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."Finnish League Premier Division All-Time Tables 1930–2007". rsssf.org . (12 March 2008)
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
SeasonLevelDivisionSectionAdministrationPositionMovements1930Tier 2B-sarja (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) Cup-format Semi-finals1931Tier 2B-sarja (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) Fell before group stage1932Tier 2B-sarja (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1933Tier 2B-sarja (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1934Tier 2B-sarja (First Division)East Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd1935Tier 2B-sarja (First Division)East Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2ndPromotion Group 4th1936Tier 2Itä-Länsi-sarja (First Division)East Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1937Tier 2Itä-Länsi-sarja (First Division)East Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd1938Tier 2Itä-Länsi-sarja (First Division)East Series, North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd1939Tier 2Itä-Länsi-sarja (First Division)East Series, North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st1940–41Tier 2B-sarja (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd1943–44 Did not participate1945Tier 2Suomensarja (First Division)Group 2 Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st1945–46Tier 2Suomensarja (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th1946–47Tier 2Suomensarja (First Division)North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1stPromotion Group 2nd, promoted1947–48Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th Relegated1948Tier 2Suomensarja (First Division)North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted1949Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th1950Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1951Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th1952Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th1953Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd1954Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1955Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1956Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions1957Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1958Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions1959Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1960Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1961Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th1962Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th1963Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1964Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1965Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1966Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions1967Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1968Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1969Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1970Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1971Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th1972Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1973Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th1974Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions1975Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1976Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions1977Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1978Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th1979Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd1980Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th1981Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th1982Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th1983Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9thRelegation Group 1st1984Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th1985Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th1986Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th1987Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th1988Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 11thRelegation Play-off1989Tier 1Mestaruussarja (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th1990Tier 1Futisliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4thPlay-offs, final position 6th1991Tier 1Futisliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th1992Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12thRelegated1993Tier 2I divisioona (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1stPromotion Group 3rd, promoted1994Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 14thRelegated1995Tier 2Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th1996Tier 2Ykkönen (First Division)North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th1997Tier 2Ykkönen (First Division)North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th Lower Group North – 3rd – Playoffs – Relegated1998Tier 3Kakkonen (Second Division)North GroupFinnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto)1stPromoted1999Tier 2Ykkönen (First Division)South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th Upper Group – 7th2000Tier 2Ykkönen (First Division)North Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Upper Group – 1st – Promoted2001Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th2002Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9thPromotion / Relegation Group – 1st2003Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 14thRelegated2004Tier 2Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1stPromoted2005Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th2006Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 13thRelegated2007Tier 2Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted2008Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 13thRelegation Playoffs2009Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 12th2010Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd 2011Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th 2012Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th 2013Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th 2014Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th 2015Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th 2016Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th 2017Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd 2018Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd 2019Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1stChampions 2020Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd 2021Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd 2022Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd 2023Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd 2024Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions 2025Tier 1Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Champions
63 seasons in Veikkausliiga 23 seasons in Ykkönen 1 season in Kakkonen
European campaigns UEFA club competition record
CompetitionPldWDLGFGAUEFA Champions League143291133UEFA Cup Winners' Cup402227UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League33106173066UEFA Conference League3081394738Total8121233790144
Competitions