New Zealand’s opponents Finland: 10 things you might want to know

By Chris Hood

Finland will provide the All Whites with a rare chance to face European opposition on New Zealand soil when they meet in the FIFA Series at Auckland’s Eden Park.

The Nordic nation — ranked #75 in the FIFA men’s world rankings — will also provide the All Whites (#85) with strong opposition as coach Darren Bazeley’s squad prepare for June’s FIFA Men’s World Cup.

It’s the first-ever meeting between New Zealand and Finland at full men’s international level.

Here are 10 things you might want to know about Finland.

1. Still chasing a World Cup debut

Finland have never qualified for a FIFA World Cup.

They came close in qualifying for the 1986 tournament, finishing just two points short after drawing with England and beating Northern Ireland.

Another strong campaign came in 2002 qualifying, when they drew twice with Germany and also held England.

2. Near miss for 2026

Finland did not qualify for the 2026 Men’s World Cup, finishing third in their group behind the Netherlands and Poland.

Their standout result was a 2-1 home win against Poland.

3. A breakthrough at Euro 2020

Finland reached their first major tournament when they qualified for Euro 2020, played in 2021.

They recorded a memorable win against Denmark at the finals but did not progress beyond the group stage.

4. Finns in the English Premier League

None of the current Finland squad plays in their domestic competitions, and their top players have increasingly targeted European clubs to build their professional careers.

Many have prospered in the English Premier League, including goalkeeper Jussi Jääskeläinen, with 436 EPL appearances (Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United), and defender Sami Hyypiä, who played more than 300 times for Liverpool.

5. Great players

Attacking midfielder Jari Litmanen is widely rated as the best footballer Finland has produced, winning two European trophies and the FA Cup with Liverpool, a European Cup/Champions League title with Ajax, and becoming his country’s first player in Spain’s La Liga where he played for FC Barcelona.

His 21-year international career produced 137 caps, and 32 goals.

Striker Teemu Pukki (34) is Finland’s all-time leading goalscorer with 43 goals in 133 internationals, and he retired from international football ahead of the visit to New Zealand. He scored 10 goals in Euro qualifying and enjoyed a prolific spell with Norwich City, scoring 87 goals in 198 matches.

6. Current players to watch

Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky is the captain and one of Finland’s most accomplished players.

He was part of Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten Bundesliga-winning side in 2023-24 and has been named Finland’s Footballer of the Year six times. He’s now with French club Monaco.

Finland captain and goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.

Other key players include striker Joel Pohjanpalo, midfielder Matti Peltola and winger Oliver Antman.

7. A proud history

Finland played their first international match in 1911 against Sweden.

They also competed at the 1912 Olympic Games and hosted the 1952 Olympics, where they were eliminated in the first round.

8. Nordic success

Finland won the final edition of the Nordic Football Championship in 2000-2001.

The tournament featured Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

9. Strong links across Europe — and New Zealand

Finland’s squad is almost entirely based in European leagues, with no players selected from the domestic competition.

Several New Zealand players have previously played in Finland’s Veikkausliiga, including All Whites Lee Jones, Chris James, Noah Hickey, Gerard Davis and Kris Bright.

Finland’s head coach, Jacob Friis.
10. In the dugout

Denmark’s Jacob Friis has been Finland’s head coach since January 2025.

He succeeded Markku Kanerva, who led the national team between 2016 and 2024 and oversaw their qualification for Euro 2020.

Former England manager Roy Hodgson also had a spell in charge between 2006 and 2007.

FIFA Series fixtures

Games to be played on Friday March 27, 2026

#Current FIFA world rankings

Chile (#55) v Cape Verde (#65)
Eden Park, Auckland, 4pm

New Zealand (#85) v Finland (#75)
Eden Park, Auckland, 7pm

General sale tickets are available through Ticketek.

Games to be played on Monday March 30, 2026

#Current FIFA world rankings

Cape Verde (#65) v Finland (#75)
Eden Park, Auckland, 4pm

New Zealand (#85) v Chile (#55)
Eden Park, Auckland, 7pm

General sale tickets are available through Ticketek.

Chris Hood

Chris Hood is a Blenheim-based long-time follower of football.

This story was first published on March 26, 2026.

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