Mestaruusliiga (Finland) 2026/27

Mestaruusliiga is the premier men's volleyball competition in Finland. Established in 1957 by the Lentopallokomitea, a joint body representing the Työväen Urheiluliitto and the Suomen Kori- ja Lentopalloliitto, it stands at the apex of the national pyramid. The Finnish Volleyball Association assumed full organizational control in 1963 following the withdrawal of the TUL. The tournament was renamed from Lentopallon SM-liiga to Lentopallon Mestaruusliiga in 2010 to differentiate it from the ice hockey league of the same name.

The regular season operates as a quadruple round-robin, where each side plays every opponent four times. The top eight teams progress to the playoffs, which feature best-of-5 quarterfinals, best-of-7 semifinals, and best-of-7 finals. A bronze medal match serves as a best-of-3 series between the losing semifinalists. The bottom-placed team enters a 'liigakarsinta' playoff against the 1. Divisioona champion in a best-of-5 tie to secure the final top-flight spot for the following season.

A defining characteristic is the mandatory 'liigalisenssi', a league license requiring clubs to meet strict financial and organizational standards. This mechanism allows the federation to exclude teams even if they avoid relegation. Historically, Luolajan Kajastus dominated the 1960s, while Pieksämäen NMKY ruled the late 1970s. KuPS-Volley claimed six consecutive titles between 1991 and 1996. VaLePa secured eight consecutive championships from 2012 to 2023. KuPS-Volley and VaLePa hold the record with eight titles each. Hurrikaani Loimaa won the most recent edition in the 2023/2024 season.