KuPS will begin 2026 with a fresh face in the dugout, following the decision not to keep league-winning coach Jarkko Wiss on as manager, whose final match in charge was an impressive 2-2 away draw with Crystal Palace, guiding the Finnish side to the knockout stages of the UECL.
Wiss has been replaced by Miika Nuutinen, who has signed a two-year deal with the Canaries. Nuutinen steadied the HJK ship last spring and got the capital side into title contention, only for their form to fall off a cliff in the Championship Group.
Nuutinen will therefore have to silence some doubters when the season kicks off on Satuday 4th April 2026, when KuPS head to Tampere for a tricky opener against Ilves, who finished third last season.
Wiss, meanwhile, has taken over at 2025's fourth-placed side, SJK, and his first Veikkausliiga match in the dugout will be away at Nuutinen's former side, HJK.
Record champions HJK announced in November that Joonas Rantanen will be their new head coach - to complete the managerial merry-go-round, Rantanen left Ilves to take the Helsinki job.
The two new additions to the top-flight have both been handed away trips on the opening weekend against the top two from the Relegation Group - Ykkosliiga champions FC Lahti go to Jaro, while Playoff winners TPS Turku go to Aland to face Mariehamn.
Completing the opening round of matches, 2025 runners-up Inter Turku begin their bid to go one better at home to VPS, while Gnistan welcome last season's great escape artists, AC Oulu.