There will be no representative from the Aland Islands in the 2027 Veikkausliiga after Mariehamn lost out in the direct battle for survival against Jaro. Whoever lost the match would be relegated automatically, but the home side knew a draw would be enough to give them a second chance in the play-off.
Following a nervy first half, the crucial moment arrived in the 64th minute, when Fabian Ness broke through challenges to cut in from the left wing and dig out a cross to the back post, which Ville Vuorinen tucked away to put Jaro into a precious lead.
Mariehamn had hope again with 11 minutes to play, as Gergo Kocsis diverted the ball into his own net, but with Jaro creating the bulk of the better chances, the equaliser didn't set up the grandstand finish the away side were hoping for, and Jaro held on to finish the season two points clear of Mariehamn.
It was a spirited fight from Mariehamn, who won zero of their first 19 games before winning all three of their final regular season games, but ultimately, just one win in five during the relegation group wasn't enough. Jaro will play PK-35 over two legs for a place in next season's Veikkausliiga.
Inter Turku's four-game unbeaten run at the top of the table is over as they lost at home to Europe-chasing AC Oulu, despite the visitors being reduced to 10 men. An upset was on the cards with half an hour played, as Camilo Triana found Rasmus Karjalainen, who turned and fired low into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
FC Inter looked to have turned the tide inside the last 16 minutes, when Herman Sjogrell curled a wonderful strike in off the post and Oulu were reduced to 10 men when Miguel Santos was shown a straight red card, only for the away side to win it in added time. A ball floated into the area was met with a poor attempt at a clearing header, giving Roope Riski the chance to roll the ball back for Juuso Makelainen to strike and give Oulu just a second win in seven.
HJK have had plenty of difficult days against their Helsinki neighbours Gnistan of late, but not this time, as the record champions cruised to a third successive victory and moved just one point behind Inter Turku. No wins in four for Gnistan keeps them fourth for now, but their lead over Oulu is down to two points.
As he has been so often recently, Mads Borchers was HJK's hero, scoring a second-half hat-trick - for the first, he won the race to a ball over the top, used a fortunate deflection off the goalkeeper and tapped into an empty net. Gnistan's afternoon soon got worse, as Edmund Arko-Mensah was sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct, before Santeri Haarala added a second goal on the hour mark.
Haarala turned provider to set up Borchers for his second, as the striker met a neat cutback and finished high into the net, before scoring his third of the afternoon and eighth in just three games in added time.
Lahti signed off for 2026 in fine style, finishing top of the relegation group despite this their first win in four. TPS, on the other hand, finished the season with four defeats in a row, but still finished in ninth. Oscar Haggstrom gave the visitors the lead, but Martim Augusto, Amir Belabid and Otso Koskinen all scored before the break to put Lahti in control. Belabid and Koskinen both notched braces in the first 15 minutes of the second half to complete the rout.
Ilves were the best-performing side in the relegation group, picking up four wins and a draw, with the final victory coming at home to SJK, who themselves were unbeaten in the second stage of the season before today. Teemu Hytonen scored a rebound after his penalty was saved, then Elias Tamminen added another in the final seconds. Ilves finish eighth, and SJK 10th.
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