The Finland women's national football team (Finnish: Suomen naisten jalkapallomaajoukkue, Swedish: Finlands damlandslag i fotboll), also known as nickname The Boreal Owls (Finnish: Helmarit),[1] represents Finland in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Finland (SPL/FBF), reached the semi-finals of the 2005 European Championship, surprising the female football world having drawn with Sweden and beaten Denmark before losing to Germany in the semifinals.[3] Finland hosted the 2009 European Championship.[4]
The Finnish team has had a few players that are considered to be among the best in women's football, such as Laura Österberg Kalmari, Sanna Valkonen and Anne Mäkinen.
As of December 2023, the team is ranked 27th in the FIFA world ranking.[5]
History
The beginning
The Finland women's national football team played its first international match in 1973 against Sweden.[6] The game was played in Mariehamn, Åland.
Team image
Nicknames
The Finland women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Helmarit (the Boreal Owls)".[1]
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
2024
21 February Friendly | Finland ![]() | 4–0 | ![]() | San Pedro del Pinatar |
Report | Stadium: Pinatar Arena |
24 February 2024 Pinatar Cup SF | Slovenia ![]() | 0–1 | ![]() | San Pedro del Pinatar |
Stadium: Pinatar Arena |
27 February 2024 Pinatar Cup Final | Scotland ![]() | 1–1 (4–5 p) | ![]() | San Pedro del Pinatar |
Stadium: Pinatar Arena |
5 April Euro 2025 qualifying | Norway ![]() | 4–0 | ![]() | Oslo |
18:00 | Report | Stadium: Ullevaal Stadion Referee: Catarina Campos (Portugal) |
9 April Euro 2025 qualifying | Finland ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() | Helsinki |
18:15 | Report | Stadium: Helsinki Football Stadium Referee: Marta Huerta de Aza (Spain) |
31 May Euro 2025 qualifying | Netherlands ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() | Rotterdam |
20:45 | Beerensteyn ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel Attendance: 9,089 Referee: Frida Klarlund (Denmark) |
4 June Euro 2025 qualifying | Finland ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | Tampere |
18:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Tammelan Stadion Attendance: 7,677 Referee: Sandra Bastos (Portugal) |
12 July Euro 2025 qualifying | Finland ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | Turku |
Report | Stadium: Veritas Stadion |
16 July Euro 2025 qualifying | Italy ![]() | 4–0 | ![]() | Bolzano |
19:00 | Report | Stadium: Stadio Druso |
25 October Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs | Montenegro ![]() | 0–1 | ![]() | Podgorica |
17:30 | Report | Stadium: Podgorica City Stadium |
29 October Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs | Finland ![]() | 5–0 (6–0 agg.) | ![]() | Tampere |
18:30 CEST (UTC+02:00) | Report | Stadium: Tammelan Stadion Attendance: 4,849 Referee: Eleni Antoniou (Greece) |
29 November Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs | Scotland ![]() | 0–0 | ![]() | Edinburgh |
20:35 WET (UTC+00:00) | Report | Stadium: Easter Road |
3 December Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs | Finland ![]() | 2–0 (2–0 agg.) | ![]() | Helsinki |
(UTC+03:00) | Report | Stadium: Bolt Arena Attendance: 7,259 |
2025
21 February 2025 Nations League | Serbia ![]() | v | ![]() |
25 February 2025 Nations League | Hungary ![]() | v | ![]() |
4 April 2025 Nations League | Finland ![]() | v | ![]() |
8 April 2025 Nations League | Finland ![]() | v | ![]() |
30 May 2025 Nations League | Belarus ![]() | v | ![]() |
3 June 2025 Nations League | Finland ![]() | v | ![]() |
2 July Euro 2025 Group stage | Iceland ![]() | v | ![]() | Thun |
Stadium: Stockhorn Arena |
6 July Euro 2025 Group stage | Norway ![]() | v | ![]() | Sion |
Stadium: Stade de Tourbillon |
10 July Euro 2025 Group stage | Finland ![]() | v | ![]() | Geneva |
Stadium: Stade de Genève |
Coaching staff
Current coaching staff
- Head coach: Marko Saloranta
- Assistant coach: Jari Väisänen
- Assistant coach: Liisa-Maija Rautio
- Goalkeeping coach: Tommy Nordenswan
- Fitness coach: Eero Savolainen
- Psychological coach: Vacant
- Doctor: Pippa Laukka
- Physiotherapist: Markus Rosenblad
- Physiotherapist: Sannakaisa Vastamäki
- Kit manager: Piia Karonen
- Kit manager: Alban Saliko
- Video Analyst: Jouko Kylmäoja
- Team manager: Outi Saarinen
- Team manager: Sanna Pirhonen
- Press officer: Eveliina Parikka
- Press officer: Jyri Sulander
- Media officer: Taru Nyholm
Manager history
- As of 3 December 2024
Tenure | Coach | Record | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | D | L | Win % | |||||
1973–77 | ![]() |
12 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 8.33 | |||
1978 | ![]() |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33.33 | |||
1979–89 | ![]() |
44 | 13 | 12 | 19 | 29.55 | |||
1989–92 | ![]() |
24 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 12.50 | |||
1993–96 | ![]() |
24 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 16.67 | |||
1996–00 | ![]() |
46 | 11 | 3 | 32 | 23.91 | |||
2001–09 | ![]() |
107 | 35 | 22 | 50 | 32.71 | |||
2010–16 | ![]() |
76 | 27 | 13 | 36 | 35.53 | |||
2017 | ![]() |
6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 33.33 | |||
2017–2022 | ![]() |
47 | 19 | 11 | 17 | 40.43 | |||
2022– | ![]() |
29 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 58.62 |
Players
Current squad
- The following players were called up for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying matches against Scotland on 29 November and 3 December 2024 respectively.[9]
Stats after match with Scotland on 18 July 2023.
Recent call ups
The following players have been called up to the squad in the past 12 months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Katriina Talaslahti | 21 September 2000 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
|
GK | Milla-Maj Majasaari | 15 October 1999 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Elli Pikkujämsä | 24 October 1999 | 23 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Tiia Peltonen | 8 June 1995 | 7 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Tuuli Viinikka | 27 October 2004 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() | |
DF | Helmi Raijas | ![]() |
v. ![]() | |||
DF | Sanni Ojanen | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() | |
DF | Sofia Määttä | ![]() |
v. ![]() | |||
MF | Emma Peuhkurinen | 30 November 1999 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Aada Nurmi | 12 March 2003 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() | |
FW | Lotta Lindström | 10 September 2004 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Jutta Rantala | 11 November 1999 | 17 | 5 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
Records
*Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 9 July 2022
Most capped players
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Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Anna Westerlund | 145 | 4 | 2008– |
2 | Linda Sällström | 132 | 57 | 2007– |
3 | Laura Österberg Kalmari | 130 | 41 | 1996–2011 |
4 | Tuija Hyyrynen | 121 | 3 | 2007– |
5 | Sanna Valkonen | 120 | 7 | 1995–2009 |
6 | Anne Mäkinen | 118 | 16 | 1991–2009 |
Jessica Julin | 4 | 1997–2009 | ||
8 | Tinja-Riikka Korpela (GK) | 109 | 0 | 2007– |
9 | Anna-Kaisa Rantanen | 105 | 8 | 1996–2011 |
10 | Sanna Talonen | 103 | 36 | 2004–2014 |
11 | Katri Mattsson | 100 | 2 | 1999–2015 |
Source:[10]
Top goalscorers

Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Years | Avg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Linda Sällström | 57 | 132 | 2007– | 0,425 |
2 | Laura Österberg Kalmari | 41 | 130 | 1996–2011 | 0,315 |
3 | Sanna Talonen | 36 | 103 | 2004–2014 | 0,35 |
4 | Emmi Alanen | 21 | 97 | 2010– | 0,216 |
5 | Annica Sjölund | 17 | 69 | 2006–2014 | 0,246 |
6 | Anne Mäkinen | 16 | 118 | 1991–2009 | 0,136 |
7 | Heidi Kackur | 12 | 48 | 1999–2005 | 0,25 |
Adelina Engman | 12 | 85 | 2012– | 0,141 | |
9 | Maija Saari | 11 | 94 | 2007–2016 | 0,117 |
10 | Ria Öling | 9 | 62 | 2015– | 0,145 |
11 | Anu Toikka | 8 | 29 | 1979–1992 | 0,276 |
Susanna Heikari | 8 | 44 | 1994–2002 | 0,182 | |
Anna-Kaisa Rantanen | 8 | 105 | 1996–2011 | 0,076 |
Source:[10]
Competitive record
FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD | Round | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD | |
![]() |
Did not qualify | UEFA Euro 1991 | |||||||||||||||
![]() |
UEFA Euro 1995 | ||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Play-offs | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 9 | −1 | |||||||||
![]() |
Group 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 24 | −20 | |||||||||
![]() |
Group 3 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 5 | +11 | |||||||||
![]() |
Group 7 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 6 | +19 | |||||||||
![]() |
Group 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 9 | +18 | |||||||||
![]() |
Group 7 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 13 | −4 | |||||||||
![]() ![]() |
Group A | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 12 | −10 | |||||||||
![]() |
To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||||
Total | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Round | 56 | 28 | 5 | 23 | 103 | 78 | +13 |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
Olympic Games
Summer Olympics record | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA |
![]() |
Did not qualify | ||||||
![]() | |||||||
![]() | |||||||
![]() | |||||||
![]() | |||||||
![]() | |||||||
![]() | |||||||
![]() |
Unable to qualify | ||||||
![]() |
To be determined | ||||||
![]() | |||||||
Total | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
UEFA Women's Championship
UEFA Women's Championship record | Qualifying record | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | P | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD | Round | P | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD | P/R | Rnk | |
1984 | Did not qualify | Group 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 17 | −12 | – | |||||||||
![]() |
Group 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | −4 | |||||||||||
![]() |
Group 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 11 | −2 | |||||||||||
![]() |
Group 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | −3 | |||||||||||
![]() |
Group 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12 | −9 | |||||||||||
![]() |
Group 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 7 | +1 | |||||||||||
![]() ![]() |
Play-offs | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 24 | −22 | |||||||||||
![]() |
Play-offs | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 21 | −13 | |||||||||||
![]() |
Semi-finals | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | −3 | Play-offs | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 7 | +9 | – | ||
![]() |
Quarter-finals | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | Qualified as host | ||||||||||
![]() |
Group stage | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | −5 | Group 5 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 4 | +18 | – | ||
![]() |
Did not qualify | Group 2 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 12 | +5 | ||||||||||
![]() |
Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | −7 | Group E | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 2 | +22 | |||
![]() |
Qualified | Play-offs | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 0 | ![]() |
13th | ||||||||
2029 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||||||
Total | 5/14 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 27 | −15 | Total | 94 | 35 | 22 | 37 | 131 | 141 | −10 | 13th |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
UEFA Women's Nations League
UEFA Women's Nations League record | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Division | Group | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | P/R | Rnk | |
2023–24 | B | 2 | 1st | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 2 | ![]() |
18th | |
2025 | B | 3 | To be determined | |||||||||
Total | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 18th |
![]() |
Promoted at end of season |
---|---|
![]() |
No movement at end of season |
![]() |
Relegated at end of season |
* | Participated in promotion/relegation play-offs |
Pinatar Cup
Pinatar Cup record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
2024 | Champions | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
Total | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
Cyprus Women's Cup
Cyprus Women's Cup record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
2012 | 7th place | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 |
2013 | 7th place | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 |
2014 | 12th place | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | −7 |
2015 | 9th place | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 |
2016 | 8th place | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | −5 |
2018 | 11th place | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 |
2019 | 9th place | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 |
2020 | Runners-up | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 |
2023 | Champions | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | +15 |
Total | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 48 | 56 | −8 |
Algarve Cup
Algarve Cup record | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | |||||||||
1994 | 6th place | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | −9 | |||||||||
1995 | 6th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | −3 | |||||||||
1996 | 8th place | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 15 | −14 | |||||||||
1997 | 6th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | −5 | |||||||||
1998 | 8th place | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | −4 | |||||||||
1999 | 8th place | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | |||||||||
2000 | 7th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | −3 | |||||||||
2001 | 7th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 15 | −11 | |||||||||
2002 | 7th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | −5 | |||||||||
2003 | 6th place | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 | |||||||||
2004 | 9th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 10 | −4 | |||||||||
2005 | 10th place | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 10 | −7 | |||||||||
2006 | 7th place | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 12 | −7 | |||||||||
2007 | 6th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | −4 | |||||||||
2008 | 8th place | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 | −9 | |||||||||
2009 | 7th place | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | −4 | |||||||||
2010 | 8th place | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 11 | −9 | |||||||||
2011 | 10th place | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 13 | −11 | |||||||||
Total |
Nordic Football Championship
Women's Nordic Football Championship record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
![]() |
Third place | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 |
![]() |
Third place | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | −13 |
![]() |
Third place | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 |
![]() |
Third place | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | −5 |
![]() |
Third place | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
![]() |
Third place | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 |
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Fourth place | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | −7 |
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Runners-up | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 |
![]() |
Fourth place | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 |
Total | 9/9 | 23 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 9 | 56 | −47 |
See also
- Sports in Finland
- Football in Finland
- Football Association of Finland (SPL)
- Finland women's national under-20 football team
- Finland women's national under-17 football team
- Finland national football team
Notes
- ^ From Euro 2025 onwards a new qualifying format was introduced, linked to the Women's Nations League where teams are divided into leagues with promotion/relegation between the leagues at the end of each cycle.
References
- ^ a b c "Helmarit nimetty MM-karsinta-avaukseen Serbiaa vastaan" (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ UEFA.com. "Season 2005 Matches | UEFA Women's EURO". UEFA.com. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Women's Euro 2009 in Finland". Embassy of Finland. 2009. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
- ^ "Finland". FIFA. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
- ^ "Naisten jalkapallomaajoukkueen taival on puolivuosisatainen – jo alussa mentiin sisulla ja yhteispelillä". Hämeen Sanomat. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "Helmarit - Joukkue" (in Finnish). Finnish Football Federation. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Helmareiden taustaryhmään muutoksia, Football Association of Finland, 30 January 2025
- ^ "Helmarit nimetty EM-jatkokarsintojen ratkaisuotteluihin Skotlantia vastaan" (in Finnish). Football Federation. 18 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Finland – Women International Player Records". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF).Published 8 October 2019, retrieved and Updated data 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
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