Ykkösliiga

Ykkösliiga is the second-highest professional football league in Finland. It was established in 2020, replacing the previous Ykkönen division. The league operates under the Finnish Football Association (Palloliitto) and is the primary tier below the Veikkausliiga, the top flight. Ykkösliiga typically features ten teams competing in a round-robin format. Each team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away, resulting in 18 matches per team during the regular season.

The champion of Ykkösliiga is promoted directly to the Veikkausliiga for the following season. The team finishing in second place enters a playoff tie against the second-to-last placed team from the Veikkausliiga for a chance at promotion. Conversely, the team finishing last in Ykkösliiga is relegated to the third tier, Kakkonen. The league structure and promotion/relegation rules are subject to change by the Football Association. Ykkösliiga serves as a crucial stepping stone for clubs aiming to reach the pinnacle of Finnish club football.