2026 Besta deild karla

Besta deild karla

Season	2026
Dates	10 April 2026 – 24 October 2026
← 2025 2027 →

The 2026 Besta deild karla is the 115th season of top-flight Icelandic Football. It is the fifth season following the league's rebrand as Besta deild karla. ^{[1] [2]}

Teams

The league consisted of twelve teams: the top ten teams from the previous season, and two teams promoted from the 1. deild karla. Víkingur entered the season as defending champions after winning their seventh title during the previous season. ^[3]

The promoted teams were the 2025 1. deild karla champions Þór Akureyri and play-off winners Keflavík (promoted to the top division after absences of eleven and two years respectively). ^[4] They replaced the 2025 Besta deild karla bottom two teams, Vestri and Afturelding. ^[5]

Changes from the previous season

Promoted to the Besta deild

• Þór Akureyri
• Keflavík

Relegated to the 1. deild

• Vestri
• Afturelding

Personnel and kits

Team	Manager	Captain	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor (chest)
Breiðablik	Ólafur Ingi Skúlason	Höskuldur Gunnlaugsson	Nike	Vörður
FH	Heimir Guðjónsson	Björn Daníel Sverrisson	Nike	Auður
Fram	Rúnar Kristinsson	Kennie Chopart	Erreà	Michelsen 1909
ÍA	Lárus Orri Sigurðsson	Rúnar Már Sigurjónsson	Puma	Norðurál
ÍBV	Þorlákur Már Árnason	Alex Freyr Hilmarsson	Nike	N1
KA	Hallgrímur Jónasson	Ívar Örn Árnason	Macron	N1
KR	Óskar Hrafn Þorvaldsson	Aron Sigurðarson	Macron	Alvotech
Stjarnan	Jökull I Elísabetarson	Guðmundur Kristjánsson	Puma	TM
Valur	Srđan Tufegdžić	Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson	Macron	Saltverk
Víkingur	Sölvi Ottesen	Oliver Ekroth	Macron	Húsasmiðjan
Þór Akureyri	Sigurður Heiðar Höskuldsson	Aron Birkir Stefánsson	Macron	Egils Appelsín
Keflavík	Haraldur Guðmundsson	Frans Elvarsson	Adidas	Blue Car Rental

Stadia and locations

KA

Þór

ÍBV

Capital region

Keflavík

ÍA

Capital region  clubs:
Reykjavík :Fram
KR
Valur
Víkingur Reykjavík
Kópavogur :Breiðablik
Hafnarfjörður :FH
Garðabær :Stjarnan

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Locations of the 2026 Besta deild karla teams

Team	Location	Stadium
Breiðablik	Kópavogur	Kópavogsvöllur
FH	Hafnarfjörður	Kaplakriki
Fram	Reykjavík	Lambhagavöllur
ÍA	Akranes	ELKEM völlurinn
ÍBV	Vestmannaeyjar	Hásteinsvöllur
KA	Akureyri	Greifavöllurinn
Keflavík	Keflavík	Keflavíkurvöllur
KR	Reykjavík	Meistaravellir
Stjarnan	Garðabær	Samsung völlurinn
Valur	Reykjavík	N1 Völlurinn
Víkingur Reykjavík	Reykjavík	Víkingsvöllur
Þór Akureyri	Akureyri	Þórsvöllur

Regular season

League Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Breiðablik	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for the Championship Round
2	FH	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Fram	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	ÍA	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	ÍBV	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	KA	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
7	Keflavík	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for the Relegation Round
8	KR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
9	Stjarnan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
10	Valur	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
11	Víkingur Reykjavík	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
12	Þór Akureyri	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Updated to match(es) played on First matches will be played on 10 April 2026. Source: KSI (in Icelandic), Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head goals scored; 7) Head-to-head away goals scored; 8) Play-off (only for deciding champion); 9) Draw. ^{[6] [7]}

Results

Team played each other twice (once at home and once away) for a total of 22 games each. ^[8]

Home \ Away	BRE	FH	FRA	ÍA	ÍBV	KA	KEF	KR	STJ	VAL	VÍK	ÞÓR
Breiðablik	—
FH		—
Fram			—
ÍA				—
ÍBV					—
KA						—
Keflavík							—
KR								—
Stjarnan									—
Valur										—
Víkingur Reykjavík	10 APR										—
Þór Akureyri												—

Source: KSI (in Icelandic), Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Championship Round

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	TBD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2	TBD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for the Conference League second qualifying round
3	TBD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round
4	TBD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	TBD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	TBD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: KSI (in Icelandic), Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head goals scored; 7) Head-to-head away goals scored; 8) Play-off (only for deciding champion); 9) Draw. ^[9]

Results

Teams play each other once for the third time (either at home or away) for a total of 5 games each.

Home \ Away	TEAM1	TEAM2	TEAM3	TEAM4	TEAM5	TEAM6
TEAM1	—
TEAM2		—
TEAM3			—
TEAM4				—
TEAM5					—
TEAM6						—

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: KSI (in Icelandic), Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

References

1. Magnússon, H. "Mótalisti KSÍ 2026: Upphaf Bestu deildarinnar". ksi.is (in Icelandic). Knattspyrnusamband Íslands. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
2. "Íslenskur fótbolti: Spá og leikjadagskrá 2026". fotbolti.net (in Icelandic). 10 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
3. Ólafsson, H. "Víkingur Íslandsmeistari 2025". mbl.is (in Icelandic). Morgunblaðið. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
4. "Lengjudeild karla 2025: Lokastaða". ksi.is (in Icelandic). Knattspyrnusamband Íslands. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
5. "Baráttan í neðri hlutanum: Vestri og Afturelding falla". fotbolti.net (in Icelandic). September 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
6. "Besta deild karla 2026 - Season rules". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
7. "Reglugerð KSÍ um knattspyrnumót" (in Icelandic). Knattspyrnusamband Íslands. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
8. "2025 Besta deild karla". voetbal. 16 February 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
9. "Besta-deild karla 2022 – Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2018.