0–0 2–0 2–1 0–2 0–2 1–0
KuPS 3–0 2–1 0–1 1–0 1–2 2–0 — 2–0 0–1 1–0 3–0 0–1
Lahti 1–0 1–2 1–0 3–2 1–2 0–0 3–4 — 0–2 1–2 1–1 0–2
Mariehamn 2–1 0–0 0–1 1–1 0–2 0–0 0–2 2–3 — 1–2 0–2 1–2
Oulu 3–0 1–3 1–3 0–3 1–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 3–2 — 0–3 2–1
SJK 2–1 1–2 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–3 1–0 0–0 3–2 1–4 — 2–1
VPS 4–1 0–1 0–0 0–2 3–0 2–1 0–2 0–0 2–1 3–0 3–2 —
Source: Flashscore
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Results by round

Team ╲ Round12345678910111213141516171819202122
HakaLDDLWWLDLLDLDLDLDWDWDW
HJKWWWDWLDWDDDWWDDLWWWWWD
HonkaLDWDDWLLWLLWDWDLWLWWWW
IlvesDWLWLLDWDDDLDDDLLLLWLL
Inter TurkuWLLLDWWWDWLDLDLWWLLWWW
KTPLDWLLDDLWWLLWDDLLLWLLL
KuPSLDLWWWWWWLWWWLWLDWWWDD
LahtiDWDLDLLDLWLLWDLDWDLLLW
MariehamnDLLLLWDDLLLWDLDWLLDLLL
OuluWDDLWLWLWWLDWWWLWLDLLL
SJKWDDWWWWWDWWLDWDWLLLLWL
VPSDLLDWLDLLLLLWWWWWWWWWW
Source: Soccerway, soccerstats.com

Championship Round

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 HJK (C) 27 15 8 4 50 26 +24 53 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2 KuPS 27 16 5 6 41 20 +21 53 Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round
3 VPS (O) 27 15 4 8 41 26 +15 49 Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round play-off final
4 SJK 27 12 6 9 35 33 +2 42 Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round play-off quarter-finals
5 Honka 27 12 5 10 29 27 +2 41
6 Inter Turku 27 10 5 12 35 40 −5 35
Source: Flashscore
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored; 7) Play-off
(Note: Play-off is only played if need to decide champion, teams for relegation or UEFA competition and will be played on a neutral ground).
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners

Results

Home \ Away HJK HON INT KPS SJK VPS
HJK — 3–0 2–0 1–2 — —
Honka — — 3–0 — — 0–3
Inter Turku — — — 0–1 1–2 —
KuPS — 3–1 — — 1–1 0–2
SJK 2–3 1–2 — — — 0–2
VPS 3–2 — 1–1 — — —
Source:
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Results by round

Team ╲ Round12345
HJKWWWLL
HonkaWLLLW
Inter TurkuLLDLL
KuPSLWDWW
SJKLLDWL
VPSWWDWW
Source: Soccerway, soccerstats.com

Relegation Round

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Oulu 27 11 5 11 41 45 −4 38 Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round play-off quarter-finals
2 Ilves 27 8 9 10 35 33 +2 33 Qualification for the Conference League second qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
3 Haka 27 7 11 9 35 42 −7 32
4 Lahti 27 7 8 12 26 41 −15 29
5 Mariehamn (O) 27 5 7 15 28 40 −12 22 Qualification for the Veikkausliiga play-off final
6 KTP (R) 27 5 5 17 21 44 −23 20 Relegation to Ykkösliiga
Source: Flashscore
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored; 7) Play-off
(Note: Play-off is only played if need to decide champion, teams for relegation or UEFA competition and will be played on a neutral ground).
(O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ↑ Ilves qualified for the Conference League second qualifying round by winning the 2023 Finnish Cup.

Results

Home \ Away HAK ILV KTP LAH MAR OUL
Haka — 2–2 2–0 2–0 — —
Ilves — — — — 2–1 3–2
KTP — 0–3 — — 0–2 —
Lahti — 1–5 2–1 — — 2–1
Mariehamn 2–1 — — 0–0 — —
Oulu 1–1 — 2–0 — 3–2 —
Source:
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Results by round

Team ╲ Round12345
HakaDLWWD
IlvesDWWWW
KTPLLLLL
LahtiWWLDL
MariehamnLWLDW
OuluWLWLD
Source: Soccerway, soccerstats.com

Play-offs

Conference League play-off

Teams placed 3rd-7th (Honka, Inter Turku, Oulu, SJK, and VPS) entered play-off matches for the second spot in the Conference League first qualifying round. The third-placed team (VPS) received a bye to the final. The quarter-finals and semi-finals are held over one leg (with the higher-placed team gaining home advantage), while the final is held over two legs.[2]

Quarter-finals

25 October 2023 Honka (5th) 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)		Inter Turku (6th)Tapiolan urheilupuisto, Espoo
16:00 BST
25 October 2023 SJK (4th)2–2 (a.e.t.)
(4–5 p)		 Oulu (7th) OmaSP Stadion, Seinäjoki
16:00 BST

Semi-finals

28 October 2023 Honka (5th) 5–0Oulu (7th)Tapiolan urheilupuisto, Espoo
15:00 BST

Final

First leg

1 November 2023 Honka (5th) 0–1 VPS (3rd) Tapiolan urheilupuisto, Espoo
16:00 BST

Second leg

5 November 2023 VPS (3rd) 1–0
(2–0 agg.)		Honka (5th)Hietalahti Stadium, Vaasa
14:00 BST

Veikkausliiga play-off

The eleventh-placed team (Mariehamn) qualified for a play-off alongside the second, third, and fourth-placed teams from the 2023 Ykkönen (Gnistan, MP, and SJK Akatemia). The third and fourth-placed Ykkönen teams entered the quarter-finals, with the winners facing the second-placed Ykkönen team in the semi-finals. The semi-final winners then face the eleventh-placed Veikkausliiga team, with the winners securing the final place in the 2024 Veikkausliiga. For the quarter and semi-finals, the higher-placed team gained home advantage.

Quarter-finals

14 October 2023 MP (3rd, Ykkönen)1–4 SJK Akatemia (4th, Ykkönen) Mikkelin Urheilupuisto, Mikkeli
13:00 BST

Semi-finals

21 October 2023 Gnistan (2nd, Ykkönen) 4–2 (a.e.t.)SJK Akatemia (4th, Ykkönen)Mustapekka Areena, Helsinki
16:00 BST

Final

First leg
25 October 2023 Gnistan (2nd, Ykkönen) 0–0 Mariehamn (11th, Veikkausliiga) Mustapekka Areena, Helsinki
16:30 BST
Second leg
29 October 2023 Mariehamn (11th, Veikkausliiga) 3–0
(3–0 agg.)		Gnistan (2nd, Ykkönen)Wiklöf Holding Arena, Mariehamn
13:00 BST

Top scorers

As of 1 November 2023[3]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Serbia Bojan Radulović HJK 18
2 Nigeria Peter Godly Michael VPS 17
3 England Ashley Coffey Oulu 13
4 Nicaragua Jaime Moreno SJK 11
5 Argentina Juan Lescano Haka 9
6 South Africa Darren Smith Inter Turku 8
Finland Santeri Haarala Ilves
Finland Rasmus Karjalainen Oulu
9 Finland Jeremiah Streng SJK 7
Finland Elias Mastokangas Haka
Finland Tuomas Ollila HJK
Finland Niklas Jokelainen Oulu

References

  1. ↑ "Veikkausliiga: HIFK is relegated after their loss against VPS, and KTP returns to the league". Panoroma Football. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  2. ↑ "HJK is the champion in 2023 - KTP's path leads to the First League". Veikkausliiga.
  3. ↑ "Veikkausliiga perustilastot". Veikkausliiga.
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