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Norwegian First Division

This article is about the current Norwegian second-tier football league. For the first-tier league previously known as 1. divisjon, see Eliteserien. For the women's division, see Norwegian First Division (women).

Norwegian First Division
Founded1948
2015–present (as OBOS-ligaen)
2014 (as 1. divisjon)
2005–2013 (as Adeccoligaen)
1991–2004 (as 1. divisjon)
1963–1990 (as 2. divisjon)
1948–1951 (as 1. divisjon)
CountryNorway
ConfederationUEFA
Number of clubs16
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toEliteserien
Relegation toNorwegian Second Division
Domestic cup(s)Norwegian Cup
Current championsVålerenga (7th title)
(2024)
Most championshipsHamKam
Vålerenga (7 titles)
TV partnersDiscovery Networks Norway
Websiteobos-ligaen.no
Current: 2024 Norwegian First Division
Norwegian football
league structure
Eliteserien (Tier 1)
First Division (Tier 2)
Second Division (Tier 3)
Third Division (Tier 4)
Fourth Division (Tier 5)
Fifth Division (Tier 6)
Sixth Division (Tier 7)
Seventh Division (Tier 8)
Eighth Division (Tier 9)
Ninth Division (Tier 10)

The Norwegian First Division, also called 1. divisjon (Norwegian: første divisjon) and OBOS-ligaen (named sponsor is property developer OBOS), is the second-highest level of the Norwegian football league system. Each year, the top finishing teams in the 1. divisjon are promoted to the Eliteserien, and the lowest finishing teams are relegated to 2. divisjon.

1. divisjon was previously known as 2. divisjon (1963–1990) and replaced regional league Landsdelsserien (1951–1962) after the latter was dissolved after the 1961–62 season. The second tier was also prior to Landsdelsserien known as 1. divisjon (1948–1951). Formally, it was a semi-professional league.[1] The tier has been restructured many times and consists of 16 teams at present.

History

Between 1963 and 1990, the second highest level in Norwegian football was named 2. divisjon. In 1991, due to rebranding of the top flight level in 1990, it was renamed to its initial name; 1. divisjon. 1. divisjon has been the name of this level ever since, except for periods when the league has had a sponsor-affiliated name. Between 2005 and 2013 the level was known as Adeccoligaen and from 2015 to 2020 the name is OBOS-ligaen.

Format

Previous

In the 1997 season, 1. divisjon merged from two divisions consisting of 12 teams each, to only one with 14 teams. In the 2001 season, 1. divisjon expanded from 14 to 16 teams. Only two teams were relegated in the 2000 season. In 2009, the number of teams in Eliteserien expanded from 14 to 16. Therefore, only one team was relegated to 1. divisjon, whilst three teams were promoted to Tippeligaen.[2]

Current

Since 2012 four teams, finishing 3rd to 6th, has qualified for promotion play-offs. In the 2017 season the relegation format was changed. The previous format where four teams were relegated was replaced with a format with two relegation spots and one relegation play-off spot.

The league is contested by 16 teams. During the course of a season, each club plays the others twice, home and away, for a total of 30 games for each club, and a total of 240 games in a season. The season starts in April and lasts until early November. The top two teams will be promoted to Eliteserien, while the teams placed from third to sixth place will play a promotion-playoff against each other to earn the right to play a two-legged game against the 14th-placed team in Eliteserien to win promotion. The bottom two teams will be relegated to the 2. divisjon known as PostNord-ligaen, and the team in 14th place will play a two-legged playoff against the play-off winner among the two-second-placed teams in 2. divisjon.[3]

Changes in competition format

From To Group(s) Teams Match-weeks Season Start Season End Dir. promoted Promotion play-off spots
1948–49 1950–51 11 83–84 10–14 Autumn Spring none 11
1951–52 1960–61 7 54 12–14 2 5
1961–62 55 18–21
1963 1971 2 16 14 Spring Autumn 2 none
1972 1975 2 + 2 districts 35–36 10–14 3
1976 2 + 1 district 28 14–18
1977 1978 30 18
1979 1993 2 24 22 2
1994 4 none
1995 1996 2 2
1997 2000 1 14 26 1
2001 2007 16 30
2008 3
2009 2010 2 3
2011 none
2012 Present 4

Current members

The following 16 clubs are competing in the 2025 Norwegian First Division.

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Locations of teams in the 2025 Norwegian First Division
Team Location County Arena Turf Capacity
Aalesund Ålesund Møre og Romsdal Color Line Stadion Artificial 10,778
Egersund Egersund Rogaland B&G Parken Artificial 1,200
Hødd Ulsteinvik Møre og Romsdal Høddvoll Artificial 4,081
Kongsvinger Kongsvinger Innlandet Gjemselund Artificial 5,824
Lillestrøm Lillestrøm Akershus Åråsen Natural 12,250
Lyn Oslo Oslo Bislett Natural 15,400
Mjøndalen Mjøndalen Buskerud Consto Arena Artificial 4,200
Moss Moss Østfold Melløs Natural 2,373
Odd Skien Telemark Skagerak Arena Artificial 11,767
Ranheim Trondheim Trøndelag EXTRA Arena Artificial 3,000
Raufoss Raufoss Innlandet NAMMO Stadion Artificial 3,042
Skeid Oslo Oslo OBOS Idrettspark Nordre Åsen Artificial 1,486
Sogndal Sogndal Vestland Fosshaugane Campus Artificial 5,622
Stabæk Bærum Akershus Nadderud Artificial 4,938
Start Kristiansand Agder Sparebanken Sør Arena Artificial 14,448
Åsane Bergen Vestland Åsane Arena Artificial 3,300

Sponsorship

Ahead of the 2015 season, a six-year deal was agreed with the housing cooperative OBOS. In the period from 2015 to 2020, 1. divisjon will be named OBOS-ligaen.[4]

Period Sponsor Name
1948–1951 No sponsor 1. divisjon
1951–1962 Landsdelsserien
1963–1990 2. divisjon
1991–2004 1. divisjon
2005–2013 Adecco Adeccoligaen
2014 No sponsor 1. divisjon
2015– OBOS OBOS-ligaen

1. divisjon has a number of official partners and suppliers. The official ball supplier for the league is Umbro who on 20 February 2020 signed the first ever contract to deliver official balls for OBOS-ligaen.[5] The two-year deal began from the start of the 2020 season.

Statistics

Further information: List of teams promoted from the 1. divisjon and predecessors

From 1963 to 1990, the second tier in Norwegian football was named 2. divisjon. Until 1996, the 1. divisjon teams was split in two groups. This statistics shows the winning cubs, runners-ups, play-off teams, top goal scorer and the league's average attendances starting with the first one-group 1. divisjon season in 1997. Teams in bold won the promotion play-offs and were promoted to Eliteserien.

Season Winner Runner-up Promotion play-offs Top scorer Avg. att.
2024 Vålerenga Bryne Moss, Egersund, Lyn, Kongsvinger 19 – John Hou Sæter (Ranheim) 1 851
2023 Fredrikstad KFUM Oslo Kristiansund, Kongsvinger, Start, Bryne 16 – Benjamin Stokke (Kristiansund) 1 851
2022 Brann Stabæk Start, KFUM Oslo, Sandnes Ulf and Kongsvinger 16 – Bård Finne (Brann) and Gift Orban (Stabæk) 2 057
2021 HamKam Aalesund Jerv, Fredrikstad, KFUM Oslo and Sogndal 24 – Oscar Aga (Grorud) 917
2020 Tromsø Lillestrøm Sogndal, Ranheim, Åsane and Raufoss 19 – Henrik Udahl (Åsane) 213
2019 Aalesund Sandefjord Start, KFUM Oslo, Kongsvinger and Sogndal 19 – Pontus Engblom (Sandefjord) 1 434
2018 Viking Mjøndalen Aalesund, Sogndal, Ullensaker/Kisa and Nest-Sotra 21 – Tommy Høiland (Viking) 1 711
2017 Bodø/Glimt Start Mjøndalen, Ranheim, Sandnes Ulf and Ullensaker/Kisa 28 – Kristian Fardal Opseth (Bodø/Glimt) 1 422
2016 Kristiansund Sandefjord Jerv, Sandnes Ulf, Kongsvinger and Mjøndalen 26 – Pontus Engblom (Sandnes Ulf) 1 495
2015 Sogndal Brann Kristiansund, Hødd, Jerv and Ranheim 17 – Pontus Engblom (Sandnes Ulf) and Robert Stene (Ranheim) 1 998
2014 Sandefjord Tromsø Mjøndalen, Kristiansund, Bærum and Fredrikstad 19 – Pål Alexander Kirkevold (Sandefjord) 1 376
2013 Bodø/Glimt Stabæk Hødd, Ranheim, Hamarkameratene and Mjøndalen 18 – Jo Sondre Aas (Ranheim) 1 453
2012 Start Sarpsborg 08 Sandefjord, Mjøndalen, Bodø/Glimt and Ullensaker/Kisa 20 – Martin Wiig (Sarpsborg 08) 1 330
2011 Hønefoss BK Sandnes Ulf NFF removed the play-offs ahead of the season 18 – Vegard Braaten (Alta) 1 186
2010 Sogndal Sarpsborg 08 Fredrikstad, Løv-Ham and Ranheim 17 – Marius Helle (Bryne) 1 544
2009 Haugesund Hønefoss Kongsvinger, Sogndal and Sarpsborg 08 24 – Thomas Sørum (Haugesund) 1 271
2008 Odd Grenland Sandefjord (2nd) and Start (3rd)[6] Sogndal 22 – Péter Kóvacs (Odd Grenland) 1 984
2007 Molde Hamarkameratene Bodø/Glimt 23 – Kenneth Kvalheim (Notodden) 1 726
2006 Strømsgodset Aalesund Bryne 19 – Mattias Andersson (Strømsgodset) 1 981
2005 Stabæk Sandefjord Moss 27 – Daniel Nannskog (Stabæk) 1 388
2004 Start Aalesund Kongsvinger 18 – Paul Oyuga (Bryne) 1 696
2003 Hamarkameratene Fredrikstad Sandefjord 19 – Markus Ringberg (Fredrikstad) 1 656
2002 Tromsø Aalesund Sandefjord 18 – Morten Gamst Pedersen (Tromsø) 1 174
2001 Vålerenga Start Hamarkameratene 18 – Bala Garba (Haugesund) and Marino Rahmberg (Raufoss) 1 490
2000 Lyn Strømsgodset Sogndal 25 – Jostein Flo (Strømsgodset) 775
1999 Haugesund Bryne Start 17 – Anders Blomquist (Haugesund) 1 033
1998 Odd Grenland Skeid Kjelsås 18 – Caleb Francis (Bryne) 741
1997 Vålerenga Moss Eik-Tønsberg 16 – Espen Musæus (Vålerenga) 1 169

References

  1. ^ "TURNERINGSBESTEMMELSER NFF ADECCOLIGAEN 2013" (PDF). ekstranett.fotball.no. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Tippeligaen utvides til 16 lag". Football Association of Norway (in Norwegian). 8 March 2008. Archived from the original on 4 August 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  3. ^ "2014 Bestemmelser om KM, opp- og nedrykk" [Rules for promotion and relegation, 2014] (PDF). Football Association of Norway. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  4. ^ "PM: 1. divisjon blir OBOS-ligaen" [Press release: 1. divisjon becomes the OBOS league]. ToppFotball.no (in Norwegian). Norsk Toppfotball. 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  5. ^ "OBOS-ligaen får offisiell ligaball". eurosport.no (in Norwegian). Eurosport. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  6. ^ Both teams promoted directly because of the Tippeligaen extension to 16 teams in the 2009 season
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1._divisjon