The 2026 season was Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi's 118th competitive season. HJK entered the Veikkausliiga season as four-time defending champions.
Season events On 30 November, HJK announced the appointment of Joonas Rantanen as their new head coach on a contract until the end of 2028.
On 4 December 2025, HJK announced the signing of Alfie Cicale from VPS to a two-year contract, with the option of an additional year, for an undisclosed fee.
On 3 January, HJK announced that Aaro Soiniemi had left the club to sign for IFK Mariehamn, and that Michael Boamah had left the club to sign for CT United.
HJK began preparations for the 2026 season with the Liigacup, under head coach Joonas Rantanen, who was appointed at the end of the previous season. In the opening match of the tournament on 16 January, HJK suffered a 0–1 defeat at home against IFK Mariehamn at the Tallinn Halli. On the same day, the club announced that Moroccan goalkeeper Issam El Maach had joined the team on a trial basis and featured in the Liigacup match against Mariehamn.
On 18 January, HJK announced the signing of free-agent Till Cissokho to a one-year contract, with the option of an additional year.
On 19 January, HJK announced that they had signed Ahti Haikala from Hongasta, Kalle Huhta from VPS and Niilo Siren from VJS Vantaa, with all three of them joining up with Klubi 04.
On 22 January, HJK announced that Prince Solomon Swaray and Clinton Jephta had joined the club on trial until the end of the month.
On 23 January, HJK announced the signing of Iivo Nybäck from Honka, on a contract until the end of the 2027 season with an option for the 2028 season.
On 5 February, HJK announced the return to the club of free-agent Lassi Lappalainen on a two-year contract.
On 6 February, HJK announced the return of Martin Kirilov from Torino Primavera to a three-year contract, for an undisclosed fee.
On 9 February, HJK announced that their contract with Benji Michel had been terminated by mutual agreement, and that they had signed Mads Borchers on loan from Ingolstadt 04 until July with an option to make the move permanent.
On 13 February, HJK announced the signing of free-agent Matej Marković to a one-year contract, with the option of an additional year.
On 17 February, HJK announced that Stanislav Baranov had left the club in order to sign for Ilves.
On 19 February, HJK announced the season-long loan signing of Leonel Montano from Silkeborg.
On 27 February, HJK announced the signing of Emmanuel Boateng on a contract for the 2026 season, which also includes an option for the 2027 season. However, on 18 March, HJK announced that Boateng's contract had been cancelled after he failed his medical.
On 27 March, HJK announced that Ville Vuorinen had left the club in order to sign for Jaro.
On 10 April, HJK announced the signing of Robert Mihhalevski from Tartu Kalev, to a two-year contract.
On 29 May, HJK announced the signing of Mouhamed Guèye from KV Kortrijk, with the Senegalese midfielder joining at the end of July when the Finnish transfer window opens, on a contract until the end of the 2027 season.
On 7 July, HJK announced the signing of Santeri Haarala from Djurgården on a contract until the end of 2028.
On 22 July, HJK announced that Brooklyn Lyons-Foster had left the club to join Derry City for an undisclosed fee.
On 24 July, HJK announced that Amara Nallo had joined the club on loan from Liverpool, for the remainder of the season.
On 28 July, HJK announced that they had exercised an option to make Mads Borchers loan deal with Ingolstadt 04 a permanent transfer, with Borchers signing a contract until the end of 2028.
On 31 July, Kalle Huhta joined Tampere United on loan for the remainder of the season.
On 14 August, HJK announced that Toivo Mero had left the club to sign for De Graafschap for a significant transfer fee, and that Jasper Samooja had joined the club on loan from Lecce for the remainder of the season.
On 18 August, HJK announced the signing of Pape Ibrahima Ndir from Olympique Thiès on loan until the end of the season.
On 24 August, HJK announced the return to the club of Nikolai Alho, on a contract until the end of the 2027 season. The following day, 25 August, HJK announced the signing of Joona Veteli from Ilves on a contract until the end of 2027.
On 31 August, HJK announced that they had extended their contract with Miska Ylitolva until the end of the 2027 season, and that he had joined Kalmar on loan for the remainder of the season.
On 11 September, HJK announced that they had extended their contract with Liam Möller for the 2027 season. The following day, 12 September, HJK announced that Kaius Simojoki had also extended his contract for the 2027 season.
On 3 October, HJK announced that Amara Nallo had returned to his parent club Liverpool, after suffering an injury that would see him miss the remainder of the Veikkausliiga season.
Squad
No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Contract ends Apps. Goals Goalkeepers 1 Jesse Öst GK SJK 2023 2026 70 0 12 Mitja Haapanen GK Academy 2026 0 0 30 Jasper Samooja GK on loan from Lecce 2026 2026 0 0 44 Matej Marković GK Unattached 2026 2026 (+1) 26 0 Defenders 3 Till Cissokho DF Unattached 2026 2026 (+1) 26 0 6 Ville Tikkanen DF SJK 2025 75 2 13 Kaius Simojoki DF KäPa 2024 2027 65 1 14 Leonel Montano DF on loan from Silkeborg 2026 2026 30 1 17 Nikolai Alho DF Unattached 2026 2027 225 26 24 Emil Leveälahti DF Klubi 04 2026 11 1 31 Mihailo Bogićević DF Spartak Subotica 2025. 2026 27 1 35 Eemil Toivonen DF Klubi 04 2023 2026 2 0 46 Iivo Nybäck DF Honka 2026 2028 0 0 92 Mustafa Ameen DF Klubi 04 2026 2 1 Midfielders 4 Alexander Ring MF Unattached 2025 2026 115 29 7 Alfie Cicale MF VPS 2026 2027 (+1) 33 5 8 Pyry Mentu MF Klubi 04 2022 2027 77 4 10 Lucas Lingman MF Helsingborg 2024 2026 264 14 11 Martin Kirilov MF Torino Primavera 2026 2028 31 6 15 Jere Kallinen MF AC Oulu 2025 61 4 16 Antton Nylund MF Klubi 04 2026 3 0 22 Liam Möller MF Klubi 04 2023 2027 86 16 26 Lassi Lappalainen MF Unattached 2026 2027 74 11 29 Santeri Haarala MF Djurgården 2026 2028 14 3 32 Mouhamed Guèye MF KV Kortrijk 2026 2027 11 2 77 Joona Veteli MF Ilves 2026 2027 0 0 Forwards 9 Mads Borchers FW Ingolstadt 04 2026 2028 33 13 19 David Ezeh FW Klubi 04 2023 2026 51 9 20 Teemu Pukki FW Minnesota United 2025 2026 114 52 21 Pape Ibrahima Ndir FW on loan from Olympique Thiès 2026 2026 0 0 91 Roni Hudd FW VPS 2024 2026(+1) 18 2 Klubi 04 61 Valo Konttas FW Klubi 04 2026 2 0 62 Leevi Palmula MF Klubi 04 2026 2 0 71 Jay De Nascimento FW Klubi 04 2026 1 0 87 Nicklas Kroupkin MF Klubi 04 2026 2 0 Robert Mihhalevski MF Tartu Kalev 2026 2027 0 0 Away on loan 28 Miska Ylitolva DF RoPS 2022 2027 96 3 Trialist 18 Clinton Jephta MF Niger Tornadoes 2026 2026 2 1 30 Issam El Maach GK Twente 2026 2026 1 0 Left during the season 2 Brooklyn Lyons-Foster DF Tottenham Hotspur 2024 2026 (+1) 80 5 5 Daniel O'Shaughnessy DF Karlsruher SC 2024 2026 144 9 5 Amara Nallo DF on loan from Liverpool 2026 2026 3 0 14 Matias Ritari MF Klubi 04 2023 2026(+1) 18 2 18 Toivo Mero FW Klubi 04 2024 2027 38 8 49 Otto Hannula MF Klubi 04 2023 2026 8 1 91 Ville Vuorinen FW Klubi 04 2023 13 2 95 Stanislav Baranov FW Klubi 04 2023 2026 11 3 99 Benji Michel FW Unattached 2025 2026 36 9 Salem Bouajila FW Klubi 04 2025 1 0
Transfers
In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.4 December 2025MFAlfie CicaleVPSUndisclosed18 January 2026DFTill CissokhoUnattachedFree19 January 2026MFAhti HaikalaHongastaUndisclosed19 January 2026MFKalle HuhtaVPSUndisclosed19 January 2026MFNiilo SirenVJS VantaaUndisclosed23 January 2026DFIivo NybäckHonkaUndisclosed5 February 2026MFLassi LappalainenUnattachedFree6 February 2026MFMartin KirilovTorino PrimaveraUndisclosed13 February 2026GKMatej MarkovićUnattachedFree10 April 2026MFRobert MihhalevskiTartu KalevUndisclosed29 May 2026MFMouhamed GuèyeKV KortrijkUndisclosed7 July 2026MFSanteri HaaralaDjurgårdenUndisclosed28 July 2026FWMads BorchersIngolstadt 04Undisclosed24 August 2026DFNikolai AlhoUnattachedFree25 August 2026MFJoona VeteliIlvesUndisclosed Transfers announced on the above date, being finalised on 1 January 2026. Transfers announced on the above date, being finalised on 1 July 2026.
Loans in Start date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref.9 February 2026FWMads BorchersIngolstadt 0428 July 202619 February 2026DFLeonel MontanoSilkeborgUndisclosed24 July 2026DFAmara NalloLiverpool3 October 202614 August 2026GKJasper SamoojaLecce31 December 202618 August 2026FWPape Ibrahima NdirOlympique Thiès31 December 2026
Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.3 January 2026DFMichael BoamahCT UnitedUndisclosed3 January 2026DFAaro SoiniemiIFK MariehamnUndisclosed17 February 2026FWStanislav BaranovIlvesUndisclosed27 March 2026FWVille VuorinenJaroUndisclosed17 June 2026FWSalem BouajilaGöztepeUndisclosed22 July 2026DFBrooklyn Lyons-FosterDerry CityUndisclosed14 August 2026FWToivo MeroDe GraafschapUndisclosed
Loans out Start date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref.23 September 2025FWSalem BouajilaGöztepe30 June 202631 July 2026MFKalle HuhtaTampere UnitedUndisclosed31 August 2026DFMiska YlitolvaKalmarUndisclosed
Released Date Position Nationality Name Joined Date Ref.9 February 2026FWBenji MichelUlsan HD 25 April 2026DFDaniel O'ShaughnessyRetirement
Trial Date from Position Nationality Name Last club Date to Ref.16 January 2026GKIssam El MaachTwente 22 January 2026MFClinton JephtaNiger Tornadoes31 January 202622 January 2026MFPrince Solomon SwarayClub Ohio31 January 2026
Friendlies
Competitions Overall record
Veikkausliiga
Regular season Table
Results summary
Matches
Championship round
Table
Results summary
Results
Finnish Cup
League Cup
Group Stage
Knockout Stage
UEFA Conference League
Qualifying rounds
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan="16"|Players from Klubi-04 who appeared: |- |colspan="16"|Players away from the club on loan:
|colspan="16"|Trialists:
|colspan="16"|Players who left HJK during the season:
Goal scorers PlacePositionNationNumberNameVeikkausliigaFinnish CupLeague CupConference LeagueTotal1 FW9 Mads Borchers10210132 FW20Teemu Pukki5133123 FW18Toivo Mero141284 MF22Liam Möller231175 MF11Martin Kirilov132066 MF4 Alexander Ring31105MF7 Alfie Cicale220158 MF26Lassi Lappalainen310049 MF29Santeri Haarala30003FW19David Ezeh1200311DF6 Ville Tikkanen20002MF32Mouhamed Guèye10012MF8 Pyry Mentu1001214DF31Mihailo Bogićević10001DF2 Brooklyn Lyons-Foster10001DF28Miska Ylitolva10001MF13Kaius Simojoki10001DF24Emil Leveälahti01001DF92Mustafa Ameen01001DF14Leonel Montano01001FW91Roni Hudd01001MF18Clinton Jephta00101 Own goal01001TOTALS392410982
Clean sheets PlacePositionNationNumberNameVeikkausliigaFinnish CupLeague CupConference LeagueTotal1 GK44Matej Marković700182 GK1 Jesse Öst21014TOTALS910212
Disciplinary record NumberNationPositionNameVeikkausliigaFinnish CupLeague CupConference LeagueTotal1 GKJesse Öst10000000014 MFAlexander Ring20002020606 DFVille Tikkanen31011000427 MFAlfie Cicale00000010108 MFPyry Mentu20001000309 FWMads Borchers100000001010MFLucas Lingman202010005011MFMartin Kirilov700020009013DFKaius Simojoki100000001014DFLeonel Montano202000004017DFNikolai Alho001000001019FWDavid Ezeh000010001022MFLiam Möller000000101024DFEmil Leveälahti101000002031DFMihailo Bogićević310010004132MFMouhamed Guèye100000001044GKMatej Marković100000001091FWRoni Hudd0010000010Players from Klubi-04:Players away on loan:28DFMiska Ylitolva0010101030Players who left HJK during the season:2 DFBrooklyn Lyons-Foster100001001118FWToivo Mero2000000020TOTALS2928110150524
References