# FC Lahti

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Association football club in Finland

Football club

Lahti Full name Football Club Lahti[1][2] Nickname Mustat kuhnurit (The Black Drones) Founded 1996; 30 years ago (1996) Ground Toolpoint Arena, Lahti Capacity 14,500 (7,465 seated) Chairman Mika Halttunen Manager Gonçalo Pereira League Veikkausliiga 2025 Ykkösliiga, 1st of 10 (champions; promoted) Website www.fclahti.fi Home colours Away colours Third colours

[Lahden Stadion](/source/Lahden_Stadion)

Lahden Stadion – Aerial view

**FC Lahti** is a [Finnish](/source/Finland) professional [football club](/source/Association_football) based in the city of [Lahti](/source/Lahti). It currently plays in the Finnish highest tier [Veikkausliiga](/source/Veikkausliiga), after being promoted from [Ykkösliiga](/source/Ykk%C3%B6sliiga) after the 2025 season. The home ground of Lahti is Toolpoint Arena. Lahti is famous of being the local team of the most successful Finnish player, [Jari Litmanen](/source/Jari_Litmanen), who played for the club in two stints in 2004 and 2009–10. In his youth years and the start of his career, he played in [Reipas Lahti](/source/Reipas_Lahti).

## History

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Lahti was founded in 1996 when two rival clubs from Lahti – [Kuusysi](/source/FC_Kuusysi) and [Reipas Lahti](/source/Reipas_Lahti) (founded in [Viipuri](/source/Vyborg) and moved to Lahti after Viipuri was ceded to [USSR](/source/USSR) in 1947) – decided to merge. Also, the reserve club Pallo-Lahti was formed, but it was closed down after a couple of seasons due to economic difficulties. Both Reipas and Kuusysi controlled the junior section of the club. From 1996, there was only one original staff member left at start of the 2026 season, Pekka Penttinen.

Lahti played its first season in 1997, in the southern group of [Ykkönen](/source/Ykk%C3%B6nen), the second tier of [Finnish football](/source/Football_in_Finland). It finished second in the first half of the split league format Ykkönen, but was placed third in the final half, behind [Haka](/source/FC_Haka) and [PK-35](/source/PK-35_Vantaa_(men)), both of which were promoted to [Veikkausliiga](/source/Veikkausliiga). The next season, in 1998, saw success and Lahti finally gained promotion to the highest tier. They were relegated at the end of the 2010 season, but bounced back after just one season in [Ykkönen](/source/Ykk%C3%B6nen).

In the premier division, Lahti has not yet achieved the success of Kuusysi and Reipas. In 2007, Lahti won the [Finnish League Cup](/source/Finnish_League_Cup). In 2008 Lahti was third in the Veikkausliiga final table and was placed in the [UEFA Europa League](/source/UEFA_Europa_League) qualification rounds for season 2009. Lahti repeated the success in 2014 by finishing third for the second time in their history. The club qualified to the Europa League qualifiers for the third time in 2018 when the club finished fourth in the table the season before.

## Honours

- **[Finnish League Cup](/source/Finnish_League_Cup)** - **Winners:** 2007, [2013](/source/2013_Finnish_League_Cup), [2016](/source/2016_Finnish_League_Cup) - Runners-up: 2004, 2005

- **[Finnish Cup](/source/Finnish_Cup)** - Runners-up: [2002](/source/2002_Finnish_Cup)

## Crest and colours

### Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Ref 2004 Umbro Lahti Energia [fi] [3] 2005–07 ? ? 2008 Umbro Lahti Energia [fi] 2009–17 ? ? 2018–21 Umbro Halton [fi] 2022 Adidas

## FC Lahti in Europe

*Updated 20 July 2018*

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate 2009–10 UEFA Europa League 1Q Dinamo Tirana 4–1 0–2 4–3 2Q Gorica 2–0 0–1 2–1 3Q Club Brugge 1–1 2–3 3–4 2015–16 UEFA Europa League 1Q Elfsborg 2–2 0–5 2–7 2018–19 UEFA Europa League 1Q FH 0–3 0–0 0–3

**Notes**

- **1Q**: First qualifying round

- **2Q**: Second qualifying round

- **3Q**: Third qualifying round

## Season to season

Season Level Division Section Administration Position Movements 1997 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 2nd Promotion Group – 3rd 1998 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) South Group Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promotion Group – 1st – Promoted 1999 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th Relegation Group – Play-offs 2000 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2001 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 9th 2002 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th Upper Group – 8th 2003 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2004 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th 2005 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th 2006 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2007 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2008 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd 2009 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 11th 2010 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 14th Relegated 2011 Tier 2 Ykkönen (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 1st Promoted 2012 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2013 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2014 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 3rd 2015 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 5th 2016 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2017 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 4th 2018 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2019 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 8th 2020 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 6th 2021 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 7th 2022 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 11th Relegation play-offs 2023 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 10th 2024 Tier 1 Veikkausliiga (Premier League) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 11th Relegation play-offs – Relegated 2025 Tier 2 Ykkösliiga (First Division) Finnish FA (Suomen Palloliitto) 25 seasons in Veikkausliiga 3 seasons in Ykkönen

## Players

### Current squad

- *As of 29 March, 2026[4]*

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under [FIFA eligibility rules](/source/FIFA_eligibility_rules); some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK FIN Aatu Hakala 2 DF FIN Joel Lehtonen 3 DF FRA Romain Sans 4 DF POR José Müller 5 DF BRA Nícolas Dantas 6 DF FIN Väinö Vehkonen 7 MF FIN Daniel Heikkinen 8 MF ESP Tòfol Montiel 9 FW FIN Aaron Lindholm 10 MF FIN Otso Koskinen 11 MF POR Martim Ferreira 13 GK FIN Veikka Rättö No. Pos. Nation Player 14 MF SWE Erik Andersson 17 FW FIN Amir Belabid 18 MF FRA Yohan Cassubie 19 FW BRA Neemias 20 FW FIN Justus Ojanen 21 DF FIN Matias Vainionpää 25 DF FIN Topias Inkinen 27 DF FRA Romaric Yapi 28 MF FIN Armend Kabashi 31 GK FIN Osku Maukonen 77 FW FIN Momodou Sarr

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under [FIFA eligibility rules](/source/FIFA_eligibility_rules); some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player

## Management

*Updated 27 November 2023.*

Name Role Gonçalo Pereira Head Coach João Pires Assistant Coach Kari Arkivuo Assistant Coach Mika Heino Fitness Coach Joni Kallioinen Talent Coach Mikko Poutiainen Physiotherapist Erno Jokinen Physiotherapist Jarkko Koskinen Kit Manager Janne Kaartti Masseur Jussi Juurikka Team Manager Marko Kolsi Sporting director

## FC Lahti Akatemia

Main article: [FC Lahti Akatemia](/source/FC_Lahti_Akatemia)

Lahti's reserve team played its last season in [Kakkonen](/source/Kakkonen) in 2017. After they were relegated to [Kolmonen](/source/Kolmonen) for the 2018 season, the team's activity was taken over by its administrational parent club [Kuusysi](/source/FC_Kuusysi).

## Managers

- [Esa Pekonen](/source/Esa_Pekonen) (1 January 1998 – 31 December 1999)

- [Jari Pyykölä](/source/Jari_Pyyk%C3%B6l%C3%A4) (27 August 1999 – 31 December 2001)

- [Harri Kampman](/source/Harri_Kampman) (1 January 2002 – 31 December 2005)

- [Antti Muurinen](/source/Antti_Muurinen) (1 January 2006 – 10 October 2007)

- Luciano (10 October 2007 – 31 December 2007)

- [Ilkka Mäkelä](/source/Ilkka_M%C3%A4kel%C3%A4) (1 January 2008 – 31 December 2010)

- [Tommi Kautonen](/source/Tommi_Kautonen) (1 January 2011 – 4 June 2013)

- [Juha Malinen](/source/Juha_Malinen) (5 June 2013 – 31 December 2013)

- [Toni Korkeakunnas](/source/Toni_Korkeakunnas) (1 January 2014 – 30 September 2018)

- [Sami Ristilä](/source/Sami_Ristil%C3%A4) (1 October 2018 – 31 December 2019)

- [Ilir Zeneli](/source/Ilir_Zeneli) (1 January 2020 – 23 June 2022)

- [Mikko Mannila](/source/Mikko_Mannila) (26 June 2022 – 31 August 2023)

- [Toni Lindberg](/source/Toni_Lindberg) (31 August 2023 – 20 June 2024)

- [Ricardo Duarte](/source/Ricardo_Duarte_(born_1980)) (21 June 2024 – 20 December 2024)

- [Gonçalo Pereira](/source/Gon%C3%A7alo_Pereira_(football_manager)) (20 December 2024 – present)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["FC Lahti Profile"](https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/te656/fc-lahti/). *Worldfootball.net*. HEIM:SPIEL Medien GmbH & Co. KG. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180210002301/http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/fc-lahti/1/) from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Football Club Lahti"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090901072205/http://www.fussball.com/fussball-mannschaft-817-fc-lahti.html). *Fussball.com*. Active Agent AG. Archived from [the original](http://www.fussball.com/fussball-mannschaft-817-fc-lahti.html) on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["FC Lahti Kit History"](https://www.footballkitarchive.com/fc-lahti-kits/). *Football Kit Archive*. Retrieved 13 March 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Pelaajat"](http://www.fclahti.fi/pelaajat/) [Players] (in Finnish). FC Lahti. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190717073116/http://www.fclahti.fi/pelaajat/) from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2023.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.fclahti.fi/) (in Finnish)

v t e 2025 Veikkausliiga teams AC Oulu FC Haka FC Inter FF Jaro HJK IF Gnistan IFK Mariehamn Ilves KTP KuPS SJK VPS

v t e Top-division football seasons in Finland Mestaruussarja 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Veikkausliiga 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Football in Finland

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [FC Lahti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Lahti) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Lahti?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.