[4][5] Alaja served as the Secretary General of the Football Association of Finland during 1991–2000 and the vice-president during 2004–2006.

Alaja was elected the 15th president of the Finnish FA on 14 October 2012, replacing Sauli Niinistö,[6] and served in the position until 2017.

Alaja had also previously played handball at the highest domestic level.

[8] His late brother Erkki Alaja was also a professional footballer and handball player, and later worked in various positions in sports management.

This biographical article related to a football goalkeeper from Finland is a stub.