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Founded | 1945 |
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Country | Denmark |
Confederation | UEFA |
Number of teams | 12 (since 2012–13) |
Level on pyramid | 2 |
Promotion to | Superliga |
Relegation to | 2nd Division |
Domestic cup(s) | Danish Cup |
International cup(s) | Europa League (via domestic cup) |
Current champions | Sønderjyske Fodbold (2023–24) |
TV partners | Viaplay |
Website | 1-division.dk |
Current: 2024–25 Danish 1st Division |
Danish football league structure |
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Superliga (Tier 1) |
1st Division (Tier 2) |
2nd Division (Tier 3) |
3rd Division (Tier 4) |
Denmark Series (Tiers 5) |
Copenhagen Series – Funen Series – Jutland Series – Zealand Series (Tiers 6) |
Series 1 (Tiers 7) |
Series 2 (Tiers 8) |
Series 3 (Tiers 9) |
Series 4 (Tiers 10) |
Series 5 (Tiers 11) |
The 1st Division (1. Division) is the second-highest football league in Denmark, also known as NordicBet Liga for sponsorship reasons. From 1945 to 1991, the 1. Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark. With the formation of the Danish Superliga, the 1st Division became the second tier of Danish football. While all the teams in the Superliga are full-time professional the 1. Division has a mixture of full-time professional and semi-professional teams.
The top-ranking teams each year win promotion to the Superliga, while the bottom finishers get relegated to the Danish 2nd Division.
After World War II the format of the top-flight football division in Denmark, the "Championship League", where reverted with the tournament now named the "1st Division". [2] There were 10 teams in the top division once again, playing each other twice, with the lowest team being relegated. [3] The 1953–54 season saw the first non-Copenhagen team win the Danish championship, when Køge Boldklub won the title. [4] The championship title was not reclaimed by a Copenhagen team in more than ten years, until Akademisk Boldklub (AB) won the 1967 season.
From 1958, the Danish championship was arranged through one calendar year, [2] and the 1956–57 season lasted 18 months with the teams playing each other thrice for a 27 games total. [5] From 1958 to 1974, the tournament was expanded to 12 teams, [2] playing each other twice for 22 games per season each, but now the bottom two teams faced relegation. [6] The number of teams was increased to 16 for the 1975 season, [2] which resulted in 30 games per season. [7] In 1986, the number of participants was altered once more, this time decreasing the number of teams to 14, [2] and the number of games to 26. [8]
In 1991, the Danish Superliga was created. [2] This meant the 1st Division became the second-highest league. Together with the Superliga introduction the best Danish leagues changed back to autumn-spring seasons.
In 1996, the 1st Division had its first name sponsor, as the league received the official name "Faxe Kondi Divisionen" after main sponsor Faxe Brewery. The sponsor deal ended in 2001, but from 2004 to mid-2007 it was named "Viasat Sport Divisionen". The "Sport" was omitted upon the closing of the Viasat Sport-channels in Denmark, and the opening of TV 2 Sport. The sponsorship finally ended prior to the start of the 2010–11 season.
Former 1st Division logos:
Club | Finishing position last season | First season of current spell in 1st Division |
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Esbjerg fB | 1st in 2nd Division | 2024–25 |
FC Fredericia | 5th | 2001–02 |
Hillerød | 7th | 2022–23 |
Hobro IK | 4th | 2020–21 |
AC Horsens | 8th | 2023–24 |
Hvidovre IF | 12th in Superliga | 2024–25 |
Kolding IF | 3rd | 2023–24 |
HB Køge | 10th | 2012–13 |
OB | 11th in Superliga | 2024–25 |
FC Roskilde | 2nd in 2nd Division | 2024–25 |
Vendsyssel FF | 6th | 2019–20 |
B.93 | 9th | 2023–24 |
First tier until 1990, then second tier
Hvidovre Idrætsforening, more commonly known as Hvidovre IF is a Danish association football club from Hvidovre, Capital Region of Denmark. The club competes in the Danish Superliga, the top tier of Danish football, and plays its home matches at the Hvidovre Stadion.
Alliance Club Horsens,, commonly referred to as AC Horsens or simply Horsens, is a Danish professional football club based in Horsens, Central Denmark Region. Founded in 1994, as a superstructure on Horsens fS, Stensballe IK and FC Horsens, the club competes in the Danish 1st Division, the second tier of the Danish football league system. Both Stensballe IK and FC Horsens has later left the cooperation, and only Horsens fS remains.
Association football is the most popular sport in Denmark, with 331,693 players and 1,647 clubs registered under the Danish FA. The game was introduced into Denmark by British sailors. Kjøbenhavns Boldklub is the oldest club outside of the United Kingdom, having been founded on 26 April 1876.
The 2nd Division is a professional association football league for men and the third division in Denmark. It is organised by the Divisionsforeningen on behalf of the Danish Football Association as part of the nation-wide Danmarksturneringen i fodbold (Herre-DM) and is positioned between the second-tier 1st Division and the fourth-tier Danish 3rd Division in the Danish football league system. Clubs in the league must meet certain criteria concerning appropriate facilities and finances. All of the 2nd Division clubs qualify for the proper rounds of the DBU Pokalen. The number of promoted and relegated clubs has fluctuated over the years. In the 2020–21 season two clubs were directly promoted to the 1st Division, while eight teams were relegated to the Denmark Series. From the 2021–22 season, it was changed to two promotion spots and two relegation spots.
Næstved Boldklub is a Danish association football team based in Næstved in the South of Zealand. Næstved Boldklub is the professional superstructure of the parent club Næstved Idræts Forening and currently plays in the Danish 2nd Division, the third tier of Danish football league system.
The 2002–03 Danish Superliga season was the 13th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on July 27, 2002, to final match on June 22, 2003.
The 2001–02 Danish Superliga season was the 12th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on July 21, 2001, to final match on May 16, 2002.
The 2000–01 Danish Superliga season was the 11th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on July 22, 2000 to final match on June 13, 2001.
The 2000–01 Danish 1st Division season was the 56th season of the Danish 1st Division league championship and the 15th consecutive as a second tier competition governed by the Danish Football Association.
Thomas Villadsen is a Danish retired professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper and works as goalkeeper coach of Lyngby BK
Kristen Nygaard Kristensen is a Danish former professional footballer who played for Dutch team AZ Alkmaar and several French clubs. He scored 11 goals in 36 games for the Denmark national team, and represented Denmark at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
The 2007–08 Danish 1st Division season was the 13th season of the Danish 1st Division league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. It took place from the first match on August 4, 2007 to the final match on June 8, 2008.
The 2008–09 Danish 1st Division season is the 13th season of the Danish 1st Division league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association.
Prince Nana Takyi is a Danish-Ghanaian former football player in the striker position. He played for Akademisk Boldklub in the Danish Superliga championship, and played professionally for a number of Danish clubs in the Danish 1st Division, and was named 2008 Best African Footballer in Denmark. He ended his career in February 2010 due to injuries. Nana received a Danish citizenship in February 2008.
The 2012–13 Danish 1st Division season was the 17th season of the Danish 1st Division league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association. This was the first season with a twelve-club First Division.
The 2014–15 Danish 1st Division season is the 19th season of the Danish 1st Division league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association.
The 2018–19 Danish 1st Division season is the 23rd season of the Danish 1st Division league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association.
The 1964 Danish 2nd Division was the twenty-ninth season of the Danish second-tier association football division since the establishment of Danmarksturneringen's nation-wide league structure in 1927. Governed by the Danish FA, the season was launched on 29 March 1964, with the match between Ikast FS and Vanløse IF, and the last round of matches concluded in November 1964. Aalborg BK and Køge BK entered as relegated teams from last season's top-flight, while Hvidovre IF and Næstved IF entered as promoted teams from the 1963 Danish 3rd Division. Fixtures for the 1964 season were announced in February 1964.