# HIFK Fotboll

Active departments of HIFK :
| Bandy | Floorball | Football |
| Handball | Ice hockey (men's) | Ice hockey (women's) |
| Athletics | Bowling | Golf |
| eSports | | |
HIFK Fotboll or IFK Helsingfors is the association football section of HIFK, a sports club based in Helsinki, Finland. The men's football team currently competes in the Kolmonen whereas the women's first team is in Naisten Kakkonen. Both teams use Väinämöisen kenttä in Töölö as their home ground.

## History

Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna i Helsingfors was formed on 15 October 1897 by Georges Doubitsky, a 15-year-old student at the Svenska Reallyceum school in Helsinki. In the early years the club specialised in athletics, football and bandy. The football section was established in 1907, the same year that the Football Association of Finland was founded. HIFK's first football game was at the Kaisaniemi ground on 17 May 1908 where the new team lost 1–2 to Unitas.
In those early years HIFK were runners-up in the Mestaruussarja (then played as a cup competition) on 5 occasions in 1909, 1912, 1928 and 1929. In addition in 1912 the Finnish Football team at the Stockholm Olympics comprised a team of HIFK players.
HIFK won their first Finnish championship (Mestaruussarja) in 1930 a feat that they were to repeat on three other occasions in 1931, 1933 and 1937 in a brilliant decade for the club. HIFK also won the Mestaruussarja in 1947, 1959 and 1961. In total HIFK won the Finnish championship on 7 occasions.
HIFK was one of the most successful football sides in Finland until the early 1970s, when the team were relegated from the Mestaruussarja (Finnish Premier League). After 1972 the team spent time in the lower divisions of Finnish football, and at one point found themselves playing in the Nelonen (Fourth Division), the fifth tier of the Finnish football league system, between 1980 and 1983, and later on between 2003 and 2005, and would only return to the first division in 2006, 43 years later.
Since 1930, HIFK have played 33 seasons in the Mestaruussarja (the top tier), 22 seasons in the second tier and 19 seasons in the third tier. Their best spell in recent decades was from 1999 to 2002, when the club participated in the Ykkönen (First Division). However, the club overstretched themselves which resulted in the withdrawal from the Ykkönen at the end of the 2002 season and taking the place of the second team in the Nelonen (Fourth Division) in 2003. More recently, in 2010, they won the third tier, after defeating FC Santa Claus in the promotional playoff match. This saw them return to the second-tier (Ykkönen) of Finnish football for seasons 2011 and 2012, only to be relegated back to Kakkonen after their 2012 season. Back in Kakkonen, HIFK rehired coach Jani Honkavaara, who managed them when they were first promoted back to the Ykkönen. During his second term they returned to the Ykkönen for a third time within the century, when they beat PS Kemi Kings in the promotion playoffs.
HIFK won Ykkönen in 2014, and therefore were automatically promoted into the highest tier of Finnish football, Veikkausliiga. After securing promotion, HIFK announced that they would play their 2015 season home games at the Telia 5G -areena, the ground which belonged to their local rivals HJK Helsinki. In December 2014 HIFK launched a crowdfunding campaign through Invesdor. HIFK aimed to gather 250.000 – 500.000 euros by selling shares of the club valued at 189,70 euros a piece. According to club chairman René Österman, HIFK was in need of funding for the upcoming Veikkausliiga season and crowdfunding gave a chance for the club's supporters to own a part of the club. The campaign ended successfully in January 2015 and HIFK gathered 335.495 euros from 786 investors.
After three seasons in Veikkausliiga, HIFK were relegated to Ykkönen after finishing 11th in 2017 season and losing relegation play-offs against FC Honka on away goals. However, after a successful 2018 campaign in Ykkönen, HIFK was promoted back to Veikkausliiga for the 2019 season.
In the early 2022 Veikkausliiga season, after the newly recruited manager Bernardo Tavares had unexpectedly left the club after the first league match of the season, it was reported that HIFK would name Fabrizio Piccareta the club's new manager. Later he was sidelined in the process and Mixu Paatelainen was appointed. Later it was revealed that HIFK and Piccareta had already signed a deal, and Piccareta sued the club for the breach of contract. The club's sporting director, Mika Lönnström, who was responsible for the manager recruit, was later fired. Piccareta appealed to the FIFA's Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and his complain succeeded, as in May 2023, HIFK was ordered to pay Piccareta €86,000 damages for the breach of contract. HIFK first announced that they will appeal on the decision, but later withdrew their appeal due to lack of money.
During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the club had repeated financial problems, and had several fund raising campaigns to be able to continue its first team's actions.
On 4 January 2024, after the club finished 6th in the second-tier 2023 Ykkönen, HIFK Fotboll Ab, the limited liability company under which the men's first team operated since 2012, filed for bankruptcy. HIFK/2, which was registered under HIFK Soccer rf and was therefor not affected by HIFK Fotboll ABs bankruptcy, assumed the position of the men's first team in the new fifth tier Kolmonen.

## European campaigns

HIFK participated in the European Cup in the 1960–61 and 1962–63 seasons and played in the UEFA cup in 1971–72.
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Score | Agg. |
| 1960–61 | European Cup | Preliminary round | IFK Malmö | 1–3, 1–2 | 2–5 |
| 1962–63 | European Cup | First round | Austria Wien | 3–5, 0–2 | 3–7 |
| 1971–72 | UEFA Cup | First round | Rosenborg | 0–3, 0–1 | 0–4 |

## Honours

* Mestaruussarja
** Champions (7): 1930, 1931, 1933, 1937, 1947, 1959, 1961
** Runners-up (7): 1909, 1912, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1935, 1971
* Attendance Record: 10,500 (HIFK – HJK, Telia 5G -areena, 10 August 2016)

## Divisional movements since 1930

* Top Level (32 seasons): 1930–45, 1947–49, 1958–66, 1970–72, 2015–2017, 2019–2022
* Second Level (23 seasons): 1945–46, 1950–57, 1967–69, 1973–74, 1999–02, 2011–12, 2014, 2018, 2023
* Third Level (19 seasons): 1975–78, 1988–98, 2008–10, 2013

## Season to season

Season to season :
| Season | Level | Division | Section | Administration | Position | Movements |
| 1930 | Tier 1 | A-sarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 1st | Champions |
| 1931 | Tier 1 | A-sarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 1st | Champions |
| 1932 | Tier 1 | A-sarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 3rd | |
| 1933 | Tier 1 | A-sarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 1st | Champions |
| 1934 | Tier 1 | A-sarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 2nd | |
| 1935 | Tier 1 | A-sarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 2nd | |
| 1936 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 3rd | |
| 1937 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 1st | Champions |
| 1938 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 6th | |
| 1939 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 4th | |
| 1940–41 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 4th | |
| 1943–44 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 5th | |
| 1945 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | Group 1 | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 5th | |
| 1945–46 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 1st | Promoted |
| 1946–47 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 2nd | Championship Series 1st, Champions |
| 1947–48 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 2nd | |
| 1948 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 10th | |
| 1949 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 9th | Relegated |
| 1950 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | West Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 2nd | |
| 1951 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | West Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 6th | |
| 1952 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | |
| 1953 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | |
| 1954 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 5th | |
| 1955 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 8th | |
| 1956 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 3rd | |
| 1957 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 1st | Promoted |
| 1958 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 3rd | |
| 1959 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 1st | Champions |
| 1960 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 5th | |
| 1961 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 1st | Champions |
| 1962 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 7th | |
| 1963 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 4th | |
| 1964 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 6th | |
| 1965 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 5th | |
| 1966 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 10th | Relegated |
| 1967 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | |
| 1968 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | |
| 1969 | Tier 2 | Suomensarja (First Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 1st | Promotion Group 2nd, promoted |
| 1970 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 3rd | |
| 1971 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 2nd | |
| 1972 | Tier 1 | Mestaruussarja | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 10th | Relegated |
| 1973 | Tier 2 | I divisioona (First Division) | | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | |
| 1974 | Tier 2 | I divisioona (First Division) | | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 11th | Relegated |
| 1975 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 6th | |
| 1976 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | |
| 1977 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 9th | |
| 1978 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 11th | Relegated |
| 1979 | Tier 4 | III divisioona (Third Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa | 11th | Relegated |
| 1980 | Tier 5 | IV divisioona (Fourth Division) | Section 4 | Helsinki & Uusimaa | 8th | |
| 1981 | Tier 5 | IV divisioona (Fourth Division) | Section 1 | Helsinki & Uusimaa | 7th | |
| 1982 | Tier 5 | IV divisioona (Fourth Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa | 4th | |
| 1983 | Tier 5 | IV divisioona (Fourth Division) | Section 3 | Helsinki & Uusimaa | 1st | Promoted via play-offs |
| 1984 | Tier 4 | III divisioona (Third Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa | 1st | Promotion play-offs |
| 1985 | Tier 4 | III divisioona (Third Division) | Section 1 | Helsinki & Uusimaa | 3rd | |
| 1986 | Tier 4 | III divisioona (Third Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa | 2nd | |
| 1987 | Tier 4 | III divisioona (Third Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa | 1st | Promoted |
| 1988 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | West Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 5th | |
| 1989 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 2nd | |
| 1990 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 2nd | |
| 1991 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | |
| 1992 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | |
| 1993 | Tier 3 | II Divisioona (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | FC HIFK |
| 1994 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | FC HIFK |
| 1995 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 8th | FC HIFK |
| 1996 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 8th | FC HIFK |
| 1997 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 2nd | FC HIFK |
| 1998 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 2nd | FC HIFK |
| 1999 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 6th | FC HIFK – Relegation Group South – 8th |
| 2000 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 8th | FC HIFK – Relegation Group South – 7th |
| 2001 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 6th | FC HIFK |
| 2002 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 7th | FC HIFK – Relegation Group South – 7th – Play-offs |
| 2003 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 1 | Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 5th | |
| 2004 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 1 | Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 2nd | c |
| 2006 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 3 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 2nd | |
| 2007 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 1st | Promoted |
| 2008 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group B | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 7th | |
| 2009 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group A | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 7th | |
| 2010 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group A | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 1st | Play-offs, promoted |
| 2011 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 9th | |
| 2012 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 10th | Relegated |
| 2013 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 1st | Play-offs, promoted |
| 2014 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 1st | Promoted to Veikkausliiga |
| 2015 | Tier 1 | Veikkausliiga | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 7th | |
| 2016 | Tier 1 | Veikkausliiga | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 10th | |
| 2017 | Tier 1 | Veikkausliiga | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 11th | Play-offs, relegated |
| 2018 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 1st | Promoted |
| 2019 | Tier 1 | Veikkausliiga | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 7th | |
| 2020 | Tier 1 | Veikkausliiga | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 8th | |
| 2021 | Tier 1 | Veikkausliiga | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 6th | |
| 2022 | Tier 1 | Veikkausliiga | | Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) | 12th | Relegated |
| 2023 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 6th | Bankruptcy |
| 2024 | Tier 5 | Kolmonen | | Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | | |

## Supporters and rivalries

Historically, HIFK was primarily a club for the Swedish-speaking population in Helsinki. Nowadays the club is bilingual. The most renowned supporter group of the club was Stadin Kingit (in English: "the kings of Stadi"). Its name was derived from the common slang nickname for Helsinki (Stadi). Many members attend the handball, bandy and ice hockey matches of HIFK as well.
The single most important fixture for HIFK supporters is against the major local rivals, HJK. The fixture is commonly known as the Stadin derby and was last played during the Veikkausliiga season of 2022.

## Club structure

HIFK Fotboll operate a large number of teams including 3 men's teams, 3 women's teams, 1 men's veterans team, 16 boys' teams and 5 girls' teams.
* HIFK competes in Group B of Kolmonen (Fifth tier) administered by the SPL Uusimaa.
* HIFK / 3 competes in Group 4 of Vitonen (Seventh tier) administered by the SPL Uusimaa.
Updated as of season 2024.

## Players

    As of 24 July 2024

### Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 2 | DF | FIN | Elias Kaukamo |
| 3 | DF | FIN | Roger Prezioso |
| 4 | DF | FIN | Leo Halme |
| 5 | FW | FIN | Leevi Hoppania |
| 6 | FW | FIN | Nicolas Prezioso |
| 7 | DF | FIN | Niko Turunen |
| 8 | FW | FIN | Dolynnyi Nazar |
| 9 | DF | FIN | Peik Westerlund |
| 10 | FW | FIN | Said Mijoc |
| 11 | MF | FIN | Robin Leskinen |
| 14 | MF | FIN | Nelson Holmberg |
| 15 | MF | FIN | Lotus Kurkio |
| 16 | MF | FIN | Fonkah Alakotila |
| 17 | DF | FIN | Arian Ahmadi |
| 18 | FW | FIN | Lauri Korkeila |
| 19 | MF | FIN | Noa Kiema |
| 20 | MF | FIN | Adam Oyegoke |
| 21 | DF | FIN | Seifedine Eshrouk-Maharzah |
| 22 | GK | FIN | Nikke Vesterinen |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 22 | FW | FIN | Danjaal Hamzaaghaei |
| 24 | FW | FIN | Zakaria El Hayani El Mourabi |
| 25 | GK | FIN | Alex Hendren |
| 27 | DF | FIN | Robert Razmus |
| 27 | GK | FIN | Teddy Schalin |
| 28 | FW | FIN | Guled Hasan Farah |
| 30 | MF | FIN | Aatos Rajanummi |
| 31 | FW | FIN | Daniel Eidet |
| 32 | GK | FIN | Olli Hyvärinen |
| 33 | DF | FIN | Veikko Pelkonen |
| 45 | MF | FIN | Markus Juolahti |
| 45 | DF | FIN | Roope Seppänen |
| — | GK | GAM | Sam Jammeh |
| — | FW | FIN | Antti Ulmanen |
| — | DF | FIN | Tomi Kurvinen |
| — | DF | FIN | Eero Karjalainen |
| — | FW | BRA | Tiquinho |
| — | MF | FIN | Arttu Auranen |

## Management and boardroom

As of 24 July 2024
| Name | Role |
| Alex Maylett | Head coach |
| Anas Abdi | Assistant coach |
| Umid Dibachy | Assistant coach |
| Tomi Maanoja | Assistant coach |
| Joona Haavisto | Team manager |
| Aapo Haavisto | Doctor |

### Boardroom

| Name | Role |
| Jan-Erik Eklöf | Chairman |
| Viktor Fagerudd | Vice-Chairman |
| Janne Räsänen | Member |
| Janne Rasinkangas | Member |
| Hanna Khalili | Member |
| Dan Nordström | Member |