Vasa IFK

Ground: Kamratvallen

Visits: 1

Date: 7th July 2025

Match: Vasa IFK - VPS 2 0-0 (Kakkonen, Lohko C)

Attendance: 320

My final destination on my trip to Finland was Vasa (Vaasa in Finnish) where I would attend the Kakkonen fixture between Vasa IFK and VPS 2. At 07.55 my bus departed Jakobstad bus station and unfortunately there was heavy rain in Jakobstad this morning. The walk to the bus station took me around 12 minutes and once I found cover at the bus station I was already soaked. The journey to Vasa took 1h 50 min and during that time I more or less dried up completely. One of the stops was Oravais and in 1808 there was a big battle here between the Swedish and Russian armies. Sweden lost and it was the start of the end of Swedish control over Finland. 09.45 the bus arrived in a rainy Vasa but thankfully my hotel was only a short walk away. Despite arriving so early I was allowed to check-in and after a short rest I borrowed an umbrella and went out for some sightseeing. Unfortunately the regional museum was closed but despite the rain I enjoyed my tour of central Vasa.

Vasa IFK have won three Finnish league titles but the last of those were in 1953. Nowadays the club is fighting for survival in Kakkonen (level 4) but at least Vasa IFK now have a ground of their own, Kamratvallen.Vaasan Palloseura (VPS) are playing in Veikkausliiga and until last season both Vasa IFK and VPS played their home games at Lemonsoft Stadion. As I made the 25-30 minute walk to the ground the rain had stopped but it was grey, cloudy and quite cold. There are two uncovered wooden stands at Kamratvallen but I think the ground will be gradually expanded. The game tonight was the derby against VPS academy and once inside I met up with William H who told me everything there is to know about football in Vasa. We chatted through-out the 90 minutes and during that time no goals were scored but suddenly the clouds went away and the sun appeared. Afterwards William drove me back to my hotel and we also visited Karlsplan, a nice athletics ground in Vasa, as well as Lemonsoft Stadion (formerly Hietalahden jalkapallostadion/Sandvikens fotbollsstadion). The main stand at Lemonsoft can´t be used but it also can´t be demolished. Above all it is at the moment my only missing ground in Veikkausliiga and hopefully I will be back in Vasa next summer. Thanks to William for all the interesting information and I hope to see you soon again!