Sports facilities in Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä is a well-known city of sport and always on the move. Along with top athletes and the only Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences in Finland, it has the Finnish Institute of High Performance Sport KIHU, so it is natural for the city to play an active part in organizing sport events of note.
A capable and extensive field of sports clubs and organizations is another of Jyväskylä’s strengths. In addition to Rally Finland, a FIA Rally Championship event and the single biggest audience draw in the Nordic Countries, several competitions at the world and Finnish championship levels as well as other sport-related events are organized there on an annual basis.
Venues for sport events in Jyväskylä
The Hippos field and hall cluster
This cluster of sports facilities at a stone’s throw from the city centre provides a wide variety of possibilities to organize both indoor and outdoor competitions in a number of disciplines. Together, the Hippos Hall and the Multipurpose Sports Hall are used as venues for track and field, various ball games, dance, gymnastics, and martial arts competitions.
The Hippos Sports Park also has competition and practice skating rinks, an arena for Finnish baseball, and a soccer field covered with artificial lawn. A new Finnish baseball stadium opened there in the summer of 2023. Adding to the wide array of sports facilities is the fact that Hippos is also part of Finnish sport history. The area started out as a racetrack and has been the stage of competitions in various disciplines for over a century already.
The main ice hockey arena
The ice hockey arena is mainly used by ice sports clubs. It is the traditional home arena of JYP, a Finnish Elite League ice-hockey team, but its facilities are well suited for other events too as a concert venue for example. For example, there was played the basketball friendly match Finland-Ukraine in August 2022.
The media cube and steeply terraced stands of the Areena ensure excellent visibility and a lot of atmosphere in any event. There are numerous restaurants, cafés, and pubs to serve customers along the walkways of the arena.
The ice stadium is less than 2km from the centre of Jyväskylä in the Hippos area, the sports cluster of the city, where a Finnish baseball stadium, a swimming hall, and the Multipurpose Sports Hall are also situated.
The Hippos Finnish baseball stadium
The new Hippos Finnish baseball stadium opened in the July 2023. It is a good example for modern sports arena construction. The stadium gives great facilities for players and teams, the audience have comfortable room to watch the event and media have up-to-date working conditions and connections.
The Hippos Finnish baseball stadium is the main field of the Jyväskylä finnish baseball and it is used from adults' elite level to the junior games. The main teams in the stadium are Jyväskylän Kiri 2020 ry ja Kirittäret ry.
The stadium is also an event arena which offers versatile facilities for thousands of people. In the inside of the stadium is separate indoor room where is possible to organize conferences and small events. Three kiosks offer comprehensive food services during the events and gender neutral restrooms have planned to the fluent event use.
The stadium have 1850 spectator places under the roof and 1500 of them is with the sitting bench. There is the possibility for the 4000 spectators with the temporary stands. The stadium design have paid attention to the accessibility with unobstructed spectator areas and special stands for people with bad hearing.
Harju
The Harju stadium, an IAAF Class 2 certified facility, provides an excellent setting for track and field events as well as for soccer matches. It is the first athletic field built in the city of Jyväskylä and has been in use since 1926 already. The stadium and the naturally beautiful 1,6km track around it are located in the very heart of the city and at less than a kilometre from the Matkakeskus travel centre and at a stone’s throw from the city centre. Plans are underway to renovate the stadium for its centenary in 2026.
The stadium has hosted many memorable sports events from euro soccer matches to five Finnish Athletics Championships.
Laajavuori
Laajavuori has a wide variety of arenas for summer and winter events alike at a few kilometres from the city centre. It is ideal not only for traditional winter sports but for many other disciplines too including cycling, disc golf, and ice cross downhill. Traditionally known as a skiing resort, Laajavuori has activities for every day all through the year.
Its Adventure Park has over 2kms of breathtaking ziplines and challenges for the entire family from spring to autumn.
More on Laajavuori - Laajis Oy
The Lake Jyväsjärvi Rantaraitti recreational route and the Lutakonaukio square
The Rantaraitti is a popular path for bicycle and pedestrian traffic around the glittering Lake Jyväsjärvi very close to the centre of Jyväskylä. It is excellent setting for running, walking, cycling, and various events. The Finlandia Marathon and the Likkojen Lenkki ladies’ fitness run are examples of national events that have taken place in its splendid landscapes.
There are a total of approximately 14km of shores around Lake Jyväsjärvi. Thanks to its excellent location, the Rantaraitti is a practical area for exercise. The bridges are a handy way for joggers to choose the length of their rounds themselves.
The Lutakonaukio square between the port of Jyväskylä and the Matkakeskus travel centre doubles as a competition centre and service area in the Secto Rally Finland and in the Finlandia Marathon for example. The Paviljonki event, fair, and congress centre by the Lutakonaukio square is a splendid venue that meets many kinds of needs.
In the summer, you can also take a dip along the Rantaraitti at Lutakko, Mattilanniemi, and Halssila beaches. In the winter, you can go ice skating, kick sledding, or snowshoeing on the ice track made on Lake Jyväsjärvi or opt for skiing right next to the ice track.
The Rantaraitti is conveniently near the restaurants in the centre to make sure that one does not go hungry or thirsty. Sataman Viilu is a handsome landmark with sauna and restaurant services in the port of Jyväskylä.
Read more about different sports facilities.
Sports Facilities, you may contact us:
Nikke Tuhkanen
Sporting Events & Facilities, City of Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 50 470 0939, nikke.tuhkanen[at]jyvaskyla.fi