American Football Association of Finland (SAJL) has signed experienced Mikko Koikkalainen as the head coach of the Finnish men’s national team. Koikkalainen’s contract is a 2 + 2 model, covering the next two years of the national team and a mutual option for the next two seasons.

Mikko Koikkalainen will take over the coaching of Europe’s most successful American football national team. He has been chosen as SAJL’s coach of the year in the 2019 season and as the youth coach of the year in 2016. Koikkalainen has worked in the national team’s coaching duties in 2019–2021. He was involved in leading the Finnish national team to the European Championship bronze medal in the attack in October at the Myyrmäki football stadium.

Of the club teams, Koikkalainen has been coaching Helsinki Roosters and Helsinki 69ers, achieving one championship with Roosters as head coach (2019), two as OC and three as a assistant coach. In addition, has achieved numerous medals coaching Roosters junior teams.

Roope Noronen, President of SAJL, is pleased with the agreement of an experienced and hard-working coach:

-We are very pleased that we quickly reached an agreement with Mikko Koikkalainen to lead the national team. Mikko is a highly regarded coach among players and football family in Finland. He is in the best position to build a winning team for the upcoming international games. At the same time, I would like to thank Mele Mosqueda, who successfully led the Finnish national team to bronze medals in the European Championships in October 2021.