Kuopion Palloseura, commonly referred to as KuPS, is a Finnish professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

club based in

Kuopio Kuopio ( , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of North Savo. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Kuopio is approximately , while the Kuopio sub-region, sub-region has a population of approximately . It is the mos ...

. KuPS competes in

Veikkausliiga Veikkausliiga () is a professional association football league in Finland and the highest level of the Finnish football league system. The league comprises the top 12 clubs of the country. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agenc ...

, the top flight of Finnish football. The team plays its home matches at Kuopio Football Stadium. KuPS has won the Finnish championship title seven times, the

Finnish Cup The Finnish Cup (; ) is Finland's main national cup competition in football. This yearly competition is open for all member clubs of the FA of Finland and has been played since 1955. The winner qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League ...

five times and the Finnish League Cup once. The club is placed fourth in the all-time Finnish Premier League honor table.

History

The club was officially founded on 16 March 1923, at Kuopion Seurahuone. The club was named Kuopion Palloseura ("Kuopio Football 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 shortd 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. As of 2024, 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

titles, led again by coach Honkavaara and captain Petteri Pennanen. In February 2025, it was announced that KuPS had signed a co-operation deal with Ghana Premier League club Dreams FC. In April 2025, as a result of their league title success in 2024, KuPS added a star above their badge in recognition of the club as a whole achieving 10 league titles. 7 of these titles have been achieved by the men’s side, with 3 won by the women’s side. They are the second team in Finland to have adopted badge stars based on the success of both the men’s and women’s sides, with HJK updating their badge from 2 stars to 5 stars in 2020 with a league title win which meant the men’s side had achieved 3 stars, combining 3 stars from the men’s side and 2 from the women’s for a total of 5 stars. In Finland, a club can add a star to their badge for every 10 league titles.

European campaigns

UEFA club competition record

''As of 18 July 2023.''

Competitions

Season to season

Transfers

In the last few decades, KuPS have produced numerous local players for

and a few who have transferred abroad. The four biggest incoming transfer fees KuPS have received came from local mostly homegrown players. The club’s record incoming transfer fee was for then 17-year old Matias Siltanen, who departed for Djurgården following a great debut season for KuPS in 2024.

Record transfers

Current squad

Out on loan

Management

''As of 1 May 2023''

Boardroom

''As of 22 October 2024'' Image:Ilja Venalainen KuPS vs Sakari Mattila Klubi-04.jpg, Ilja Venäläinen trailed by Klubi-04's Sakari Mattila (2007) Image:Jonni Heikkinen KuPS.jpg, Jonni Heikkinen escapes from a PK-37 player in

5th Round, 2006 Image:Miikka Turunen KuPS 03 08 nr2.jpg, Miikka Turunen near the corner flag in Finnish League Cup, 2008 Image:Arto Lindberg KuPS Tuomas Haapala HJK 03 08.jpg, Arto Lindberg trying to keep Tuomas Haapala away

Honours

* Mestaruussarja/Veikkausliiga ** Champions (7):

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...

, 1958,

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

** Runners-up (13):

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

1954 Events January * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...

, 1969,

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

** Third place (3):

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito ...

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

** Champions: 1968, 1989,

** Runners-up:

2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...

* Finnish League Cup ** Champions: 2006 ** Runners-up: 2024 *

Ykkönen ''Ykkönen'' (Finnish language, Finnish for 'Number One'; , previously I divisioona) is the third highest level of the Finnish football league system (after the Veikkausliiga and Ykkösliiga), managed by the Football Association of Finland. Until ...

(second tier) **Champions:

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

Kakkonen Kakkonen or II divisioona is the fourth level in the league system of Finnish football and comprises 36 Finnish football teams. Until the end of 2023, ''Kakkonen'' was the third-highest level in Finland, but after the creation of new second-t ...

(third tier) **Champions: 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 Hannu Turunen (born 24 June 1956) is a Finland, Finnish former association football, footballer. Turunen played for Koparit and KuPS during his club career, also making 66 appearances for the Finland national football team, scoring 3 goals. Ext ...

(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 Ismo Lius (born 30 November 1965) is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a forward. During his club career, Lius played for Kuusysi Lahti, Örgryte IS, HJK Helsinki, RoPS and FC Hämeenlinna. Lius led the league in go ...

(June 2003) *

Juha Malinen Juha Malinen (born 16 July 1958) is a Finnish association football, football coach with a total of 20 seasons at the highest level. Malinen most recently managed Veikkausliiga club Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat, KTP. Managerial career Malinen wa ...

(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 Arne Erlandsen (born 20 December 1959) is a Norwegian association football, football manager (association football), manager and former player. He is currently the manager for Skeid Fotball, Skeid. During his own playing career he had relative s ...

(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 – present)

References

External links

*
Banzai – Supporters of KuPS, club's website
(archived). {{Finnish Champions in Football Association football clubs established in 1923 Football clubs in Finland Sport in Kuopio 1923 establishments in Finland