Danish Women's Football League

Last updated
Danish Women's Football League
Organising body Danish Football Association
Founded1972;53 years ago (1972)
Country Denmark
Confederation UEFA
Divisions
Number of clubs30
Level on pyramid1–3
Relegation to Danish Women's Series
Domestic cup Danish Cup
Current champions Fortuna Hjørring
(2024–25)
Most championships
Broadcaster(s) TV 2

The Danish Women's Football League, known as the Danish Women's Football Tournament (Danmarksturneringen i kvindefodbold, sometimes abbreviated as Kvinde-DM), is a league of semi-professional football clubs in Denmark. [1] It was founded by the Danish Football Association in 1975, following the discontinuation of the end-of-the season knock-out tournament format for the women's national championship after two editions (1973–1974). [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

The league is divided into three tiers - A-Liga, B-Liga, and C-Liga, with promotion and relegation between the league tiers. A-Liga fields 8 clubs (6 for the title race in the spring), as does B-Liga, while the C-Liga is divided into two groups of 7 clubs each.

1975 Danish Ladies Football Tournament was the first season, fielding twenty teams, which had qualified through the regional football league championships, split equally into two geographically divided groups with the two group winners progressing to a national championship final. [6] A combined nationwide first division was introduced in 1981, a second division was implemented in 1993 and a third division was added in 2021. [3] [7] Since the nationwide division was introduced in 1981, clubs finishing last in the league have been relegated to the non-league fourth tier, the Danish Women's Series.

Initially formed as an amateur tournament, professionalism was legalised in July 1997, albeit restricted to the league, with the first semi-professional player contracts in Danish women's football being signed by Fortuna Hjørring og Frederiksberg BK. [8] [9] [10]

Current member clubs

As of the 2025–26 season

A-Liga

B-Liga

C-Liga

Group 1

Group 2

References

  1. "Propositioner for DM i Kvindefodbold-DM". www.dbu.dk (in Danish). Dansk Boldspil-Union (DBU). June 2021. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  2. Ahlstrøm, Frits (October 1990). "Dame-Fodbold". Guinness Fodboldbog 1990 (in Danish). Copenhagen: Komma & Clausen Bøger. pp. 152–155. ISBN   87-7512-459-9.
  3. 1 2 Møller Riis, Helle; Weber, Lennart (7 August 2005). "Historien om 3F Ligaen; Brøndby IF; Skovlunde IF; Odense Boldklub; Varde IF; Vejle Dame Boldklub; IK Skovbakken; Team Viborg; Fortuna Hjørring". Magasignet 3F Ligaen - Sæsonen 2005/2006 (in Danish). 3F and Dansk Boldspil-Union: 2–3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20.
  4. "Propositioner for DM i kvindefodbold". DBU (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-11-07.
  5. "A-liga". DBU (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-11-07.
  6. Hansen, Mogens (November 2009). "B 1909's slutplaceringer 1911-2009; Damer (1972-2008/09)". B1909: Historien gennem 100 år - Frem til FC Fyn (in Danish) (1 ed.). Odense: Mogens Hansen. pp. 5, 631–648.
  7. "Kvindefodbolden styrkes med nye ligaer" (in Danish). DBU Kommunikation. www.kvindeliga.dk. 10 June 2021. Archived from the original on 30 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  8. "Kontraktfodboldudvalget; Stillinger Dame DM; Danmarksserien for damer 1997". DBU Årsberetning 1997 (in Danish). Dansk Boldspil-Union. January 1998. pp. 37, 76–77.
  9. Monty, Michael (20 December 1996). "DBU vil holde på damerne" (in Danish). Det fri Aktuelt. p. 15.
  10. Hansen, Mette Marie (29 June 1997). "Selvfølgelig kan vi vinde". Sektion 1 (in Danish). Ekstra Bladet. p. 31.