Danish Superliga

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Superliga
Superliga 2010.svg
Founded1991
First season1991
CountryDenmark
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams14
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toDanish 1st Division
Domestic cup(s)Danish Cup
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League,
UEFA Europa League
Current championsMidtjylland (2 titles)
(2017–18)
Most championshipsCopenhagen (12 titles)
TV partnersViasat (TV3+, TV3 Sport 1, TV3 Sport 2)
Discovery Networks Denmark (Canal 9, Eurosport 2)
Others (see section)
WebsiteSuperliga.dk
dbu.dk
2018–19 Danish Superliga

The Danish Superliga (Danish: Superligaen, pronounced [ˈsuːˀbɐliːɡæːˀn̩]) is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 14 teams each year, with 1–3 teams relegated.

History[edit]

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 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 is 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-season)
    Sponsor: Coca-Cola

  • Faxe Kondi Ligaen
    (1996/97-2000/01)
    Sponsor: Faxe Brewery

  • SAS Ligaen
    (2001/02-2009/10)
    Sponsor: SAS

  • Superligaen
    (2010/11-31.12.2014)
    No league sponsor

  • Alka Superliga
    (01.01.2015–2017/18)
    Sponsor: Alka

  • Superligaen
    (2018/19-present)
    No league sponsor

Structure[edit]

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 UEFA Champions League in the second qualifying round. The second-place team enters the UEFA 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 winners of the semifinals advance to the final.
  • The losers of the semifinals then play over two legs, with the winner remaining in the Superliga and the loser dropping to the 1st Division.
  • The winner of the final plays the 1st Division runner-up, and the loser of the final plays the third-place team from the 1st Division, also over two legs. In each case, the winner plays in the next season's Superliga.

Seasons[edit]

Current teams (2018–19)[edit]

Locations of teams in the 2018–19 Danish Superliga
Club Finishing position
last season 		First season in
top division 		First season of
current spell in
top division
AaB 5th 1928–29 1987
AC Horsens 6th 2005–06 2016–17
AGF 7th 1918–19 2015–16
Brøndby IF 2nd 1982 1982
Esbjerg fB 2nd in 1st Division 1929–30 2018–19
Hobro IK 9th 2014–15 2017–18
F.C. Copenhagen 4th 1992–93 1992–93
FC Midtjylland 1st 2000–01 2000–01
FC Nordsjælland 3rd 2002–03 2002–03
OB 10th 1927–28 1999–00
Randers FC 11th 1988 2009–10
SønderjyskE 8th 2000–01 2008–09
Vejle BK 1st in 1st Division 1956–57 2018–19
Vendsyssel FF 3rd in 1st Division 2018–19 2018–19

Winners[edit]

See also: List of Danish football champions
Season Champions Performance
Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1991 Brøndby IF 26 18 10 6 2 26 15 +11
1991–92 Lyngby BK 32[2] 14 9 2 3 22 7 +15
1992–93 F.C. Copenhagen 32[2] 14 8 3 3 31 23 +8
1993–94 Silkeborg IF 31[2] 14 8 2 4 23 15 +8
1994–95 AaB 31[2] 14 7 4 3 30 13 +17
1995–96 Brøndby IF 67 33 20 7 6 71 32 +39
1996–97 Brøndby IF 68 33 20 8 5 64 39 +25
1997–98 Brøndby IF 76 33 24 4 5 81 33 +48
1998–99 AaB 64 33 17 13 3 65 37 +28
1999-00 Herfølge BK 56 33 16 8 9 52 49 +3
2000–01 F.C. Copenhagen 63 33 17 12 4 55 27 +28
2001–02 Brøndby IF 69 33 20 9 4 74 28 +46
2002–03 F.C. Copenhagen 61 33 17 10 6 51 32 +19
2003–04 F.C. Copenhagen 68 33 20 8 5 56 27 +29
2004–05 Brøndby IF 69 33 20 9 4 61 23 +38
2005–06 F.C. Copenhagen 73 33 22 7 4 62 27 +35
2006–07 F.C. Copenhagen 76 33 23 7 3 60 23 +37
2007–08 AaB 71 33 22 5 6 60 38 +22
2008–09 F.C. Copenhagen 74 33 23 5 5 67 26 +41
2009–10 F.C. Copenhagen 68 33 21 5 7 61 22 +39
2010–11 F.C. Copenhagen 81 33 25 6 2 77 29 +48
2011–12 FC Nordsjælland 68 33 21 5 7 49 22 +27
2012–13 F.C. Copenhagen 65 33 18 11 4 62 32 +30
2013–14 AaB 62 33 18 8 7 60 38 +22
2014–15 FC Midtjylland 71 33 22 5 6 64 34 +30
2015–16 F.C. Copenhagen 71 33 21 8 4 62 28 +34
2016–17 F.C. Copenhagen 84 36 25 9 2 74 20 +54
2017–18 FC Midtjylland 85 36 27 4 5 80 39 +41

Relegations[edit]

Season Relegated team(s)
1991 Ikast FS
1991–92 Vejle Boldklub
1992–93 Boldklubben Frem, Boldklubben 1909
1993–94 Viborg FF, B93
1994–95 Fremad Amager
1995–96 Ikast FS, Næstved BK
1996–97 Viborg FF, Hvidovre IF
1997–98 Ikast FS, Odense Boldklub
1998–99 Aarhus Fremad, B93
1999–00 Vejle Boldklub, Esbjerg fB
2000–01 Herfølge Boldklub, SønderjyskE
2001–02 Vejle Boldklub, Lyngby Boldklub
2002–03 Silkeborg IF, Køge BK
2003–04 Boldklubben Frem, AB
2004–05 Herfølge Boldklub, Randers FC
2005–06 SønderjyskE, Aarhus Gymnastikforening
2006–07 Vejle Boldklub, Silkeborg IF
2007–08 Viborg FF, Lyngby Boldklub
2008–09 AC Horsens, Vejle Boldklub
2009–10 AGF, HB Køge
2010–11 Randers FC, Esbjerg fB
2011–12 Lyngby Boldklub, HB Køge
2012–13 AC Horsens, Silkeborg IF
2013–14 AGF, Viborg FF
2014–15 FC Vestsjælland, Silkeborg IF
2015–16 Hobro IK
2016–17 Viborg FF, Esbjerg fB
2017–18 Lyngby BK, Silkeborg IF, FC Helsingør

Notable players[edit]

Top goalscorers[edit]

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

All-Time topscorer(s)[edit]

The 10 most scoring players throughout the history of the Superliga. Latest update 22 May 2018.

Rank Topscorer(s) Goals Club(s)
1. Morten "Duncan" Rasmussen 145 AGF, Brøndby IF, AaB, FC Midtjylland
2. Søren Frederiksen 139 Silkeborg IF, Viborg FF, AaB
3. Peter Møller 135 AaB, Brøndby IF, FC København
4. Heine Fernandez 126 AB, FC København, Silkeborg IF, Viborg FF
5. Steffen Højer 124 OB, Viborg FF, AaB
6. Frank Kristensen 109 FC Midtjylland, Ikast fS, Randers FC
7. Peter Graulund 107 AGF, Brøndby IF, Vejle BK
8. Søren Andersen 101 AGF, OB, AaB
9. Thomas Thorninger 81 AGF, FC København, Vejle BK
10. David Nielsen 76 FC København, FC Midtjylland, Lyngby BK, OB, AaB

Most capped players[edit]

See also: Category:Danish Superliga players
Twenty players with most Superliga appearances
Rank Player Appearances Club(s)
1 Rasmus Würtz 434 AaB, FC København, Vejle BK
2 Hans Henrik Andreasen 397 OB, Esbjerg fB, Hobro IK
3 Per Nielsen 394 Brøndby IF
4 Jimmy Nielsen 375 AaB, Vejle BK
5 Michael Hansen 371 Silkeborg IF, OB, Esbjerg fB, FC Midtjylland
Mogens Krogh 371 Ikast FS, Brøndby IF
7 Nicolai Stokholm 370 AB, OB, FC Nordsjælland
8 Arek Onyszko 362 Viborg FF, OB, FC Midtjylland
9 Michael Nonbo 355 Næstved IF, AGF, Viborg FF, SønderjyskE
Jakob Poulsen 355 Esbjerg fB, AGF, FC Midtjylland
Morten "Duncan" Rasmussen 355 AGF, Brøndby IF, AaB, FC Midtjylland
12 Jerry Lucena 354 Esbjerg fB, AGF
13 Anders Møller Christensen 351 OB, Esbjerg fB
14 Thomas Augustinussen 342 AaB
15 Jens Jessen 341 AaB, FC Midtjylland
Jakob Glerup 341 Viborg FF
17 Steffen Højer 339 Viborg FF, AaB, OB
18 Jan Kristiansen 338 Esbjerg fB, Brøndby IF, FC Vestsjælland
19 Kim Daugaard 336 Brøndby IF
Jonas Borring 336 OB, FC Midtjylland, Randers FC, Brøndby IF, AC Horsens
As of 22/05/2018[3]

Most capped foreign players[edit]

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 FF, OB, FC Midtjylland
2 Jerry Lucena Philippines 354 Esbjerg fB, AGF Aarhus
3 Karim Zaza Morocco 322 FC København, OB, Brøndby IF, AaB
4 Todi Jónsson Faroe Islands 243 Lyngby BK, FC København
5 Andrew Tembo Zambia 218 Odense BK
6 Kolja Afriyie Germany 203 Esbjerg fB, FC Midtjylland
7 Mwape Miti Zambia 178 OB
8 Rawez Lawan Sweden 168 AC Horsens, FC Nordsjælland
9 Dan Eggen Norway 167 BK Frem, Brøndby IF
10 Andreas Johansson Sweden 162 AaB Aalborg, OB Odense
11 Abdul Sule Nigeria 160 AB, AC Horsens
12 Espen Ruud Norway 158 Odense BK
Sibusiso Zuma South Africa 158 FC København, FC Nordsjælland
14 Fernando Derveld Netherlands 156 Odense BK, Esbjerg fB
15 Aurelijus Skarbalius Lithuania 150 Brøndby IF, Herfølge BK
16 César Santin Brazil 149 FC København
17 Christian Holst Faroe Islands 147 Silkeborg IF, Lyngby BK
18 Martin Ericsson Sweden 146 AaB, Brøndby IF
19 Razak Pimpong Ghana 145 FC Midtjylland, FC København
20 Gilberto Macena Brazil 141 AC Horsens
21 Atiba Hutchinson Canada 139 FC København
22 Oscar Wendt Sweden 138 FC København
23 Jakup Mikkelsen Faroe Islands 136 Herfølge BK
24 Mattias Jonson Sweden 131 Brøndby IF
25 Rúrik Gíslason Iceland 127 Viborg FF, Odense BK, FC København
Andreas Klarström Sweden 127 Esbjerg fB
27 Njogu Demba-Nyrén Gambia 126 Esbjerg fB, OB Odense
28 Atle Roar Håland Norway 124 OB Odense, AGF Aarhus
29 Tidiane Sane Senegal 121 Randers FC
30 Tobias Grahn Sweden 117 Lyngby BK, AGF, OB, Randers FC
Andres Oper Estonia 117 AaB Aalborg
31 Johan Wiland Sweden 111 FC København
As at the end of season 2014–15[4]

Attendances[edit]

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[5]
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

According to soccerlens.com the Danish Superliga was number 11 in Europe in 2009, ahead of strong leagues such as Greece, Austria and Ukraine: http://soccerlens.com/the-top-15-leagues-in-europe/39185/

Broadcasting rights[edit]

As of 2008, Modern Times Group owns the rights to broadcast all of the matches from the league, and uses them to broadcast matches on channels TV3+ and TV 2 Sport (through sub licensing). However, the current deal was found by the Danish Competition Authority (Konkurrencestyrelsen) not to comply with the Danish competition legislation. Therefore, a new deal was made on 21 December 2008, dividing the Superliga TV-rights between three parties.[6] The deal amounted to DKK 1,062,300,000[7] (USD 210 million, EUR 140 million),[8] effective from the 2009–10 season.

Danish football rights from 2009–10 – overview
Rights package Buyer Channels1 Details
TV, I Modern Times Group TV3+, TV3+ HD Grants exclusive rights to broadcast the game played 6 PM Sunday (1st choice)
TV, II Bonnier Group2 Canal 9, Canal 8 Sport Grants exclusive rights to broadcast the games played 2 PM and 6 PM Sunday on live television (2nd and 5th choice)
TV, III Modern Times Group TV3 Sport 1, TV3 Sport 2 Grants exclusive rights to broadcast the games played 5 PM Saturday, 4 PM Sunday, and 7 PM Monday on live television (3rd, 4th3 and 6th choice)
TV, Cup SBS Broadcasting Group Kanal 5, Kanal 5 HD, 6'eren Grants exclusive rights to broadcast the games in the Danish Cup on live television
TV, 1st Division TV 2 Sport TV 2 Sport, TV 2 Sport HD Grants exclusive rights to broadcast the games in the Danish 1st Division on live television
Radio DR DR P3 Grants exclusive rights to broadcast all the games on live radio
Highlights DR, TV 2 DR1, TV 2 Grants rights to show highlights in sports news broadcasts

Foreign rights[edit]

Outside of Scandinavia, IMG held the rights to the Superliga until the 2011–2012 season,[9] and they have reportedly sold the rights to networks in Greece, Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates, as well as several betting sites.[10] It airs on Terra TV in Brazil.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "Officielt: Superligaen bliver til Alka Superligaen".
  2. ^ a b c d Tally includes points carried over from the first half of the season.
  3. ^ "FLEST KAMPE, ALLTIME". superstats.dk. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  4. ^ "UDLÆNDINGE MED FLEST SPILLEDE KAMPE, ALL TIME". superstats.dk. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  5. ^ "DIF slår fast: Brøndby uden tilskuere i to kampe". Tipsbladet. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  6. ^ Ritzau (21 December 2007). "Fakta om fodboldaftalen (lit. Facts about the football agreement)". TV 2 Sporten. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
  7. ^ Ritzau (21 December 2007). "Dansk fodbold solgt for 1 mia. (lit. Danish football sold for 1 billion)". TV 2 Denmark. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
  8. ^ Calculated using Google Calculator's currency converting feature [1] [2]
  9. ^ "IMG to represent Danish Superliga for three seasons" (Press release). IMG. 17 June 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  10. ^ Olsen, Theis L. (19 February 2010). "Superliga-bold på skærmen i Dubai og Grækenland". business.dk. Berlingske Tidende. Archived from the original on 20 February 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2010.

External links[edit]

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