The Besta deild karla is the top level men's football league in Iceland. The competition was founded in 1912 as the Icelandic Championship. Because of the harsh winters in Iceland, it is generally played in the spring and summer. It is governed by the Football Association of Iceland (KSI) and has 12 teams. By end of season 2022–23, UEFA ranked the league No. 48 in Europe.
The Icelandic Men's Football League Cup, also known as the Lengjubikar karla for sponsorship reasons, is a pre-season professional football competition in Iceland. It is considered the third most important competition in Icelandic football.
Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar, commonly abbreviated to KA, is an Icelandic multi-sport club based in Akureyri in the north of Iceland. The club was founded in 1928. The football team currently plays in Besta deild karla and have won the top flight once in 1989.
The Icelandic football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Iceland. As of 2013 a fifth level was added to the previous men's format of four levels. As of 2019 there are 79 participating men's teams and 27 women's teams in the football league.
Football is the most popular sport in Iceland. Iceland hosted the U-18 European Championship in 1997, but an Icelandic national team has qualified for the final competition of a major tournament only five times—thrice by the women's national team at UEFA Women's Euro in 2009, 2013 and 2017, and twice by the men's team at UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The only Iceland teams to advance past the group stage at a major tournament are the women in 2013 and the men in 2016.
The Breiðablik women's football team is the women's football department of the Breiðablik UBK multi-sport club. It is based in Kópavogur, Iceland, and currently plays in the Úrvalsdeild kvenna, the top-tier women's football league in Iceland. They finished second in the league in 2017 and first in 2018.
Sandra Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic former football goalkeeper. Sandra has played for Iceland's national team and was a squad member at the 2009 and 2013 editions of the UEFA Women's Championship. During her career, she won six Icelandic championships and four Icelandic Cups. She retired in 2023 as the Besta deild kvenna's all-time leader in games played.
Rakel Hönnudóttir is an Icelandic footballer and musician who plays as a striker for Besta deild kvenna club Breiðablik and the Iceland national team. She represented her country at the UEFA Women's Championship in 2009 and 2013. Despite being a striker, she has seldom played as one for the national team, even featuring at right back.
The Besta deild kvenna is the top-tier women's football league in Iceland. It features 10 teams that play a double round robin to decide the champion, which qualifies for a spot in the UEFA Women's Champions League. The 2022 season was the first season of the league after it was rebranded as Besta deild kvenna; previously, it had been named Úrvalsdeild kvenna.
Ungmennafélagið Afturelding, commonly known as Afturelding or UMFA, is an Icelandic multi-sports club from the town of Mosfellsbær located just north of the capital Reykjavík. The club was founded in 1909 and today is primarily known for its handball, football and volleyball teams.
Ray Anthony Pepito Jónsson is a Filipino-Icelandic former footballer and current head coach of 3. deild karla club Reynir Sandgerði. He previously played for Úrvalsdeild karla club Keflavík. In January 2015 he was signed by Global to reinforce the team for the upcoming United Football League season. A former Iceland under-21 international, he has since switched allegiance to the Philippines, making his debut in 2010. He plays mainly as a left back but has also played as a winger and even as a forward early in his career.
Helena Ólafsdóttir is an Icelandic football manager and former player. A striker during her playing career, she is currently in her second spell as manager of the women's team at Valur in the Úrvalsdeild kvenna. A qualified sports teacher and personal trainer outside of football, Helena grew up in the town of Neskaupstaður before moving to Reykjavík aged 11. She started her career in the youth team at Víkingur Reykjavík before joining KR in the summer of 1986 and went on to score 55 goals in 64 league appearances for the club over the following five seasons. In 1992, she signed for ÍA and it was there that she won the first honours of her career as the side won both the Icelandic Women's Cup and the Icelandic Women's Super Cup that year. She went on to become one of the most successful female Icelandic footballers in history, winning four league titles and six cup winners' medals during her career.
Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir is an Icelandic professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Stjarnan of the Besta deild kvenna and the Iceland national team.
The Breiðablik men's football team is the men's football department of the Breiðablik multi-sport club. It currently plays in the Besta deild karla, the top-tier men's football league in Iceland; they finished 1st in 2022. The team is based in Kópavogur, a short distance south of Reykjavik.
Ingibjörg Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic footballer who plays as a defender for Vålerenga in the Toppserien, the top-tier women's football league in Norway. A multi-sport athlete in her youth, she played in the Icelandic top-tier basketball league and for Iceland's junior national basketball teams before fully focusing on football.
The Icelandic Women's Super Cup, also known as the Meistarakeppni KSÍ kvenna, is an annual women's football match between the reigning champions of the Besta deild kvenna league and the Icelandic Cup holders, or if the same team holds both titles between the title-holder and the team placed second in the league, or occasionally the second-placed team in the Icelandic Cup. The match generally takes place at the start of the Iceland domestic season in May. The competition was uninterrupted from its founding in 1992 to 1998, and from 2003 until 2020. Title-holders from 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2021 did not play for this cup.
Tahnai Lauren Rivera Annis is a footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Besta deild kvenna club Þór/KA. Born in the United States, she represents the Philippines women's national team, where she serves as captain.
Alexandra Genevieve "Zandy" Soree is an American-born Belgian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Afturelding of the Icelandic Besta deild kvenna and the Belgium national team.
Dominique Jaylin Abrena Randle, known in the United States as Dominique Jaylin Harris (née Randle), is a footballer who plays as a center back for Icelandic club Þór/KA in the Besta deild kvenna. Born in the United States, she represents the Philippines women's national team.
The 2022 Besta deild kvenna was the 51st season of the women's association football highest division league in Iceland. Valur were the defending champions after claiming the 2021 championship.
Iceland