Hispanopedia WikiKuopion Palloseura, commonly referred to as KuPS, is a Finnish professional football club based in Kuopio. KuPS competes in Veikkausliiga, the top flight of Finnish football. The team plays its home matches at Kuopio Football Stadium.
KuPS has won eight Finnish championship titles, the Finnish Cup five times and the Finnish League Cup once. The club is placed fourth in the all-time Finnish Premier League honour table.[1]
History
The club was officially founded on 16 March 1923, at Kuopion Seurahuone. The club was named Kuopion Palloseura ("Kuopio Ball Club") with an abbreviation of KPS, which was later changed to KuPS.[2]
The club spent the majority of the 1920s playing friendly games against other local clubs. In the 1930s and early 1940s, the club played in the second highest tier of Finnish football. KuPS was first promoted to Mestaruussarja in 1947, but were relegated at the end of their first season. The club was promoted again in 1949 and this time remained in the top tier for 44 consecutive seasons.[2]
During the club’s early years, KuPS played in black and green shirts with vertical stripes, white shorts and black socks. In 1935, the colors were changed to a yellow shirt, black shorts and yellow and black socks. At the same time, the club's abbreviation changed from KPS to KuPS.[3][2]
KuPS golden era took place between the 1950s and 1970s, when the club won five league titles, finished runner up on eight occasions, and third once. The club also won the Finnish Cup for the first time in 1968.[2]
KuPS played in the top flight without significant success in the 1980s. However, the 1980s ended with the club's second Finnish Cup triumph in 1989.[2]
In the 1990s, KuPS had financial problems and even dropped to the third tier for the first time.[3] In the early 2000s, KuPS spent seasons in both the First Division and in Veikkausliiga. The club have been in the top-flight since 2008.[4]
The club hasn’t finished lower than 3rd in the league table since 2017. In the 2019 season KuPS won its sixth league title, coached by Jani Honkavaara. In 2021 and 2022 the club won the Finnish Cup for the third and fourth times. In the 2024 season, KuPS won its first-ever league and cup double, after winning the Finnish Championship and the Finnish Cup titles, led again by coach Honkavaara and captain Petteri Pennanen.
In the 2025 league season the club won its eight championship in the Finnish league and became runner-ups in the Finnish Cup. KuPS also reached the 2025–26 UEFA Conference League league phase, their first-ever spot in the European competition league phase. One win and four draws secured the club a place in the knockout phase play-offs. The club became the first Finnish club to advance from the league phase to play-off rounds.
Season to season
European campaigns
UEFA club competition record
- As of 21 July 2026
Competitions
UEFA coefficient
- As of 19 December 2025
The following list ranks the current position of KuPS in UEFA club ranking:
Transfers
In the last few decades, KuPS have produced numerous local players for Veikkausliiga and a few who have transferred abroad. Five among their seven biggest incoming transfer fees came from local mostly homegrown players. The club’s previous incoming transfer fee record was for then 17-year old Matias Siltanen, who departed for Djurgården following a great debut season for KuPS in 2024. It was surpassed one year later by the transfer of Otto Ruoppi to Mainz 05 for €1.3 million, and further surpassed by Mohamed Toure's transfer to FC Viktoria Plzeň for €1.5 million in February 2026.
Record transfers
Current squad
- As of 24 July, 2026[13]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Management
As of 1 January 2026[14]
Boardroom
As of 1 January 2026[15]
Jonni Heikkinen escapes from a PK-37 player in Finnish Cup 5th Round, 2006
Miikka Turunen near the corner flag in Finnish League Cup, 2008
Arto Lindberg trying to keep Tuomas Haapala away
Honours
- Mestaruussarja/Veikkausliiga
- Finnish Cup
- Finnish League Cup
- Champions (1): 2006
- Runners-up (1): 2024
- Ykkönen (second tier)
- Kakkonen (third tier)
- Champions (1): 1998
Managers
Aaro Heikkinen (1945–57)
Imre Nagy (1947)- Martti Kosma (1958)
- Reino Miettinen (1959)
- Veijo Pehkonen (1960)
- Asser Väisänen (1960)
- Aaro Heikkinen (1961–65)
- Gunnar Boman (1966–68)
- Veikko Jokinen (1969–71)
- Unto Nevalainen (1969–71)
- Martti Räsänen (1972–79)
- Matti Terästö (initial term) (1980)
- Jarmo Flink (final season) (1980)
- Ari Savolainen (1981)
- Matti Väänänen (1982)
Bogusław Hajdas (1983–85)- Jouko Pasanen (1986)
- Jouko Pasanen (1987)
- Aarre Miettinen (July 1987)
- Heikki Turunen (1988)
- Aarre Miettinen (1988)
- Heikki Turunen (1989)
- Markku Hyvärinen (May 1989)
- Olavi Rissanen (May 1989)
- Martti Räsänen (1990–91)
- Olavi Rissanen (1990–91)
- Martti Räsänen (1992)
- Jouni Jäntti (Sept 1992)
- Markku Hyvärinen (Sept 1992)
- Keijo Voutilainen (1993–1994)
- Hannu Turunen (1995–96)
- Atik Ismail (1995–96)
- Jouni Jäntti (1997–98)
- Ensio Pellikka (1998)
- Heikki Turunen (1999)
- Esa Pekonen (2000–2001)
- Jari Pyykölä (1 January 2002 – 6 June 2003)
- Ismo Lius (June 2003)
- Juha Malinen (2005–2006)
- Kai Nyyssönen (1 January 2007 – 13 June 2009)
- Esa Pekonen (14 June 2009 – 24 April 2014)
- Marko Rajamäki (2 May 2014 – 2016)
- Jani Honkavaara (2017–2019)
Arne Erlandsen (2020)- Simo Valakari (2021– 19 January 2023)
- Pasi Tuutti (19 January 2023 – 20 April 2023)
- Jani Honkavaara (21 April 2023– 31 December 2024)
- Jarkko Wiss (1 January 2025 – 31 December 2025)
- Miika Nuutinen (1 January 2026 – present)
References
- ↑"Finnish League Premier Division All-Time Tables 1930–2007". rsssf.orgArchived 28 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine. (12 March 2008)
- 12345Karjalainen, Markus; Huttunen, Jouni (2005). Kuopion Palloseura 1923–2004. Kuopion Palloseura.
- 12"Historia & Saavutukset". KuPS – Kuopion Palloseura (in Finnish). Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ↑"Tilastot ja taulukot". KuPS – Kuopion Palloseura (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ↑"Finland – List of League First Level Tables". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 17 July 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ↑"Finland – List of League Second Level Tables". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ↑Jättisiirto: Suomen mestari myy tähtihyökkääjänsä hurjalla siirtosummalla, MTV Oy, 12 February 2026
- ↑Jymypaukku! Bundesliigaseura ostaa Otto Ruopin ennätyssummalla, Ilta-Sanomat, 31 January 2026
- ↑Jättisiirto! Matias Siltanen Ruotsin suurseuraan, Ilta-Sanomat, 22 January 2025
- 12Tony Miettisestä muhkea korvaus – Se kuitenkin kalpenee KuPSin ennätyssiirroille, Savon Sanomat, 7 February 2024
- ↑SS: KuPS myy timanttinsa seurahistoriansa suurimmalla siirtokovauksella, suomifutis.com, 15 June 2018
- ↑Tähtipelaajan lähtö yllätti KuPSin täydellisesti – mestaruushaaveille raskas isku, Ilta-Sanomat, 3 September 2021
- ↑KuPS. "KuPS miehet edustusjoukkue 2026". kups.fi. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ↑"Kuopion Palloseuran valmennustiimi 2026". KuPS.fi. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ↑"Kuopion Palloseura Oy - Hallinto". KuPS.fi. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
External links
- Official website
(in Finnish) - Banzai – Supporters of KuPS, club's website(in Finnish) (archived).
- Kuopion Palloseura
- Association football clubs established in 1923
- Football clubs in Finland
- Sport in Kuopio
- Sports clubs and teams in North Savo
- 1923 establishments in Finland