Semifinaali

Semifinaali, in Finnish, denotes the penultimate round of a knockout competition in which four or more competitors remain and the two winners advance to the final. The term is used widely in Finnish-language coverage of sports and other contests and corresponds to the English term “semi-final.”

In knockout formats, the semifinals are designed to determine the finalists. Matches may be played as a single game at a neutral venue or as two-legged ties (home and away), with an aggregate score used to decide the winner in two-legged formats. If scores are tied, tiebreakers such as extra time, penalties, or away-goals rules (where applicable) may resolve the outcome. The exact rules vary by competition and governing body.

Semifinals are typically scheduled after the quarterfinals and before the final, and they often attract considerable media attention and spectator interest as a gateway to the championship. The concept is common across many sports and competition formats, including football, basketball, and tennis tournaments, as well as entertainment contests like music or TV competitions, where a subset of participants advances to the final.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin semi- “half” and finis “end,” via Finnish semifinal.