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Danish Superliga

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Superliga
Founded1991
First season1991
CountryDenmark
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toDanish 1st Division
Domestic cup(s)Danish Cup
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
UEFA Conference League
Current championsMidtjylland (4th title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsCopenhagen (15 titles)
Most appearancesRasmus Würtz (452)
Top goalscorerMorten Rasmussen (145)
TV partnersDomestic
Viaplay Group
(TV3+, TV3 Sport)
TV2
(TV2 Sport X, TV2 Sport)
International
Eleven Sports
OneFootball
Website
Current: 2024–25 Danish Superliga
Danish football
league structure
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 Danish Superliga (Danish: Superligaen, pronounced [ˈsuˀpɐliːˌkɛˀn̩]) is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Divisionsforeningen. It is the highest football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with two teams relegated.

History

Founded in 1991, the Danish Superliga replaced the Danish 1st Division as the highest league of football in Denmark. From the start in 1991, 10 teams were participating. The opening Superliga season was played during the spring of 1991, with the ten teams playing each other twice for the championship title. From the summer of 1991, the tournament structure would stretch over two calendar years. The 10 teams would play each other twice in the first half of the tournament. In the following spring, the bottom two teams would be cut off, the points of the teams would be cut in half, and the remaining eight teams would once more play each other twice, for a total of 32 games in a season.

This practice was abandoned before the 1995–96 season, when the number of teams competing was increased to 12, playing each other thrice for 33 games per Superliga season. For the first season of this new structure, Coca-Cola became the name sponsor of the league, which was then named Coca-Cola Ligaen. After a single season under that name, Faxe Brewery became sponsors and the league changed its name to Faxe Kondi Ligaen. Before the 2001–02 season, Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) became the head sponsor, and the name of the tournament changed to SAS Ligaen. From January 2015 the Danish Superliga would be known as Alka Superliga, as the Danish insurance company Alka became name sponsor.[1]

Logos used for naming rights agreements for the league:

  • Coca-Cola Ligaen (1995–96) Sponsor: Coca-Cola
    Coca-Cola Ligaen
    (1995–96)
    Sponsor: Coca-Cola
  • Faxe Kondi Ligaen (1996–97 until 2000–01) Sponsor: Faxe Brewery
    Faxe Kondi Ligaen
    (1996–97 until 2000–01)
    Sponsor: Faxe Brewery
  • SAS Ligaen (2001–02 until 2009–10) Sponsor: SAS
    SAS Ligaen
    (2001–02 until 2009–10)
    Sponsor: SAS
  • Superligaen (2010–11 until 31 Dec 2014) No league sponsor
    Superligaen
    (2010–11 until 31 Dec 2014)
    No league sponsor
  • Alka Superliga (1 Jan 2015 until 2017–18) Sponsor: Alka
    Alka Superliga
    (1 Jan 2015 until 2017–18)
    Sponsor: Alka
  • Superligaen 2018–19 No league sponsor
    Superligaen
    2018–19
    No league sponsor
  • 3F Superliga (Since 2019–20) Sponsor: United Federation of Danish Workers
    3F Superliga
    (Since 2019–20)
    Sponsor: United Federation of Danish Workers

Structure

From 1996 through 2016, the league included 12 clubs which played each other three times. The two teams with the fewest points at the end of the season were relegated to the Danish 1st Division and replaced by the top two teams of that division. During this era, each team played every other team at least once at home and once away plus once more either at home or away. The top six teams of the previous season played 17 matches at home and 16 away while the teams in 7th to 10th place plus the two newly promoted teams played 16 matches at home and 17 away.

Following the 2015–16 season, the league was expanded to 14 teams, accomplished by relegating only the last-place finisher in that season and promoting the top three teams from the 1st division. The 2016–17 season was the first for the new league structure. It began with the teams playing a full home-and-away schedule, resulting in 26 matches for each team. At that time, the league split into a six-team championship playoff and an eight-team qualifying playoff. All teams' table points and goals carry over fully into the playoffs.

In the championship playoff, each team plays the others home and away again. The top team at the end of the playoff is Superliga champion and enters the Champions League in the second qualifying round. The second-place team enters the Europa League in the first qualifying round. The third-place team advances to a one-off playoff match for another Europa League place. If the winner of the Danish Cup finishes in the top three, the match will instead involve the fourth-place team.

The qualifying playoff is split into two groups, with the teams that finished the regular season in 7th, 10th, 11th and 14th in one group and those finishing 8th, 9th, 12th and 13th in the other. Each group plays home-and-away within its group. The top two teams from each group then enter a knockout tournament, with each match over two legs. If the Danish Cup winner is among the top two finishers in either playoff group, it is withdrawn from the knockout playoff and its opponent automatically advances to the tournament final. The winner of that tournament faces the third-place (or fourth-place) team from the championship playoff in a one-off match, with the winner entering the Europa League in the first qualifying round.

The bottom two teams from each group then contest a relegation playoff with several steps, centered on a separate four-team knockout playoff, also consisting totally of two-legged matches:

  • The third-placed teams in each group play over two legs, with the winners remaining in the Superliga and the losers advancing to a playoff final against the third-place team from the 1st Division.
  • The bottom teams in each group play over two legs, with the winners advancing to a play-off final against the second-place team from the 1st Division, and the losers dropping to next season's 1st Division.
  • The winners of each play-off final play in the next season's Superliga.

In the 2019–20 season, the number of teams was reduced from 14 to 12 teams. It began with all 12 teams playing a full home-and-away schedule, resulting in 22 matches for each team. At that time, the league split into a six-team championship playoff and a six-team qualifying playoff. All teams' points and goals carried over fully from the regular season into the playoffs. In both playoff groups, six teams play a full home-and-away schedule, resulting in ten matches (32 for the full season). The two bottom teams in the qualifying playoff are relegated to 1st Division, while the team finishing 7th plays against the lowest placed team from the Championship playoff, who failed to qualify directly to European Football, in a single match, to decide the final European spot from Denmark.

Teams

Current teams (2024–25)

class=notpageimage|
Locations of teams in the 2024–25 Danish Superliga
Club Finishing position
last season 		First season in
top division 		First season of
current spell in
top division
AaB 2nd in 1st Division 1928–28 2024–25
AGF 5th 1918–19 2015–16
Brøndby 2nd 1982 1982
Copenhagen 3rd 1992–93 1992–93
Lyngby 10th 1980 2022–23
Midtjylland 1st 2000–01 2000–01
Nordsjælland 4th 2002–03 2002–03
Randers 7th 2004–05 2011–12
Silkeborg 6th 1988 2021–22
Sønderjyske 1st in 1st Division 2001–01 2024–25
Vejle 9th 1956-57 2023–24
Viborg 8th 1981 2021–22

Winners

See also: List of Danish football champions

Seasons

Season Champions Performance
Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1991 Brøndby 26 18 10 6 2 26 15 +11
1991–92 Lyngby 32[2] 14 9 2 3 22 7 +15
1992–93 Copenhagen 32[2] 14 8 3 3 31 23 +8
1993–94 Silkeborg 31[2] 14 8 2 4 23 15 +8
1994–95 AaB 31[2] 14 7 4 3 30 13 +17
1995–96 Brøndby 67 33 20 7 6 71 32 +39
1996–97 Brøndby 68 33 20 8 5 64 39 +25
1997–98 Brøndby 76 33 24 4 5 81 33 +48
1998–99 AaB 64 33 17 13 3 65 37 +28
1999–2000 Herfølge 56 33 16 8 9 52 49 +3
2000–01 Copenhagen 63 33 17 12 4 55 27 +28
2001–02 Brøndby 69 33 20 9 4 74 28 +46
2002–03 Copenhagen 61 33 17 10 6 51 32 +19
2003–04 Copenhagen 68 33 20 8 5 56 27 +29
2004–05 Brøndby 69 33 20 9 4 61 23 +38
2005–06 Copenhagen 73 33 22 7 4 62 27 +35
2006–07 Copenhagen 76 33 23 7 3 60 23 +37
2007–08 AaB 71 33 22 5 6 60 38 +22
2008–09 Copenhagen 74 33 23 5 5 67 26 +41
2009–10 Copenhagen 68 33 21 5 7 61 22 +39
2010–11 Copenhagen 81 33 25 6 2 77 29 +48
2011–12 Nordsjælland 68 33 21 5 7 49 22 +27
2012–13 Copenhagen 65 33 18 11 4 62 32 +30
2013–14 AaB 62 33 18 8 7 60 38 +22
2014–15 Midtjylland 71 33 22 5 6 64 34 +30
2015–16 Copenhagen 71 33 21 8 4 62 28 +34
2016–17 Copenhagen 84 36 25 9 2 74 20 +54
2017–18 Midtjylland 85 36 27 4 5 80 39 +41
2018–19 Copenhagen 82 36 26 4 6 86 37 +49
2019–20 Midtjylland 82 36 26 4 6 61 29 +32
2020–21 Brøndby 61 32 19 4 9 58 38 +20
2021–22 Copenhagen 68 32 20 8 4 56 19 +37
2022–23 Copenhagen 59 32 18 5 9 61 35 +26
2023–24 Midtjylland 63 32 19 6 7 62 43 +19

Relegations

Season Relegated team(s)
1991 Ikast
1991–92 Vejle
1992–93 Frem, B 1909
1993–94 Viborg, B93
1994–95 Fremad Amager
1995–96 Ikast, Næstved
1996–97 Viborg, Hvidovre
1997–98 Okast, OB
1998–99 Aarhus Fremad, B93
1999–00 Vejle, Esbjerg
2000–01 Herfølge, SønderjyskE
2001–02 Vejle, Lyngby
2002–03 Silkeborg, Køge
2003–04 Frem, AB
2004–05 Herfølge, Randers
2005–06 SønderjyskE, AGF
2006–07 Vejle, Silkeborg
2007–08 Viborg, Lyngby Boldklub
2008–09 Horsens, Vejle
2009–10 AGF, Køge
2010–11 Randers, Esbjerg
2011–12 Lyngby Boldklub, Køge
2012–13 Horsens, Silkeborg
2013–14 AGF, Viborg
2014–15 Vestsjælland, Silkeborg
2015–16 Hobro
2016–17 Viborg, Esbjerg
2017–18 Lyngby, Silkeborg, Helsingør
2018–19 Vendsyssel, Vejle
2019–20 Hobro, Silkeborg, Esbjerg
2020–21 Horsens, Lyngby
2021–22 Vejle, SønderjyskE
2022–23 Horsens, AaB
2023–24 Hvidovre, OB

Notable players

Top goalscorers

Season Tally Top scorer(s)
1991 11 Bent Christensen (Brøndby)
1991–92 17 Peter Møller (AaB)
1992–93 22 Peter Møller (AaB)
1993–94 18 Søren Frederiksen (Viborg)
1994–95 24 Erik Bo Andersen (AaB)
1995–96 20 Thomas Thorninger (AGF)
1996–97 26 Miklos Molnar (Lyngby)
1997–98 28 Ebbe Sand (Brøndby)
1998–99 23 Heine Fernandez (Viborg)
1999–00 16 Peter Lassen (Silkeborg)
2000–01 21 Peter Graulund (Brøndby)
2001–02 22 Peter Madsen (Brøndby) and Kaspar Dalgas (OB)
2002–03 18 Søren Frederiksen (Viborg) and Jan Kristiansen (Esbjerg)
2003–04 19 Steffen Højer and Mwape Miti (both OB), Mohamed Zidan (Midtjylland) and Tommy Bechmann (Esbjerg)
2004–05 20 Steffen Højer (OB)
2005–06 16 Steffen Højer (Viborg)
2006–07 19 Rade Prica (AaB)
2007–08 17 Jeppe Curth (AaB)
2008–09 16 Morten Nordstrand (Copenhagen) and Marc Nygaard (Randers)
2009–10 18 Peter Utaka (OB)
2010–11 25 Dame N'Doye (Copenhagen)
2011–12 18 Dame N'Doye (Copenhagen)
2012–13 18 Andreas Cornelius (Copenhagen)
2013–14 18 Thomas Dalgaard (Viborg)
2014–15 17 Martin Pusic (Esbjerg/ Midtjylland)
2015–16 18 Lukas Spalvis (AaB)
2016–17 23 Marcus Ingvartsen (Nordsjælland)
2017–18 22 Pål Alexander Kirkevold (Hobro)
2018–19 29 Robert Skov (Copenhagen)
2019–20 18 Ronnie Schwartz (Silkeborg/ Midtjylland)
2020–21 19 Mikael Uhre (Brøndby)
2021–22 17 Nicklas Helenius (Silkeborg)
2022–23 15 Patrick Mortensen (AGF) and Gustav Isaksen (Midtjylland)
2023–24 15 German Onugkha (Vejle)

All-Time top scorer(s)

The top 10 goal scorers throughout the history of the Superliga. Latest update 30 December 2022.

Rank Topscorer(s) Goals Club(s)
1. Morten "Duncan" Rasmussen 145 AGF, Brøndby, AaB, Midtjylland
2. Søren Frederiksen 139 Silkeborg, Viborg, AaB
3. Peter Møller 135 AaB, Brøndby, Copenhagen
4. Heine Fernandez 126 AB, Copenhagen, Silkeborg, Viborg
5. Steffen Højer 124 OB, Viborg, AaB
6. Frank Kristensen 109 Midtjylland, Ikast, Randers
7. Peter Graulund 107 AGF, Brøndby, Vejle BK
8. Søren Andersen 101 AGF, OB, AaB
9. Nicklas Helenius 93 AaB, Silkeborg, OB, AGF
10. Dame N'Doye 90 Copenhagen

Most capped players

See also: Category:Danish Superliga players
Twenty players with most Superliga appearances
Rank Player Appearances Club(s)
1 Rasmus Würtz 452 AaB, Copenhagen, Vejle
2 Hans Henrik Andreasen 397 OB, Esbjerg fB, Hobro
3 Per Nielsen 394 Brøndby
4 Jakob Poulsen 390 Esbjerg, AGF, Midtjylland
5 Jimmy Nielsen 375 AaB, Vejle
6 Jesper Hansen 374 Nordsjælland, Lyngby, Midtjylland, AGF
7 Michael Hansen 371 Silkeborg, OB, Esbjerg, Midtjylland
Mogens Krogh 371 Ikast, Brøndby
9 Nicolai Stokholm 370 AB, OB, Nordsjælland
10 Arek Onyszko 363 Viborg, OB, Midtjylland
11 Johan Absalonsen 362 Brøndby, OB, Copenhagen, Horsens, SønderjyskE
12 Michael Nonbo 355 Næstved, AGF, Viborg, SønderjyskE
Morten "Duncan" Rasmussen 355 AGF, Brøndby, AaB, Midtjylland
Jonas Borring 355 OB, Midtjylland, Randers, Brøndby, Horsens
15 Anders Møller Christensen 351 Næstved, OB, Esbjerg
16 Kasper Risgård 344 AaB, Silkeborg
17 Thomas Augustinussen 342 AaB
18 Jens Jessen 341 AaB, Midtjylland
Jakob Glerup 341 Viborg
20 Rasmus Falk 340 OB, Copenhagen
As of 25 July 2023[3]

Most capped foreign players

Main article: List of foreign Danish Superliga players
Thirty foreign players with most Superliga appearances
Rank Player Nationality Appearances Club(s)
1 Arek Onyszko  Poland 362 Viborg, OB, Midtjylland
2 Jerry Lucena  Philippines 334 Esbjerg, AGF
3 Karim Zaza  Morocco 322 Copenhagen, OB, Brøndby, AaB
4 Rilwan Hassan  Nigeria 296 Midtjylland, SønderjyskE
5 Todi Jónsson  Faroe Islands 243 Lyngby, Copenhagen
6 Pierre Bengtsson  Sweden 242 Nordsjælland, Copenhagen, Vejle
7 Andrew Tembo  Zambia 218 OB
8 Kolja Afriyie  Germany 203 Esbjerg, Midtjylland
9 Izunna Uzochukwu  Nigeria 201 Midtjylland, OB
10 Espen Ruud  Norway 197 OB
11 Quincy Antipas  Zimbabwe 191 Køge, SønderjyskE, Brøndby, Hobro
12 Rúrik Gíslason  Iceland 181 Viborg, OB, Copenhagen
13 Mwape Miti  Zambia 178 OB
14 Hallgrímur Jónasson  Iceland 174 SønderjyskE, OB, Lyngby
15 Bajram Fetai  Macedonia 167 Silkeborg, Nordsjælland, Lyngby
16 Rawez Lawan  Sweden 168 Horsens, Nordsjælland
17 Dan Eggen  Norway 167 Frem, Brøndby
18 Andreas Johansson  Sweden 162 AaB, OB
19 César Santin  Brazil 161 Copenhagen
20 Abdul Sule  Nigeria 160 AB, Horsens
Jacob Rinne  Sweden 160 AaB
As at the end of season 2021–22[4]

Attendances

Season Average Total Max Min
1991 3,937 354,348 13,935 712
1991–92 4,428 646,510 16,500 1,014
1992–93 5,023 733,299 22,862 484
1993–94 4,739 691,855 26,679 475
1994–95 5,930 865,755 36,623 487
1995–96 5,689 1,126,414 39,640 704
1996–97 5,318 1,052,922 28,491 585
1997–98 5,519 1,092,688 33,124 939
1998–99 4,974 984,874 37,940 180
1999–2000 5,838 1,155,917 28,818 1,493
2000–01 5,837 1,155,662 40,281 1,003
2001–02 5,727 1,133,920 40,186 314
2002–03 7,307 1,446,752 40,254 800
2003–04 7,980 1,580,011 41,005 1,011
2004–05 8,589 1,700,532 40,654 843
2005–06 7,957 1,575,399 41,201 1,307
2006–07 8,108 1,605,367 40,463 1,799
2007–08 8,499 1,682,791 32,153 1,035
2008–09 8,815 1,745,308 32,856 1,609
2009–10 8,315 1,646,405 30,191 707
2010–11 7,049 1,395,616 28,387 1,017
2011–12 7,103 1,406,462 25,651 1,059
2012–13 6,760 1,338,465 33,215 0 [a]
2013–14 7,929 1,570,027 32,846 1,656
2014–15 6,932 1,372,511 32,526 1,201
2015–16 7,253 1,436,188 29,178 1,327
2016–17 6,002 1,500,380 26,686 1,044
2017–18 5,880 1,469,980 28,410 568
2018–19 6,581 1,618,965 33,134 1,012
2019–20 4,764 1,152,832 29,310 0 [b]
2020–21 1,193 229,136 10,966 0 [c]
2021–22 8,636 1,658,078 35,463 1,702
2022–23 10,289 1,975,454 35,820 2,507
2023–24 10,173 1,993,472 34,917 1,530
  1. ^ Brøndby IF got a two matches ban on spectators due to unrest at a cup game against FC København.[5]
  2. ^ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic some games were played without spectators and some games were played with a reduced amount allowed.[6]
  3. ^ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic some games were played without spectators and some games were played with a reduced amount allowed.[7]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Officielt: Superligaen bliver til Alka Superligaen". 28 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d Tally includes points carried over from the first half of the season.
  3. ^ "Spilletid, all-time". SuperStats. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  4. ^ "UDLÆNDINGE MED FLEST SPILLEDE KAMPE, ALL TIME". superstats.dk. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  5. ^ Davidsen, Martin (25 March 2013). "DIF slår fast: Brøndby uden tilskuere i to kampe". Tipsbladet. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  6. ^ Muminovic, Arnela (5 June 2020). "Regeringen vil tillade 500 tilskuere til Superliga-kampe". Danmarks Radio. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  7. ^ Paaske, Søren (15 September 2020). "Nye corona-restriktioner: Færre tilskuere til Superliga-kampe". BT. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
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