Current season, competition or edition: 2024–25 Liiga season | |
 | |
| Formerly | SM-sarja (1933–1975) SM-liiga (1975–2013) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Founded | 1975 |
| First season | 1975–76 |
| CEO | Mikko Pulkkinen |
| Motto | Se on totta (It's for real) |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Country | Finland |
| Most recent champion(s) | Tappara (13th title) (2023–24) |
| Most titles | Tappara (13 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | Telia Company, TV5 |
| Level on pyramid | Level 1 |
| Relegation to | Mestis |
| International cup(s) | Champions Hockey League |
| Related competitions | Naisten Liiga |
| Official website | Liiga.fi |
The SM-liiga (marketed as just Liiga from 2013 on), colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish,[1][2] is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. The league comprises 16 teams from all around Finland with relegation and promotion between the Mestis.[3][4] The winner of the Liiga playoffs is awarded the Kanada-malja at the end of each season.[5]
Teams from the Liiga participate in the IIHF's annual Champions Hockey League (CHL), competing for the European Trophy. Participation is based on the strength of the various leagues in Europe (excluding the European/Asian Kontinental Hockey League).
The Liiga was established in 1975 to replace the former SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur competition. The Liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, but the league and association have an agreement of cooperation. SM is a common abbreviation for Suomen mestaruus, "Finnish Champion".
- ^ "Finnish ice hockey league prepares for break". News. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "Efterlängtade beskedet: FM-ligan i ishockey öppnas igen – kvalspel ordnas från och med våren 2025". svenska.yle.fi (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "Liiga aukeaa – keväästä 2025 eteenpäin pelataan karsintoja, joukkuemääräksi maksimissaan 16 joukkuetta". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 12 October 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ Mäkeläinen, Kimmo (12 October 2023). "SM-liiga aukeaa, karsinnat pelataan taas keväällä 2025 – "Tämä palauttaa vahvasti urheilullisuuden"". Satakunnan Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "SM-liigan mestaruuspytyllä värikäs historia – tiesitkö tämän Kanada-maljasta?". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). 26 April 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2024.