Finland
The sports industry in Finland is highly developed and includes a wide variety of sports. The most popular sports in Finland are ice hockey, football, athletics, skiing, and pesäpallo. Other popular sports include basketball, volleyball, and golf. Finland also has a strong tradition of winter sports, such as cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and biathlon.
Euro (EUR)
.fi
Finnish
Finns
5.5M
Popular in Finland
Popular Finland Sports
Popular Finland Profile Types
About Sports in Finland
History of Sports in Finland
In Finland, some of the most popular traditional and regional sports include Pesäpallo, a type of baseball, and Salibandy, a type of floorball.
Pesäpallo is a traditional Finnish sport that is similar to baseball, but with some unique rules and regulations. It is played on a diamond-shaped field with two teams of nine players each. The game is played with a bat and a ball, and the goal is to score more points than the opposing team.
Salibandy is a type of floorball that is popular in Finland. It is played on a rink with two teams of five players each. The goal is to score more goals than the opposing team by shooting the ball into the goal.
Other traditional and regional sports in Finland include Ice Hockey, Ski Jumping, Cross-Country Skiing, and Disc Golf.
All of these sports are popular in Finland and are enjoyed by both locals and tourists alike.
Finland Sports Industry
Finland has a long and proud sporting history. The country has produced some of the world's greatest athletes, including Paavo Nurmi, Lasse Viren, and Mika Hakkinen.
Paavo Nurmi is considered one of the greatest middle and long distance runners of all time, winning nine Olympic gold medals and three silver medals. Lasse Viren is a four-time Olympic gold medalist in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races. Mika Hakkinen is a two-time Formula One World Champion.
Finland has also achieved success in other sports, such as ice hockey, ski jumping, and cross-country skiing. The Finnish men's ice hockey team has won two Olympic gold medals, and the women's team has won one. Finland has also won numerous medals in ski jumping and cross-country skiing, including gold medals in the Nordic combined and ski jumping at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
In addition to these sporting achievements, Finland has also produced some of the world's greatest athletes in other sports, such as tennis, golf, and sailing. Tennis player Jarkko Nieminen is a former world number nine, and golfer Mikko Ilonen is a former European Tour number one. Sailors Juhani Järvi and Tapio Lehtinen have won multiple world championships.
Famous Finland Athletes
Finland has produced some of the greatest athletes in the world. From the world of ice hockey, Teemu Selanne is one of the most iconic players in the history of the sport. He was a ten-time NHL All-Star and won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. He is also the all-time leading scorer in the Olympics for Finland.
In the world of track and field, Paavo Nurmi is one of the greatest athletes of all time. He won nine Olympic gold medals and set 22 world records. He was also the first athlete to win three gold medals in the same event at the same Olympics.
In the world of skiing, Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi is one of the greatest athletes of all time. She won five Olympic medals, including three gold medals, and was the first woman to win a gold medal in the sport.
In the world of tennis, Jarkko Nieminen is one of the greatest players of all time. He was the first Finnish player to reach the top 10 in the ATP rankings and won four ATP titles.
Finally, in the world of Formula One, Kimi Raikkonen is one of the greatest drivers of all time. He won the World Drivers' Championship in 2007 and is the most successful Finnish driver in the sport.
Major Finland Sports Events
Finland is a country with a rich sporting culture, and there are many major, annual, and traditional sports events that take place in the country.
The most popular annual event is the World Championships in Ice Hockey, which is held in Helsinki every year. This event attracts thousands of fans from around the world and is one of the most important sporting events in Finland.
The Finnish Grand Prix is another major annual event, held in the city of Imatra. This event is a motor racing competition and is one of the most prestigious events in the country.
The Finnish Skiing Championships is another major event, held in Lahti every year. This event is one of the most important skiing competitions in the world and attracts thousands of spectators.
The Finnish Cross-Country Skiing Championships is another major event, held in Kuusamo every year. This event is one of the most important cross-country skiing competitions in the world and attracts thousands of spectators.
The Finnish Athletics Championships is another major event, held in Tampere every year. This event is one of the most important athletics competitions in the world and attracts thousands of spectators.
The Finnish Rally Championship is another major event, held in Jyväskylä every year. This event is one of the most important rally competitions in the world and attracts thousands of spectators.
Finally, the Finnish National Games is another major event, held in Turku every year. This event is one of the most important sporting events in the country and attracts thousands of spectators.
Top Sporting Countries
Explore Sports by Country
All countries on the planet contribute to the global sports industry.
Select a country below and begin exploring.