# Ilmari Niskanen

Ilmari Niskanen (born 27 October 1997) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a left winger and wing back for EFL League One club Exeter City and the Finland national team.

## Club career

Born in Kiuruvesi, Niskanen spent his youth years with PK-37 in Iisalmi, before starting his professional career in 2013 in a nearby town Kuopio with Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS). In the 2019 Veikkausliiga season, Niskanen helped the club to win its first Finnish championship title in 43 years. He was also named the Veikkausliiga Player of the Month in August 2019 and in July 2020.
In September 2020, Niskanen signed for German club FC Ingolstadt for a transfer fee of €350,000.
In August 2021, Niskanen had a transfer to Scottish Premiership club Dundee United, which was initially delayed due to work permit issues, before eventually completing on 20 August 2021. The transfer fee was reported to be €350,000.
On 15 August 2023, Niskanen signed for League One club Exeter City for an undisclosed fee. On 29 April 2024, Niskanen was named the Exeter City Community Champion in the club's end of season awards. On 15 May 2024, his deal was extended until June 2026. He was named the Exeter City Player of the Month in October 2024.

## International career

Niskanen represented Finland at under-17, under-19 and under-21 youth levels, before making his senior international debut in 2020.
On 10 September 2024, in a 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B away match against England, Niskanen was humiliated by the national team head coach Markku Kanerva, by substituting him in for the second half to a wrong position for his expertise. Later Finland conceded goals directly due to Niskanen's errors and eventually lost the game 2–0.

## Personal life

On 19 February 2025, it was reported that Niskanen had been caught by English police while driving under the influence of alcohol earlier in February. On 24 February, he was fined £2,885 and banned from driving for 18 months, by the Exeter Magistrates Court.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| KuPS | 2013 | Veikkausliiga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| KuPS | 2014 | Veikkausliiga | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 |
| KuPS | 2015 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 1 |
| KuPS | 2016 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 26 | 0 |
| KuPS | 2017 | Veikkausliiga | 32 | 1 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | 3 |
| KuPS | 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 33 | 4 | 6 | 4 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 8 |
| KuPS | 2019 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 6 |
| KuPS | 2020 | Veikkausliiga | 13 | 6 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 7 |
| KuPS | Total | Total | 154 | 18 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 186 | 26 |
| PK-37 (loan) | 2013 | Kakkonen | 22 | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | 9 |
| KuFu-98 (loan) | 2014 | Kakkonen | 7 | 0 | – | – | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 |
| KuFu-98 (loan) | 2015 | Kolmonen | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| KuFu-98 (loan) | Total | Total | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| PK-37 (loan) | 2014 | Kakkonen | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| KuFu-98 (loan) | 2017 | Kakkonen | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| FC Ingolstadt | 2020–21 | 3. Liga | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 0 |
| FC Ingolstadt | 2021–22 | 2. Bundesliga | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| FC Ingolstadt | Total | Total | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Dundee United | 2021–22 | Scottish Premiership | 33 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 1 |
| Dundee United | 2022–23 | Scottish Premiership | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 |
| Dundee United | 2023–24 | Scottish Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Dundee United | Total | Total | 53 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 2 |
| Exeter City | 2023–24 | League One | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Exeter City | 2024–25 | League One | 32 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 37 | 1 |
| Exeter City | Total | Total | 65 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 72 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 323 | 31 | 35 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 374 | 39 |
* ↑ Includes Suomen Cup, DFB-Pokal, Scottish Cup and FA Cup
* ↑ Includes Finnish League Cup, Scottish League Cup and EFL League Cup
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ One appearance in the UEFA Champions League and one appearance in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearance(s) in UEFA Regions' Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

### International

    As of match played 17 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Finland | 2020 | 6 | 1 |
| Finland | 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| Finland | 2022 | 6 | 0 |
| Finland | 2023 | 3 | 0 |
| Finland | 2024 | 7 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 23 | 1 |
    Finland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Niskanen goal
List of international goals scored by Ilmari Niskanen :
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
| 1 | 7 October 2020 | Stadion Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland | 2 | Poland | 1–3 | 1–5 | Friendly | |

## Honours

KuPS
* Veikkausliiga: 2019
* Veikkausliiga runner-up: 2017
* Finnish Cup runner-up: 2013
Individual
* Veikkausliiga Player of the Month: August 2019, July 2020
* Exeter City: ECCT PFA Community Champion
* Exeter City Player of the Month: October 2024