Veikkausliiga

What’s more football than your fan scarf?

Veikkausliiga

Contributions

Brand Identity, Brand Narrative, Brand Platform, Brand Voice, Logo Design, Motion Design, Type Design

Industry

Sports, Entertainment

Veikkausliiga is Finland’s top professional football league and the highest tier of the Finnish football league system, consisting of the country’s 12 best clubs.

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As one of the northernmost football leagues in the world, Veikkausliiga follows a spring-to-autumn season—typical for cold-climate European leagues. This format ensures that every match matters: after 22 rounds (each team playing every other team twice), the bottom six clubs compete in a relegation round, while the top six advance to a championship round. This structure keeps competition intense and emotions high throughout the season.

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Therefore, it was only fitting that the league’s bold new rebranding not only reflects its deep connection with fans, highlighting their unwavering loyalty through even the harshest weather conditions, but also celebrates the genuine emotions that even the often-reserved Finns express when watching a game.

As Veikkausliiga looks to the future, the new brand story and identity have been designed for adaptability, ensuring the league remains dynamic, competitive, and relevant both domestically and internationally. With a strong focus on digital, broadcast, and experiential branding, the visual system is built to evolve alongside the league’s ambitions.

The Symbol

At the heart of the identity is a modernized version of Veikkausliiga’s previous symbol—a fan holding a scarf aloft. The design language has been updated to be more primal and powerful, as football is more than just a game—it connects with deep human emotions. This idea runs through the entire identity, embracing the bond between fans, the game, and their scarves. The brand aims to capture the unity, excitement, and pride of supporting a local club—an experience best felt in the stadium.

Scarf Gothic letterform inspiration

Logotype

The logotype and custom typeface designed for Veikkausliiga are closely tied to the emblem, which is based on a folded fan scarf. This inspired the creation of a custom typeface—Scarf Gothic—designed to follow the folds and movement of a supporter’s scarf. Building the new brand around this universal symbol of fandom creates a visual language that seamlessly integrates emotion into the identity, embodying the feeling of watching Finnish top-tier football.

Scarf Gothic, a custom typeface for Veikkausliiga

Whether in the thrill of victory, the heartbreak of near misses, or the solidarity in the stands, Veikkausliiga represents the powerful emotional bond football creates in its fans. It manifests in countless ways, on and off the pitch, across all of Finland. It feels like a snow flurry in April and a warm summer evening. Like a league debut and a farewell match. It feels like winning the Finnish championship—and like being the happiest person in the world.

This is how yellow and green feels like. / This is what the race to the championship feels like. / ...

This is how last minute equaliser feels like. / This is what it feels like to be among your own. / ...

More emotion means a greater spectrum of feelings—and, in turn, a broader and more vibrant color palette. This dynamic, multicolored approach also pays tribute to Veikkausliiga’s clubs, each of which brings its own unique energy to the league. The colors shine particularly brilliantly when contrasted with the strong use of black—just like stadium lights on an autumn evening.

Multicolored symbol paying tribute to Veikkausliiga’s clubs

Sub-branding; The Finnish League Cup

The custom typography also functions as a sub-branding element, linking sub-brands back to Veikkausliiga.

The goal was to honor Veikkausliiga’s heritage while creating an identity that captures the energy of the game and reflects the essence of Finnish top-tier football—an identity that epitomizes how Veikkausliiga feels, both in big moments and in small ones.

The brand renewal gives Veikkausliiga an identity as unique and distinctive as the league itself, imbuing it with a strong personality, unmistakable recognition, and, of course, an unshakable sense of sporting excellence.

“Football is not just about the game; it’s about the people, the emotions, the shared moments that stay with us. This new identity honors that connection and ensures Veikkausliiga remains at the forefront of Finnish sports, delivering a powerful and deeply felt experience for all.”

Nicolas Prieto

Commercial Director, Veikkausliiga