HIFK
Encyclopedia
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna i Helsingfors (abbreviated HIFK) is a sports club from Helsinki
, Finland
. Formed in 1897 HIFK is the oldest IFK
club in Finland. The club has activities in many sports, including football
, ice hockey
, bandy
, floorball
, handball
, athletics
and bowling
. HIFK Soccer ry is part of the HIFK sports club. The men's football first team currently plays in the Ykkönen
(First Division) and their home ground is at the Brahen kenttä where they have been based since 2011. Earlier their home ground was at the Töölön pallokenttä.
section which runs a team
in the SM-liiga
league.
, football
and bandy
. The football section was established in 1907, the same year that the Football Association of Finland
was founded. The first football match played HIFK was at the Kaisaniemi ground on 17 May 1908 where the new team lost 1-2 to Unitas.
In those early years HIFK were runners-up in the Mestaruussarja (then played as a cup competition) on 5 occasions in 1909, 1912, 1928 and 1929. In addition in 1912 the Finnish Football team at the Stockholm Olympics comprised a team of HIFK players.
HIFK won their first Finnish championship (Mestaruussarja) in 1930
a feat that they were to repeat on three other occasions in 1931
, 1933
and 1937
in a tremendous decade for the club. HIFK also won the Mestaruussarja in 1947
, 1959
and 1961
. In total HIFK won the Finnish championship on 7 occasions.
HIFK was one of the most successful football sides in Finland until the early 1970s when the team were relegated from the Mestaruussarja (Finnish Premier League). After 1972 the team has not managed to return to the Finnish top flight, and have even played in the Nelonen
(Fourth Division), the fifth tier of the Finnish football league system
, in 1980-83 and 2003-05.
In total since 1930 HIFK have played 29 seasons in the Mestaruussarja (the top tier), 18 seasons in the second tier and 18 seasons in the third tier. Their best spell in recent decades was from 1999 to 2002 when the club participated in the Ykkönen
(First Division). However, the club overstretched themselves which resulted in the withdrawal from the Ykkönen at the end of the 2002 season and taking the place of the second team in the Nelonen
(Fourth Division) in 2003. However, in recent years HIFK have made great progress and are now back in the Ykkönen
(First Division), the second tier of Finnish football
.
HIFK participated in the European Cup in the 1960-1961 and 1962-1963 seasons and played in the UEFA cup
in 1971-1972.
in 1971-1972.
Hannu Kankkonen Teemu Kankkunen
Frans Karjagin Martti Kuusela
Ragnar Lindbäck Matti Paatelainen Anders Westerholm Gunnar Åström
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Formed in 1897 HIFK is the oldest IFK
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna , usually abbreviated IFK is a central organisation for a large number of sports clubs in Sweden. There are also eight IFK clubs in Finland but they are organised separately...
club in Finland. The club has activities in many sports, including football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
, floorball
Floorball
Floorball, a type of floor hockey, is an indoor team sport which was developed in the 1970s in Sweden. Floorball is most popular in areas where the sport has developed the longest, such as the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The game is played...
, handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
and bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
. HIFK Soccer ry is part of the HIFK sports club. The men's football first team currently plays in the Ykkönen
Ykkönen
Ykkönen is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system , although it is the highest league managed by the Football Association of Finland.-Competition:...
(First Division) and their home ground is at the Brahen kenttä where they have been based since 2011. Earlier their home ground was at the Töölön pallokenttä.
Ice hockey
Today, HIFK is best known in Finland for its ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
section which runs a team
HIFK (ice hockey)
HIFK is an ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland. The team plays at Helsinki Ice Hall. It was founded in 1897...
in the SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
league.
History
Idrotts Föreningen Kamraterna i Helsingfors was formed on the 15 of October in 1897 by Georges Doubitsky, a 15-year old student at the Svenska Reallyceum school in Helsinki. In those early years the club specialised in athleticsAthletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
, football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
. The football section was established in 1907, the same year that the Football Association of Finland
Football Association of Finland
The Football Association of Finland is the governing body of football in Finland. It was founded in 1907, and was also the governing body of bandy in Finland until the bandy association, Suomen Jääpalloliitto, was founded in 1972....
was founded. The first football match played HIFK was at the Kaisaniemi ground on 17 May 1908 where the new team lost 1-2 to Unitas.
In those early years HIFK were runners-up in the Mestaruussarja (then played as a cup competition) on 5 occasions in 1909, 1912, 1928 and 1929. In addition in 1912 the Finnish Football team at the Stockholm Olympics comprised a team of HIFK players.
HIFK won their first Finnish championship (Mestaruussarja) in 1930
Mestaruussarja 1930
The 1930 Mestaruussarja was contested by 8 teams, and HIFK Helsinki won the championship.-League standings:-References:*...
a feat that they were to repeat on three other occasions in 1931
Mestaruussarja 1931
The 1931 Mestaruussarja was contested by 8 teams, and HIFK Helsinki won the championship.- League standings :- References :*...
, 1933
Mestaruussarja 1933
The 1933 Mestaruussarja was contested by eight teams, and HIFK Helsinki won the championship.-League standings:-References:*...
and 1937
Mestaruussarja 1937
The 1937 Mestaruussarja was contested by 8 teams, and HIFK Helsinki won the championship.-League standings:-References:*...
in a tremendous decade for the club. HIFK also won the Mestaruussarja in 1947
Mestaruussarja 1947
The 1947 Mestaruussarja involved various types of competitions with a championship final.-References:*...
, 1959
Mestaruussarja 1959
-League standings:-References:*...
and 1961
Mestaruussarja 1961
-League standings:-References:*...
. In total HIFK won the Finnish championship on 7 occasions.
HIFK was one of the most successful football sides in Finland until the early 1970s when the team were relegated from the Mestaruussarja (Finnish Premier League). After 1972 the team has not managed to return to the Finnish top flight, and have even played in the Nelonen
Nelonen (soccer league)
Nelonen is the fifth highest league in the Finnish Soccer League system. The section winners are promoted to the Kolmonen and the bottom teams to the Vitonen.-Administration:...
(Fourth Division), the fifth tier of the Finnish football league system
Finnish football league system
The Finnish football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Finland. The three highest levels are managed by the Finnish FA while the higher leagues are managed by the regional departments of the FA.-The system:...
, in 1980-83 and 2003-05.
In total since 1930 HIFK have played 29 seasons in the Mestaruussarja (the top tier), 18 seasons in the second tier and 18 seasons in the third tier. Their best spell in recent decades was from 1999 to 2002 when the club participated in the Ykkönen
Ykkönen
Ykkönen is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system , although it is the highest league managed by the Football Association of Finland.-Competition:...
(First Division). However, the club overstretched themselves which resulted in the withdrawal from the Ykkönen at the end of the 2002 season and taking the place of the second team in the Nelonen
Nelonen (soccer league)
Nelonen is the fifth highest league in the Finnish Soccer League system. The section winners are promoted to the Kolmonen and the bottom teams to the Vitonen.-Administration:...
(Fourth Division) in 2003. However, in recent years HIFK have made great progress and are now back in the Ykkönen
Ykkönen
Ykkönen is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system , although it is the highest league managed by the Football Association of Finland.-Competition:...
(First Division), the second tier of Finnish football
Finnish football league system
The Finnish football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Finland. The three highest levels are managed by the Finnish FA while the higher leagues are managed by the regional departments of the FA.-The system:...
.
HIFK participated in the European Cup in the 1960-1961 and 1962-1963 seasons and played in the UEFA cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
in 1971-1972.
European Campaigns
HIFK participated in the European Cup in the 1960-1961 and 1962-1963 seasons and played in the UEFA cupUEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
in 1971-1972.
| Season | Competition | Round | Country | Club | Score | Agg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960-61 | European Cup | Preliminary round |  |
IFK Malmö IFK Malmö IFK Malmö is a Swedish football club located in Malmö. The club was founded April 23, 1899.- History :The club was founded in 1899 making it the oldest football club in Malmö. IFK participated in the first season of Allsvenskan in 1924/25. The club has altogether played 13 seasons in the premier... |
1–3, v 1–2 | 2-5 |
| 1962-63 | European Cup | Preliminary round |  |
Austria Vienna | 3–5, v 0–2 | 3-7 |
| 1971–72 | UEFA Cup | First round |  |
Rosenborg BK | 0–3, v 0–1 | 0-4 |
Club Milestones
- Seven Finnish football (Mestaruussarja) championships - 1930, 1931, 1933, 1937, 1947, 1959, 1961
- Seven SM-runners-up - 1909, 1912, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1935, 1971
- European Cup participation - 1960-61 and 1962–63
- UEFA Cup participation - 1971-72
- Attendance Record: 8,485 (HIFK - HJK, Olympic Stadium 5 August 1970)
Divisional Movements since 1930
- Top Level (29 seasons): 1930-45, 1946/47-49, 1958–66, 1970–72
- Second Level (19 seasons): 1945/46, 1950–57, 1967–69, 1973–74, 1999–2002, 2011-
- Third Level (18 seasons): 1975-78, 1988–98, 2008–2010
Season to Season
| class="wikitable"> | ||||||
| Season | Level | Division | Section | Administration | Position | Movements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 4th | FC HIFK |
| 1995 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 8th | FC HIFK |
| 1996 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 8th | FC HIFK |
| 1997 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 2nd | FC HIFK |
| 1998 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | East Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 2nd | FC HIFK |
| 1999 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 6th | FC HIFK - Relegation Group South - 8th |
| 2000 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 8th | FC HIFK - Relegation Group South - 7th |
| 2001 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 6th | FC HIFK |
| 2002 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | South Group | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 7th | FC HIFK - Relegation Group South - 7th - Playoffs |
| 2003 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 1 | Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 5th | |
| 2004 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 1 | Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 2nd | |
| 2005 | Tier 5 | Nelonen (Fourth Division) | Section 2 | Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 1st | Promoted |
| 2006 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 3 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 2nd | |
| 2007 | Tier 4 | Kolmonen (Third Division) | Section 2 | Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki) | 1st | Promoted |
| 2008 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group B | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 7th | |
| 2009 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group A | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 7th | |
| 2010 | Tier 3 | Kakkonen (Second Division) | Group A | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 1st | Play-Offs, promoted |
| 2011 | Tier 2 | Ykkönen (First Division) | Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto) | 9th |
- 5 seasons in YkkönenYkkönenYkkönen is the second highest level of the Finnish football league system , although it is the highest league managed by the Football Association of Finland.-Competition:...
- 8 seasons in KakkonenKakkonenKakkonen is the third tier of the Finnish football league system.-League structure:Kakkonen is divided to three groups of 14 clubs. A club plays each of the others in the same group twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents. Clubs gain three points for a win, one for a...
- 2 seasons in KolmonenKolmonenKolmonen is the fourth highest football league in Finland. The most famous club competing at this level is Helsingin Palloseura who won the Finnish Championship on 9 occasions, the last time being in 1957. They also won the Finnish Cup in 1962...
- 3 seasons in NelonenNelonen (soccer league)Nelonen is the fifth highest league in the Finnish Soccer League system. The section winners are promoted to the Kolmonen and the bottom teams to the Vitonen.-Administration:...
Club Structure
HIFK Soccer run a large number of teams including 3 men's teams, 1 men's veterans team, 1 Academy team and 9 boys teams.2010 season
- HIFK Men's Team are competing in Group A (Lohko A) of the Kakkonen administered by the Football Association of FinlandFootball Association of FinlandThe Football Association of Finland is the governing body of football in Finland. It was founded in 1907, and was also the governing body of bandy in Finland until the bandy association, Suomen Jääpalloliitto, was founded in 1972....
(Suomen Palloliitto) . This is the third highest tier in the Finnish football systemFinnish football league systemThe Finnish football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Finland. The three highest levels are managed by the Finnish FA while the higher leagues are managed by the regional departments of the FA.-The system:...
. HIFK won Group A and beat winners of Group B and C in Playoffs, team promoted to Ykkönen for season 2011.
- HIFK / 2 are competing in Section 2 (Lohko 2) of the Nelonen (Fifth Division) administered by the Helsinki SPL.
- HIFK / 3 are competing in Section 1 (Lohko 1) of the Kutonen (Sixth Division) administered by the Helsinki SPL. Team promoted to Vitonen for season 2011.
Current Squad for the 2011 Season
Notable Former Players
Pekka Hämäläinen Åke LindmanÅke Lindman
Åke Leonard Lindman , born Åke Leonard Järvinen, was a Finnish director and actor.In his youth Lindman was a football player, playing defence for the Finnish national team during the Olympics in Helsinki 1952. He represented the football club HIFK in the Finnish league. In the 1960s, the British...
Hannu Kankkonen Teemu Kankkunen
Teemu Kankkunen
Teemu Kankkunen is a Finnish footballer who plays for HIFK in Helsinki, Finland.-Career:He plays central defender...
Frans Karjagin Martti Kuusela
Martti Kuusela
Martti Kuusela is an internationally successful Finnish football manager.Kuusela enjoyed a moderately successful career as a player in Finland. As a coach he won the Finnish championship in 1981 and 1990 with HJK Helsinki...
Ragnar Lindbäck Matti Paatelainen Anders Westerholm Gunnar Åström