Football in Denmark
Association football is the national sport of Denmark, with 356,754 players and 1,635 clubs registered (as of 2012)[1] under the Danish FA. The game was introduced into Denmark by British sailors.[2]
Men's league system
The top four levels in Denmark are governed by the Danish Football Association.[3] The top 3 are collectively called Danmarksturneringen (literally: the Denmark Tournament or Danish Championship), and share a common set of rules more geared towards professional football.
Level | League(s)/Division(s) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Superligaen 14 clubs | ||||||||
2 | 1st division 12 clubs | ||||||||
3 | 2nd Division (Danish 2nd Division Pool 1) 8 clubs |
2nd Division (Danish 2nd Division Pool 2) 8 clubs |
2nd Division (Danish 2nd Division Pool 3) 8 clubs | ||||||
4 | Denmark Series (Pool 1) 14 clubs |
Denmark Series (Pool 2) 14 clubs |
Denmark Series (Pool 3) 14 clubs | ||||||
5– | Lower divisions |
Until the 2004-05 season, there was only one 2nd division and three Denmark Series (Danmarksserie(r)).
Second squads are generally only allowed to reach the Denmark Series, however 8 second squads of the Superliga teams are allowed to participate in the 2nd Division. If the first squad of a team is relegated from The Superliga to The 1st Division, its second squad will be relegated to the Denmark Series. If a second squad finishes in a promotion spot, and are not eligible for the promotion, and the next eligible team will be promoted. Therefore, both 2nd Divisions and Denmark Series can be won by the same team more than once in a row, unlike 1st Division where the winner will always be part of next seasons Superliga.
From the season 2010/11 the clubs in the Superliga will have their own reserve competition, where there are also the recent relegators and four wild cards participating. The Superliga clubs' other teams will be playing no higher than in the Denmark Series.
Lower divisions' format
The lower divisions are controlled by the regional associations.
The format is generally two (regional name) series (example: Funen's series (Fynsserien)), followed by Serie 1, Serie 2 and so forth. The number of lower series vary from 3 in LFBU to 6 in JBU.
The following table pictures the JBU-part as of the 2005-06 season.
Level | League(s)/Division(s) | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
–4 | Higher divisions | |||||||||||||||
5 | Jyllandsserien, pool 1 14 clubs |
Jyllandsserien, pool 2 14 clubs | ||||||||||||||
6 | Serie 1, pool 3 12 clubs |
Serie 1, pool 4 12 clubs |
Serie 1, pool 5 12 clubs |
Serie 1, pool 6 12 clubs | ||||||||||||
7 | Serie 2, pool 7 12 clubs |
Serie 2, pool 8 12 clubs |
Serie 2, pool 9 12 clubs |
Serie 2, pool 10 12 clubs |
Serie 2, pool 11 12 clubs |
Serie 2, pool 12 12 clubs |
Serie 2, pool 13 12 clubs |
Serie 2, pool 14 12 clubs | ||||||||
8 | S3, 15 12 cl. |
S3, 16 12 cl. |
S3, 17 12 cl. |
S3, 18 12 cl. |
S3, 19 12 cl. |
S3, 20 12 cl. |
S3, 21 12 cl. |
S3, 22 12 cl. |
S3, 23 12 cl. |
S3, 24 12 cl. |
S3, 25 12 cl. |
S3, 26 12 cl. |
S3, 27 12 cl. |
S3, 28 12 cl. |
S3, 29 12 cl. |
S3, 30 12 cl. |
9 | Serie 4, pools 31–62 (32) 12 clubs per division | |||||||||||||||
10 | Serie 5, pools 63–110 (46) 12 clubs per division | |||||||||||||||
11 | Serie 6, pools 111–143 (32) 12 clubs per division |
Competition records
European Cup
The following teams have advanced to elimination rounds in the European Cup.
- Quarter-finals: AGF Aarhus (1960-61), Brøndby IF (1986-87)
UEFA Champions League
The following teams have advanced to elimination rounds in the UEFA Champions League.
- Group Stage: Aalborg BK (1995-96, 2008-09), Brøndby IF (1998-99), F.C. Copenhagen (2006-07, 2010-11, 2013-14, 2016-17), FC Nordsjælland (2012-13)
- Round of 16: F.C. Copenhagen (2010-11)
UEFA Cup
The following teams have advanced to elimination rounds in the UEFA Cup.
- Semi-finals: Brøndby IF (1990-91)
- Quarter-finals: Boldklubben 1903 (1991-92), Odense BK (1994-95), Brøndby IF (1996-97)
- Round of 16: Aalborg BK (2008-09)
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The following teams have advanced to elimination rounds in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
- Quarter-finals: B1909 (1962–63), Randers Freja (1968–69), Vejle BK (1977–78), AGF Aarhus (1988–89)
See also
References
- ↑ "Medlemstal 1910-2012". dbu.dk. Danish FA. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
- ↑ Wilson, Jonathan (2008-11-27). "England renew continent's oldest football rivalry with visit of Denmark | Jonathan Wilson | Football". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
- ↑ Smyth, Rob (2009-10-13). "The forgotten story of ... Danish Dynamite, the Denmark side of the mid-80s | Rob Smyth and Lars Eriksen | Sport". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
External links
- (Danish) Danish Football Association
- (Danish) Jutland Football History
- (Danish) Peders fodboldstatistik, extensive match database
- (Danish) www.haslund.info, season by season results and tables
- (English) League321.com - Danish Football League Tables, Records & Statistics Database.