President Niinistö surprises fans at KTP football match in Kotka

In a surprising turn of events at a recent football match in Kotka, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö made an unexpected appearance, honoring the top team in the Ykkösliiga, KTP. The news of Niinistö’s attendance was shared by Iltasanomat, noting that his presence caught many fans off guard, as the club had not announced it in advance.

“Only a small circle and the police knew about Sauli’s visit for a couple of weeks, but we couldn’t disclose it earlier due to security reasons,” stated KTP Chairman Jukka Mustonen to Yle.

At the beginning of the match, Niinistö donned a KTP scarf as he walked calmly to the center of the field, where he performed the ceremonial kick-off. His powerful strike of the ball was met with loud applause from the home crowd.

However, Niinistö’s role extended beyond just being a guest; he also acquired shares in Kotkan Futis Oy, the entity managing KTP. “Sauli is now one of KTP’s owners. It’s rare for a club to have a president as an owner,” Mustonen remarked humorously.

Kotkan Futis Oy is currently conducting a share issue, selling a total of 2,000 shares, of which 800 have already been sold at a price of 100 euros each.

Additionally, prior to the kick-off, Mustonen gifted Niinistö a team jersey featuring the name and number of his son Aaro, born in 2005. The presence of the esteemed guest energized the home team, leading KTP to a resounding 7–2 victory over Käpylän Pallon (KäPa).

Niinistö previously served as the chairman of the Football Association of Finland from 2009 to 2012 and has maintained a warm connection with KTP since his first presidential campaign in 2006.