The Finnish Football Show
 

The Finnish Football Show

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The original English-language podcast about Finnish football. Presented by Mark W, Mark H, Rich, Keke & Ally, five Brits with Finnish wives and shared passion for the beautiful game. @explorefinland @fcsuomi @escapetosuomi @kekemyllari & @mano99 bring you a variety of show formats; the original Finnish Football Show discussion show, interviews with key people in Finnish football, and Match Reports of key Finnish national team games. FFS – supporting football in Finland since 2015.

Episodes

Mestaruussarja Finale, KuPS Are Veikkausliiga Champions again, plus Huuhkajat World Cup Qualifier Previews

Thursday Nov 13, 2025

Thursday Nov 13, 2025

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/11/13/huuhkajat-match-previews-veikkausliiga-finale-kups-crowned-champions/

IN THIS EPISODE...

This episode is brought to you by Mark W, Keke, Ally and Rasmus; a full squad for a full episode. They start by looking at the upcoming games for the Huuhkajat, a World Cup qualifier against Malta and a home friendly against Andorra. They also talk about the Finland fans’ feelings about head coach, Jacob Friis.

They then focus on the final few games in the Veikkausliiga season. With KuPS finishing as champions again and doing well in this season’s Europa Conference League. They give a detailed breakdown of the top six teams and what the near future might hold for each club.

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:56 Finland squad for November 2025
00:10:31 Finland fans’ feelings about Jacob Friis
00:23:54 Preview: Finland’s games vs Malta and Andorra
00:29:21 Helmarit round-up & Linda Sällström retires
00:32:16 Veikkausliiga Mestaruussarja final standings
00:35:09 KuPS Kuopio: Veikkausliiga champions and still playing in Europe
00:48:18 Inter Turku wins silver and qualifies for Europe
00:50:27 Last-minute agony for Ilves completes an up-and-down Champions Series
00:55:26 SJK Seinäjoki just missed out on Europe. Does the exodus now begin?
01:09:01 HJK Helsinki ‘what on earth is going on in Töölö?’
01:18:02 Misbehaviour from home fans causes HJK to close its own stands in 2026

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Huuhkajat World Cup Qualifiers Match Reports. Veikkausliiga: Relegation for Haka & the Battle at the Top

Monday Oct 20, 2025

Monday Oct 20, 2025

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/10/20/huuhkajat-match-reports-veikkausliiga-update-haka-relegated/

IN THIS EPISODE...

Mark W & Keke are joined by a couple of guests for a bumper episode. Firstly, Jussi Hartikainen, from Suomen Maajoukkue Kannatajat ry and Football Supporters Europe, comes on to discuss the latest two World Cup Qualifiers for Finland, a 2-1 home win over Lithuania and a 0-4 away defeat to the Netherlands. Jussi also explains about his role and FSE and his involvement in the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Finnish FA and the SMJK supporters group.

All three are then joined by KTP fan Sami Lindfors, who shares his experience of the bottom-of-the-table clash between KTP and Haka, which saw Haka relegated and KTP into a playoff with TPS Turku. They also talk through the current situation in the top half, with only 6 points between the top 4 teams and still 5 rounds of games to be played.

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:54 Report: Finland 2-1 Lithuania
00:15:12 Report: Netherlands 4-0 Finland
00:30:31 Upcoming fixtures and the extended international break in Sept 2026
00:33:24 Jussi’s work with Football Supporters Europe and the agreement between Palloliitto & SMJK
00:45:12 Relegation cliffhanger. Sami’s bus trip to watch Haka vs KTP 
00:56:50 The five way battle at the top of the Mestaruussarja
01:10:55 Eero Markkanen retires

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In Conversation with SJK Seinäjoki defender, Salim Yussif

Wednesday Oct 15, 2025

Wednesday Oct 15, 2025

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/10/15/in-conversation-with-salim-yussif/

IN THIS EPISODE...

In this episode, Mark W is joined by SJK Seinäjoki defender, Salim Yussif, who talks through his unconventional route to Finland. From a childhood living in a slum in Accra, through teenage years on a football scholarship in the USA, to becoming a regular starter for SJK near the top of the Veikkausliiga. They discuss the challenge of moving countries and making friends, learning how to play Stevie Grieve’s ‘chaos football’ and just what is the Seinäjoki African Community ry. Salim’s a young guy with a long future ahead of him and his eye on a Barcelona shirt (if he’s lucky!)

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:59 Growing up in a slum area of Accra
00:05:47 Vision FC’s partnership with SJK Seinäjoki
00:09:43 Starting life as a #10 then moving to right back
00:12:33 Scholarships to High School and College in USA
00:15:01 Moving to Finland, SJK and adapting to playing Grieveball
00:22:45 About Seinäjoki African Community & attracting international fans to SJK
00:26:34 Salim’s future ambitions

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Match Previews: Huuhkajat World Cup Qualifiers & U21 Euro Qualifier. Plus Ilves fans' BUSt-up in Seinäjoki.

Monday Oct 06, 2025

Monday Oct 06, 2025

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/10/06/huuhkajat-world-cup-qualifiers-ilves-fans-bust-up-in-seinajoki/

IN THIS EPISODE...

Mark W and Keke look at the upcoming World Cup qualifiers for the Finland men's national teams, as the Huuhkajat face Lithuania at home before travelling to play the Netherlands in Amsterdam. Finland need as many points as possible to have any hope of qualifying from group G. Finland’s U21s, the Pikkuhuuhkajat, also have two games over the coming week, a secretive friendly against the USA, followed by a U21 Euros qualifier away to Spain. Challenging weeks for both teams

Keke also asks Mark to explain why Ilves fans had a BUSt-up in Seinäjoki with an old London double-decker Routemaster…

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:33 Ilves fans’ BUSt-up in Seinäjoki
00:03:36 Huuhkajat squad for the October World Cup Qualifiers
00:18:66 Preview: Finland vs Lithuania
00:24:26 Preview: Netherlands vs Finland
00:33:19 Pikkuhuuhkajat U21 Euro Qualifier
00:34:11 Last-minute change to the Huuhkajat squad

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Huuhkajat Match Reports – Is Finland heading Backe to the Future?

Tuesday Sep 16, 2025

Tuesday Sep 16, 2025

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/09/16/is-finland-heading-backe-to-the-future/

IN THIS EPISODE...

Mark W and Keke again with match reports from Finland's two away games; a 1-0 friendly defeat to Norway, followed by a 3-1 defeat in the World Cup qualifier against Poland. Keke shares tales from his trip to Chorzów, Poland. They revisit the topic of an early episode* to ask if Finland is regressing under Jacob Friis, back to the performances of the Hans Backe era.

Finally, they discuss a positive week for Finnish referee, Mohammad Al-Emara, who made his elite international debut in the England-Andorra match at Wembley, before an unprecedented(?) post-match Q&A with the fans, after SJK 3-3 HJK 🤯

* See FFS episode #12: Backe sacke & ‘Crack’. Hans Backe Fired

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:08 Match report: Norway 1-0 Finland
00:13:04 Keke in Chorzów
00:19:46 Match report: Poland 3-1 Finland
00:34:34 Is Finland Going ‘Backe to the Future’ and regressing under Jacob Friis
00:41:11 Upcoming World Cup Qualifiers for the Huuhkajat
00:45:47 Referee Mohammad Al-Emara in action at Wembley & meeting the SJK fans

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Veikkausliiga 2025 So Far… The 'Runkosarja' Reviewed By Fans Of Each Club

Tuesday Sep 09, 2025

Tuesday Sep 09, 2025

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/09/09/veikkausliiga-2025-runkosarja-reviewed-by-fans/

IN THIS EPISODE...

Producer Mark rounded-up our band of Veikkausliiga fans to record an update to our preview episodes. As the ‘runkosarja’ has now finished and the league table splits in two, we asked each fan to give us an update on their club’s season so far. You will hear each fan's personal report, starting at the bottom of the table and working up, so you’ll hear a change in tone, satisfaction and level of optimism, as the show progresses.

Huge thanks from FFS to all the fans for sharing their insights about their club!

00:00:00 Intro
00:02:31 KTP Kotka, Sami
00:07:24 FC Haka, Tuomas
00:11:17 AC Oulu, Tuomas
00:16:10 IFK Mariehamn, Jouni
00:23:01 FF Jaro, Petter
00:26:19 VPS Vaasa, Sebastian
00:33:02 Half-time
00:34:20 IF Gnistan, John
00:40:04 SJK Seinäjoki, Jules
00:43:42 KuPS Kuopio, Jouni
00:47:56 HJK Helsinki, Ally
00:52:06 Ilves, Jamie
00:56:37 Inter Turku, Jussi

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Huuhkajat & U21 Match Previews. Veikkausliiga splits into Champions & Challenger series

Tuesday Sep 02, 2025

Tuesday Sep 02, 2025

🎭 Ally Manson’s play “The Inheritors” https://teatteritoivo.net/ohjelmistossa-nyt/the-inheritors/

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/09/02/huuhkajat-match-previews-veikkausliiga-splits/

 
IN THIS EPISODE...

 

Mark W and Keke get back together after a long summer break. They give a brief update on the Veikkausliiga* as the league season splits into the Mestaruussarja and Haastajasarja. Who is in the race to win and who is trembling on the relegation trapdoor?

They then focus on upcoming games for the Finland men's national teams, as the Huuhkajat play Norway in a friendly, before facing Poland away in a World Cup qualifier. The U21s, the Pikkuhuuhkajat, also have two games over the coming weekend, both Euro qualifiers against San Marino (home) and Cyprus (away).

*  Look out for our full review of the Veikkausliiga season so far, as we hear from fans reviewing their club's performances in the runkosarja. Coming soon.

00:00:00 Intro
00:03:16 Ally’s play “The Inheritors”
00:04:56 The Veikkausliiga splits
00:09:47 Finland’s World Cup qualifiers recap
00:15:31 Huuhkajat squad for September (+ Finns Overseas)
00:36:22 Match preview: Norway vs Finland
00:42:10 Match preview: Poland vs Finland
00:49:04 Keke's off to Poland
00:52:06 Pikkuhuuhkajat U21 matches and squad
00:55:06 Helmarit games coming in October

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Veikkausliiga update & the first round of European Games

Tuesday Jul 15, 2025

Tuesday Jul 15, 2025

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/07/14/veikkausliiga-update-first-round-of-european-games/

IN THIS EPISODE...

Mark W & Rasmus get back together during Finland's 2025 summer heatwave and spend another hour discussing the current situation in the Veikkausliiga, which includes a very congested top half led, but not dominated, by Inter Turku. They also consider the first round of European games played, to varying degrees of success, last week by SJK Seinäjoki, KuPS Kuopio, HJK Helsinki & Ilves.

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:58 Helmarit at Euro 2025 (very briefly!)
00:04:31 Inter Turku
00:09:33 Ilves
00:16:30 KuPS Kuopio
00:22:14 HJK Helsinki
00:29:25 SJK Seinäjoki
00:39:43 IF Gnistan
00:43:30 Bottom half of the table
00:44:14 KTP Kotka & AC Oulu
00:50:17 FF Jaro
00:51:51 Suomen Cup semi final fixtures
00:54:04 IFK Mariehamn & VPS Vaasa
01:00:33 FC Haka

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200th Episode of FFS with special guest, Stevie Grieve. Plus international match reports & Women's Euro preview

Thursday Jun 26, 2025

Thursday Jun 26, 2025

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/06/26/200th-episode-of-ffs-with-stevie-grieve/

IN THIS EPISODE...

Special episode, this one, as FFS achieves its 200th episode. SJK Seinäjoki Head Coach, Stevie Grieve joined Mark W and Ally to chat about SJK's season so far. They are then joined by occasional contributor, Seppo, who is the middle of a busy summer of international football.

They discuss the two World Cup Qualifiers for the Huuhkajat, a 0-2 defeat to Netherlands and a 2-1 victory over Poland. Seppo also shares his experiences travelling to Kosice, Slovakia with the Pikkuhuuhkajat, to watch Finland in the U21 Euro 2025 finals. They finish up witha. preview of the Helmarit's upcoming fixtires in the Women's Euro 2025 finals – finding real reasons to feel optimistic about Finland's chances. Hyvä Suomi 🦉

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:20 Catching up with SJK Seinäjoki Head Coach, Stevie Grieve
00:18:49 Match Report: Finland 0-2 Netherlands
00:28:13 Match Report: Finland 2-1 Poland
00:39:38 Seppo’s story of meeting Head Coach, Jacob Friis
00:42:40 Finland U21’s in Euro 2025
01:00:00 Preview: Finland at the Women’s Euros, 1st game Wed July 3rd

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Finland's National Teams in Action + Veikkausliiga Update

Sunday Jun 08, 2025

Sunday Jun 08, 2025

New Kit For Finland. Helmarit Nations League Match Reports. Huuhkajat World Cup Qualifier Previews. U21 Euros Preview. Veikkausliiga Update.

Blog: show notes and links https://finnishfootballshow.com/2025/06/08/national-teams-in-action-veikkausliiga-update/

IN THIS EPISODE...

Keke hosts again as Producer Mark is 'otherwise engaged' feeling poorly. He is joined by Ally and Rasmus to look at a very busy spell for Finnish football, starting with launch of an eye-catching new kit for the Finland National teams 😮‍💨🤌

They looked back at the recent Nations League matches for the Helmarit, who just missed out on promotion from Group B3, but who are heading straight into the Women's Euro 2025 in Switzerland in July. Next, they preview upcoming Men's World Cup 2026 Qualifiers with the Huuhkajat facing the Netherlands (Sat 7.6.) and Poland (Tue 10.6.) The international segment finishes with a preview of the under-21 Euro 2025, where Finland's 'Pikkuhuuhkajat' will compete.

They finish the show with a look at (mostly the top of) the Veikkausliiga, considering the recent performances of Ilves, KuPS Kuopio, HJK Helsinki and Inter Turku – being sure to save a few minutes to smirk and chuckle at SJK Seinäjoki's recent form! When the (SJK supporting) cat is away, the mice will play...

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:45 etc, etc.

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