Ekenäs IF

Ekenäs Idrottsförening
Full name	Ekenäs Idrottsförening
Nickname(s)	EIF; Ekenäs IF
Founded	1905; 119 years ago
Ground	Ekenäs Sparbank Arena, ; Ekenäs, ; Raseborg, ; Finland
Capacity	1,900
Chairman	Peter Haglund
Head Coach	Christian Sund
League	Ykkösliiga
2024	Veikkausliiga, 12th of 12 (relegated)
Home colours	Away colours

Ekenäs Idrottsförening (abbreviated EIF or Ekenäs IF) is a sports club from Ekenäs, Raseborg in Finland. EIF was formed in 1905 and they are one of the oldest clubs in the south-west of Finland. The men's football first team currently plays in the Veikkausliiga, Finnish premier division. Their home ground is at the Ekenäs Sparbank Arena, formerly known as "Ekenäs Centrumplan" in Ekenäs. The Chairman of EIF is Peter Haglund.

The club currently has sections covering football, handball, floorball and disc golf. EIF's athletics section set up Karis IK and from 1 January 2009, simultaneously with a municipal merger, transferred its activities to the new IF Raseborg club. Ekenäs is one of the few towns in Swedish-speaking area to have had a team in the top division.

History

Ekenäs Idrottsförening has a long football history which reached its pinnacle with one season in the highest division, the Mestaruussarja (Championship), back in 1933. They have also had 8 seasons in the Suomisarjaa (Finland League) which at that time was the second tier of Finnish football in 1938–39 and 1946/47–51.^[1]

EIF have had five periods covering 26 seasons in the Kakkonen (Second Division), the third tier of Finnish football from 1975 to 1976, 1981–88, 1991–92, 1994–98 and 2002 to the current day.^[2]

EIF has a thriving junior section with a large number of teams.

A new highest ever attendance for an EIF match was made in 2013 when 2,014 people attended the home game with FC Jazz. The old record was from 1975 when 1,625 people attended the home game with HAIK.^[3]

EIF made history in March 2018 by qualifying for the Semi-final of the Finnish Cup for the first time, beating FC Haka 2–1 at home.

Season to season

Season to Season

Season	Level	Division	Section	Administration	Position	Movements
1930	Tier 2	B-Sarja (Second Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	Quarterfinal	Cup-format
1931
1932	Tier 2	B-Sarja (Second Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	2nd	Promoted
1933	Tier 1	A-Sarja (Division One)		Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	8th	Relegated
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938	Tier 2	Itä-Länsi-sarja (Second Division)	West League, Southern Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	6th
1939	Tier 2	Itä-Länsi-sarja (Second Division)	West League, Group 2	Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	5th
1940-41	Tier 3	C-Sarja (Third Division)	Group 1 Helsinki & Turku	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	3rd
1941-45				Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)		Wartime series unknown
1945-46	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	West Uusimaa Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	1st	Promotion Playoff - Promoted
1946-47	Tier 2	Suomensarja (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	6th
1947-48	Tier 2	Suomensarja (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	5th
1948	Tier 2	Suomensarja (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	4th
1949	Tier 2	Suomensarja (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	7th
1950	Tier 2	Suomensarja (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	8th
1951	Tier 2	Suomensarja (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	9th	Relegated
1952	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	West Group A	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	5th
1953	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	West Group A	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	1st	Promotion Group West 8th
1954	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	West Group III	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	4th
1955	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	South Group I	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	5th
1956	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	South Group I	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	7th	Relegated
1957	Tier 4	Aluesarja (Fourth Division)	Group 2 Helsinki & West Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	1st	Promoted
1958	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	Group 3 Turku	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	8th
1959	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	Group 1 Helsinki & Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	6th
1960	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	Group 1 Helsinki & Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	5th
1961	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	Group 3 Häme & Tampere			Withdrew
1962	Tier 4	Aluesarja (Fourth Division)	Group 3 West Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	4th
1963	Tier 4	Aluesarja (Fourth Division)	Group 3 West Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	1st	Promoted
1964	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	Group 2 Häme & Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	8th	Relegated
1965	Tier 4	Aluesarja (Fourth Division)	Group 3 West Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	1st	Promoted
1966	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	Group 3 Häme & Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	8th	Relegated
1967	Tier 4	Aluesarja (Fourth Division)	Group 3 West Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	2nd
1968	Tier 4	Aluesarja (Fourth Division)	Group 3 West Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	1st	Promoted
1969	Tier 3	Maakuntasarja (Third Division)	Group 2 Häme & Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	3rd
1970	Tier 3	III Divisioona (Second Division)	Group 2 Turku & Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	3rd
1971	Tier 3	III Divisioona (Second Division)	Group 1 Helsinki & Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	4th
1972	Tier 3	III Divisioona (Second Division)	Group 1 Helsinki & Uusimaa	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	3rd
1973	Tier 4	III Divisioona (Third Division)	Group 2	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	3rd
1974	Tier 4	III Divisioona (Third Division)	Group 2	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	1st	Promoted
1975	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	3rd
1976	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	11th	Relegated
1977	Tier 4	III Divisioona (Third Division)	Group 2	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	4th
1978	Tier 4	III Divisioona (Third Division)	Group 2	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	2nd	Promotion Playoff
1979	Tier 4	III Divisioona (Third Division)	Group 2	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	2nd	Promotion Playoff
1980	Tier 4	III Divisioona (Third Division)	Group 2	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	1st	Promotion Playoff - Promoted
1981	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	2nd	Promotion Playoff
1982	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	4th
1983	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	6th
1984	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	3rd
1985	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	5th
1986	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	4th
1987	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	3rd
1988	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	10th	Relegated
1989	Tier 4	III Divisioona (Third Division)	Group 2	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	5th
1990	Tier 4	III Divisioona (Third Division)	Group 2	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	1st	Promoted
1991	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	8th
1992	Tier 3	II Divisioona (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	10th	Relegated
1993	Tier 4	Kolmonen (Third Division)	Group 2	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	1st	Promoted
1994	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	5th
1995	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	5th
1996	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	9th
1997	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	2nd	Promotion Group South 2nd
1998	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	12th	Relegated
1999	Tier 4	Kolmonen (Third Division)	Group 1	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	8th
2000	Tier 4	Kolmonen (Third Division)	Section 1	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	5th
2001	Tier 4	Kolmonen (Third Division)	Section 1	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Uusimaa)	1st	Promoted
2002	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	7th
2003	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	3rd
2004	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	West Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	5th
2005	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	7th
2006	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	Group B	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	8th
2007	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	Group B	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	7th
2008	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	Group B	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	10th
2009	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	Group B	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	8th
2010	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	Group B	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	12th	Relegated
2011	Tier 4	Kolmonen (Third Division)	Section 1	Helsinki & Uusimaa (SPL Helsinki)	1st	Promoted
2012	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	4th
2013	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	1st	Play-offs
2014	Tier 3	Kakkonen (Second Division)	South Group	Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	1st	Play-offs – Promoted
2015	Tier 2	Ykkönen (First Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	8th
2016	Tier 2	Ykkönen (First Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	8th
2017	Tier 2	Ykkönen (First Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)	7th
2018	Tier 2	Ykkönen (First Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	3rd
2019	Tier 2	Ykkönen (First Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	6th
2020	Tier 2	Ykkönen (First Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	4th
2021	Tier 2	Ykkönen (First Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	5th
2022	Tier 2	Ykkönen (First Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	4th	Play-offs
2023	Tier 2	Ykkönen (First Division)		Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)	1st	Promoted
2024	Tier 1	Veikkausliiga		Finnish FA (Suomen Pallolitto)

2 seasons in Veikkausliiga
19 seasons in Ykkönen
46 seasons in Kakkonen
19 season in Kolmonen

^[4]

Club structure

EIF currently has 2 men's team, 1 ladies teams, 12 boys teams and 4 girls team.

Other facts

EIF Akademi are participating in Section 1 (Lohko 1) of the Kolmonen (Third Division) administered by the Uusimaa SPL. In 2009 the team finished in top position in their Nelonen (Fourth Division) section and were promoted to the Kolmonen.

EIF Ladies Team are competing in the Kolmonen (Third Division) administered by the Football Association of Finland (Suomen Palloliitto) . In 2017 the team finished in top position in their Nelonen (Fourth Division) section and were promoted to the Kolmonen.

Current squad

First team

As of 1 August 2024.^[5]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	BRA	Ramilson Almeida
2	DF	FIN	Joel Lehtonen
3	DF	FIN	Väinö Vehkonen
5	DF	FIN	Kalle Katz
6	DF	SWE	Benjamin Hjertstrand
7	MF	FIN	Roni Pietsalo
8	MF	GHA	Enoch Kofi Adu
9	FW	FIN	Salomo Ojala
10	MF	BRA	Lucas Kaufmann
11	MF	FIN	Eetu Puro
13	DF	FIN	William Lindqvist
14	MF	FIN	Simon Lindholm
15	MF	FIN	August Björklund
16	DF	GHA	Frank Owusu
18	MF	FIN	Arttu Sivonen


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
19	FW	SWE	Elton Hedström (on loan from Hammarby Talang)
20	FW	FIN	Noah Lundström
22	DF	GHA	Nasiru Mohammed
24	DF	GHA	Kingsley Gyamfi (on loan from Hammarby)
25	FW	FIN	Jakob Gottberg
29	MF	SOM	Fahad Mohamed
30	MF	FIN	Emil Pallas
31	MF	RUS	Stanislav Yefimov
35	DF	SWE	Alexander Leksell
41	FW	FIN	Samuel Anini Junior
73	FW	CIV	Tiemoko Fofana
77	GK	FIN	Jere Koponen
90	GK	FIN	Onni Rintamäki

References

^ "Finland – Divisional Movements 1930–2009". RSSSF. 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
^ "Finland – Divisional Movements 1930–2009". RSSSF. 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
^ "Jalkapallokirja 1991". Jalkapallokirja. Suomen Palloliitto. 1991. ISSN 0787-7188.
^ "Home". finlandfootball.net.
^ "spelare". Ekenäs IF. Retrieved 3 August 2023.

External links

[1] "Finland – Divisional Movements 1930–2009". RSSSF. 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.

[2] "Finland – Divisional Movements 1930–2009". RSSSF. 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.

[3] "Jalkapallokirja 1991". Jalkapallokirja. Suomen Palloliitto. 1991. ISSN 0787-7188.

[4] "Home". finlandfootball.net.

[5] "spelare". Ekenäs IF. Retrieved 3 August 2023.

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