Norwegian Premier League for women
The Norwegian Premier League for women (
Toppserien in
Norwegian) is the top female
football league in Norway.
Its first season was in
1984, when the league was divided in to three regions, Group
Eastern-Norway (
Østlandet), Group
Western-Norway (
Vestlandet), and Group
Mid-Norway (
Trøndelag). No teams from
Northern-Norway (
Nord-Norge) played, however. The winners of the three groups met each other for a play-off. Regional leagues for women had been played before
1984, and a championship play-off had been done between the winners of Mid-Norway and Eastern-Norway in
1983 (
Trondheims-Ørn S.K. beat Setskog 2-1), but this championship was considered unofficial by the
Norwegian Football Association. In
1986, a group for Northern-Norway was added, and in
1987, the groups and play-off matches were dropped, and one single league with teams from all over the country was played.
The league was known as the first division (
1. divisjon) from
1984 to
1995, the league of the elite (
eliteserien) from
1996 to
1999, and the top league (
toppserien) from
2000.
Traditionally,
Trondheims-Ørn S.K. and
Asker S.K. have been the two power-houses of Toppserien, with 7 and 6 championship wins respectively. Trondheims-Ørn S.K. has finished in the top three 15 out of 21 times, while Asker S.K. has been among the top three 16 out of 21 times. In
1998, Asker S.K. managed the almost unthinkable, winning every single one of their 18 league games that season (Asker S.K. didn't win
the double that season, however, as the club was knocked out of the semi-finals of the
cup by Trondheims-Ørn S.K.).
The league currently consists of 10 teams, which play each other 2 times (home and away), for a total of 18 matches. The season lasts from April to October. Teams are ranked by:
* Number of points (3 points per win, 1 point per draw). If two teams are tied they are ranked by
* Goal difference (Goals scored during the season - goals conceded). If this is also tied the teams are ranked by
* Goals scored, and finally
* Results between the tied teams.
The following clubs have won the top division in Norwegian football since
1984*7 wins:
Trondheims-Ørn S.K.*6 wins:
Asker S.K.*4 wins:
S.K. Sprint/Jeløy*2 wins:
Kolbotn I.L.*1 win:
Klepp I.L.,
Nymark I.L.,
Røa I.L.*
List of Premier League Champions*
List of football clubs in Norway*
Norwegian Premier League for men*
Norwegian Football Association
