Ilves (football)

Tampereen Ilves (pronounced [ˈilʋes]; Finnish for "Lynx"; Swedish: Ilves Tammerfors), commonly referred to as Ilves, is a Finnish professional football club based in Tampere. They currently play in the Veikkausliiga, the highest level of professional football in Finland.

Ilves

Full name	Tampereen Ilves
Nickname(s)	Ipa
Founded	1931 (1931)
Ground	Tammela Stadion, Tampere
Capacity	8,000
Chairman	Ari Ruuth
Manager	Joonas Rantanen
League	Veikkausliiga
2024	Veikkausliiga, 2nd of 12
Website	ilvesedustus.fi
Home colours Away colours

History

They were formed in 1975 as a merger between Ilves-Kissat Tampere and Tampellan Palloilijat, and joined the Premier Division in 1979.

Ilves won the Finnish League championship in 1983 and the Finnish Cup on four occasions in 1979, 1990, and 2019 and 2023.

In the late 1990s, Ilves suffered financial trouble and its professional team was reformed into Tampere United before the 1999 season. The initial plan was to join Ilves with TPV, but TPV decided to continue as its own team. As a result, Tampere United inherited Ilves' place in the second highest division, and Ilves dissolved their men's team. Thus the club did not have a men's team from 1999 to 2007.

Their home ground is Tammelan Stadion. Between 2020 and 2023, they played at Tampere Stadium, while waiting for the new Tammelan stadion to be built.

Honours

• Mestaruussarja/Veikkausliiga
  • Champions: 1983
• Finnish Cup
  • Winners: 1979, 1990, 2019, 2023

Season to season

Season to Season

Season Level Division Section Administration Position Movements 1932-38 Tampere District Leagues 1939-42 No men's team. 1945-46 Tier 3 SPL Maakuntasarja (Third Division) Group Häme Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd 1946-47 Tier 3 SPL Maakuntasarja (Third Division) Group Tampere Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd 1948-74 Tampere District Leagues 1975 Tier 2 I Divisioona (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd Received league position from Ilves-Kissat 1976 Tier 2 I Divisioona (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th 1977 Tier 2 I Divisioona (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 1978 Tier 2 I Divisioona (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted 1979 Tier 1 Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th Relegation Group 1st 1980 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th Championship Group 6th 1981 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th Championship Group 5th 1982 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th Championship Group 7th 1983 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Championship Group 1st - Champions 1984 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th Championship Playoffs 3rd 1985 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th Championship Playoffs 2nd 1986 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th 1987 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th 1988 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th Relegation Group 3rd 1989 Tier 1 SM-Sarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th Championship Group 6th 1990 Tier 1 Futisliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th 1991 Tier 1 Futisliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th 1992 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 1993 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th Relegation Group 6th 1994 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th 1995 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th 1996 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th Relegation Group 4th - Relegated 1997 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th Relegation Group North 2nd 1998 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Relegation Group 5th, Promotion Playoff. First team continued as TamU 1999-2007 No men's team. 2008 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th Received league spot from KooVee 2009 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd 2010 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promotion Group 3rd 2011 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group B Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Promotion Playoff 2012 Tier 3 Kakkonen (Second Division) Group West Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promotion Playoff - Promoted 2013 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th 2014 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd Promoted 2015 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2016 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2017 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd 2018 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2019 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th 2020 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2021 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2022 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th 2023 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2024 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd 28 season in Veikkausliiga 13 seasons in Ykkönen 8 seasons in Kakkonen

European record

Old Tammela Stadium in 2016

New Tammela Stadium in 2023

Season	Competition	Round	Club	1st leg	2nd leg	Aggregate
1980–81	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1R	Feyenoord	1–3	2–4	3–7
1984–85	European Cup	1R	Juventus	0–4	1–2	1–6
1986–87	UEFA Cup	1R	Rangers	0–4	2–0	2–4
1991–92	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1R	Glenavon	2–3	2–1	4–4
		2R	Roma	1–1	2–5	3–6
2018–19	UEFA Europa League	1QR	PFC Slavia Sofia	0–1	1–2	1–3
2020–21	UEFA Europa League	1QR	Shamrock Rovers	2–2 (11–12 p)
2024–25	UEFA Conference League	2QR	Austria Wien	2–1	3–4 (a.e.t.)	5–5 (5–4 p)
		3QR	Djurgården	1–1	1–3	2–4
2025–26	UEFA Conference League	2QR

Current squad

As of 30 October. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	FIN	Otso Virtanen
2	DF	FIN	Matias Kivikko Arraño
5	DF	FIN	Juhani Pikkarainen
6	MF	FIN	Doni Arifi
7	MF	FIN	Joona Veteli
8	MF	FIN	Maksim Stjopin
9	FW	FIN	Vincent Ulundu
10	FW	FIN	Roope Riski
12	GK	FIN	Johannes Viitala
14	MF	FIN	Anton Popovitch
15	MF	FIN	Lauri Ala-Myllymäki
16	DF	FIN	Tatu Miettunen (captain)
17	MF	FIN	Marius Söderbäck

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
18	FW	NGA	Adeleke Akinyemi
19	FW	FIN	Oiva Jukkola
22	DF	FIN	Aapo Mäenpää
23	MF	FIN	Noel Hasa
24	MF	FRA	Abdoulaye Kanté
26	DF	FIN	Tomas Sovelius
27	DF	FIN	Jere Riissanen
28	MF	FIN	Topi Ala
31	FW	FIN	Danila Bulgakov
32	GK	FIN	Lucas Väyrynen
42	DF	FIN	Felipe Aspegren
—	DF	FIN	Teemu Hytönen

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.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	FIN	Arttu Tulehmo (at KTP until 31 December 2025)

Management and boardroom

Management

As of 3 November 2023.

Name Role Joonas Rantanen Head coach Joni Lehtonen Coach Pasi Tuutti Coach Guillem Santesmases Assistant coach/Reserve team coach Marko Pirilä Goalkeeping coach Heli Rekimies Fitness coach / Physiotherapist Ville Niemelä Kit manager / Team manager Jonne Väisänen Doctor

Scouting

As of 28 August 2024

Name Role Jyrki Ahola Scout Henri Määttä Scout Simon Garnier Scout

Boardroom

As of 31 July 2020

Name Role Pentti Kuusela Chairman Risto Niklas-Salminen CEO Toni Hevonkorpi Development Director / Vice CEO Miika Takkula Sporting director

Ilves/2

Ilves/2 is the reserve team of Ilves. The team plays in Kakkonen in 2024 season. It is coached by Guillem Santesmases.

Managers

• Raimo Vasama (1975)
• Martti Halme (1976–1977)
• Pertti Mäkipää (1978–1981)
• Jussi Ristimäki (1982–1984)
• Turo Flink (1985–1986)
• Harri Holli (1987–1989)
• Jussi Ristimäki (1990)
• Ian Crawford (1991–1992)
• Matti Paatelainen (1993)
• Markku Wacklin (1993–1994)
• Esa Kuusisto (1995–1996)
• Arto Uimonen (1997)
• Ari Hjelm (1997)
• Kari Nikkilä (1998)
• Janne Salovaara / Jarmo Virtanen (2001)
• Veijo Visuri (2008–2009)
• Valeri Popovitch (2010–11)
• Mika Malinen (2012–2014)
• Keith Armstrong (2015)
• Jarkko Wiss (2016–2021)
• Toni Kallio (2021–2023)
• Joni Lehtonen (2023)
• Joonas Rantanen (2023–present)

See also

• Ilves (ice hockey)

External links

• Official website (in Finnish)