Arson attack destroys stand at Haka stadium following Veikkausliiga relegation

Veikkausliiga match ball
Veikkausliiga match ballČTK / imago sportfotodienst / Tomi Natri / All Over Press

A fire which destroyed ‍a stand at Finnish club FC ​Haka’s Tehtaan Kentta stadium on Sunday was started ‌deliberately, Finnish police said ‌on Wednesday.

Police said one of three suspects, all under the age ⁠of 15 according to ‌Finnish broadcaster YLE, had admitted ​setting fire to an item that ‍sparked the blaze which razed the wooden ‍stand ‌and burned part of the artificial pitch.

The incident came after the ⁠club, one of the country’s most decorated sides with nine league titles, were relegated from the Veikkausliiga, Finland’s top division, in October.

The club from the town of Valkeakoski, ⁠150km north of ‌Helsinki, has launched a fund-raising campaign to help it recover from the fire.

No wins in their final 15 Veikkausliiga matches saw Haka plummet to the foot of the table. A win on the final day at home to relegation rivals KTP would have saved them, but a 2-1 defeat sealed their drop to the Ykkosliiga for the 2026 season.

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