The Finnish team FC Santa Claus plays in red and white, and has the most famous coach in the world

It’s not like playing on a rainy day in Stoke, but it should be cold.

In 1992, FC Santa Claus – who played their games in Lapland – was formed when two Complete teams, Rovaniemen Reipas and Rovaniemen Lappi, came together.

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And they can officially claim to be the most passionate football club WHEN.

Their honorary boss is Saint Nick, better known as Santa to children around the globe.

Usually, he is seen at matches and the club’s logo features him checking his naughty or nice list.

While their club colors are in tribute to the famous Santa Claus outfit, with a red and white home kit as well as a white and green away design.

SECTIONS OF TIME

FC Santa Claus played his first professional match in 1993, and reached the top of the Finnish third division.

Not bad for a group that’s mostly part-time – that’s students and locals working at the Christmas market or at the post office getting Santa’s mail.

The club, themselves, realized their status and gained worldwide fame.

And they did their best for charity – partnering with UNICEF to donate the proceeds of their kits to an organization known for their work for children in danger.

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In 1997, they even faced Premier League side Crystal Palace in a friendly match that attracted 5,000 fans.

IN THE DARK

FC Santa Claus plays games in Rovaniemi – the capital of Lapland, in an area surrounded by forests, reindeer and views of the Northern Lights.

It can be seen as a scary place to be – football in Lapland is influenced by winter elements, and from October to April it snows, while daylight is limited.

Temperatures can average between 16°C and -3°C.

Ralf Wunderlich, who runs everything on the pitch, reveals his job satisfaction with BBC Sport.

“If you like Christmas, and so do I, this place is great – it’s all about Christmas here,” he said.

“You have some sort of Christmas feeling all year long without being too much – a year full of positive emotions.

“Of course, Santa isn’t officially in power, but in the background everyone knows he runs the club.”

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HARD TIME

Despite their good intentions, FC Santa Claus had to fight amid financial difficulties.

In 2012, they were saved from bankruptcy with a final round of fundraising, as well as sponsorship deals with EA Sports and Puma.

Since then, they have been sponsored by Nike, as they continue to work hard.

But the luck on the field is not as good as Santa Claus giving presents.

The main team in Rovaniemi has always been RoPS – but they were relegated from the first division in November.

FC Santa Claus is the local second team and the players who represent them are often the ones who are not good enough to play at a higher level and enjoy the spirit of Christmas.

After some relegation, they played in Finland’s fifth tier last year. This semester, they only have one team participating in the one-sided eight-man tournament.

Wunderlich, however, was not discouraged. His job is to kick-start the youth team and restart the men’s team in the new year.

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“I love the idea of ​​being the official Santa Claus club – such a huge potential to be fun and spread positive messages,” he said.

“For me, it’s very important that people realize it’s not just the name of FC Santa Claus but the whole spirit of Santa Claus and the values ​​surrounding Christmas.

“I will do my best to make the world understand that there is an active small football club in the north of Finland that represents Santa.”