FC Santa Claus is a professional soccer club from the city of Rovaniemi in Finland. The club currently plays in the sixth tier of the Finnish football league system. The idea for the foundation of this team was born in 1992 with the merger of two teams: Rovaniemen Reipas F.C. and Rovaniemen Lappi F.C.
The team usually dresses in red, and since its creation it hasn't had very good results. In its history it stands out for having played a friendly against Crystal Palace before 4,500 people, and it was very close to being promoted to the first division of local soccer.
The team, obviously, is usually celebrating around this time of year because the city receives about 500,000 tourists, making them one of the attractions of the area.
All FC Santa Claus players, who are involved in charities, are either students or workers. Even the team provides jobs at the Christmas market.
Is this pure marketing strategy or is there perhaps some truth in it? Santa's helpers were, according to legend, great soccer fans and kicked a leather ball over the snow when they weren't busy wrapping gifts. The creation of this team is less endearing and more commercial, but the title of being the only Christmas team in the world creates joy and nostalgia to thousands of fans around the world.
