Kuopion Palloseura

Kuopion 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In the 1990s, KuPS had financial problems and even dropped to the third tier for the first time. 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.

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 28 August 2026

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

Boardroom

As of 1 January 2026

• Ilja Venäläinen trailed by Klubi-04's Sakari Mattila (2007)
• 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 Champions (8): 1956, 1958, 1966, 1974, 1976, 2019, 2024, 2025 Runners-up (13): 1950, 1954, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1975, 1977, 1979, 2010, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023 Third place (3): 1953, 2018, 2020
• Finnish Cup Champions (5): 1968, 1989, 2021, 2022, 2024 Runners-up (4): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2025
• Finnish League Cup Champions (1): 2006 Runners-up (1): 2024
• Ykkönen (second tier) Champions (3): 2000, 2004, 2007
• Kakkonen (third tier) Champions (1): 1998

Managers

• Finland Aaro Heikkinen (1945–57)
• Hungary Imre Nagy (1947)
• Finland Martti Kosma (1958)
• Finland Reino Miettinen (1959)
• Finland Veijo Pehkonen (1960)
• Finland Asser Väisänen (1960)
• Finland Aaro Heikkinen (1961–65)
• Finland Gunnar Boman (1966–68)
• Finland Veikko Jokinen (1969–71)
• Finland Unto Nevalainen (1969–71)
• Finland Martti Räsänen (1972–79)
• Finland Matti Terästö (initial term) (1980)
• Finland Jarmo Flink (final season) (1980)
• Finland Ari Savolainen (1981)
• Finland Matti Väänänen (1982)
• Poland Bogusław Hajdas (1983–85)
• Finland Jouko Pasanen (1986)
• Finland Jouko Pasanen (1987)
• Finland Aarre Miettinen (July 1987)
• Finland Heikki Turunen (1988)
• Finland Aarre Miettinen (1988)
• Finland Heikki Turunen (1989)
• Finland Markku Hyvärinen (May 1989)
• Finland Olavi Rissanen (May 1989)
• Finland Martti Räsänen (1990–91)
• Finland Olavi Rissanen (1990–91)
• Finland Martti Räsänen (1992)
• Finland Jouni Jäntti (Sept 1992)
• Finland Markku Hyvärinen (Sept 1992)
• Finland Keijo Voutilainen (1993–1994)
• Finland Hannu Turunen (1995–96)
• Finland Atik Ismail (1995–96)
• Finland Jouni Jäntti (1997–98)
• Finland Ensio Pellikka (1998)
• Finland Heikki Turunen (1999)
• Finland Esa Pekonen (2000–2001)
• Finland Jari Pyykölä (1 January 2002– 6 June 2003)
• Finland Ismo Lius (June 2003)
• Finland Juha Malinen (2005–2006)
• Finland Kai Nyyssönen (1 January 2007– 13 June 2009)
• Finland Esa Pekonen (14 June 2009– 24 April 2014)
• Finland Marko Rajamäki (2 May 2014– 2016)
• Finland Jani Honkavaara (2017–2019)
• Norway Arne Erlandsen (2020)
• Finland Simo Valakari (2021– 19 January 2023)
• Finland Pasi Tuutti (19 January 2023 – 20 April 2023)
• Finland Jani Honkavaara (21 April 2023– 31 December 2024)
• Finland Jarkko Wiss (1 January 2025 – 31 December 2025)
• Finland Miika Nuutinen (1 January 2026 – present)

External links

• (in Finnish)
• (in Finnish) (archived).