Royal League

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Royal League
Current season or competition Royal League 2006-07
Royal League
Sport Football
Founded 2004
Motto The Very Best of Scandinavia
No. of teams 12
Country Flag of Denmark Denmark
Flag of Norway Norway
Flag of Sweden Sweden
Current champions Brøndby IF
Official website www.royalleague.com

The Royal League is an annual Scandinavian football tournament, starting after the end of the regular domestic seasons of Norway and Sweden. Denmark, however, are in mid-season when the tournament starts. The four best-placed teams in the football leagues of Denmark, Norway and Sweden participate in the tournament.

Contents

[edit] History

For the Royal League 2004-05 tournament, the twelve participating teams were initially placed into three groups. The two best-placed teams from each country were placed in the same group, while the two other teams were placed in the two other groups. In each group, each team played against the other three teams, home and away. The two best-placed teams of each group were randomly placed into two new groups. The three teams of each new group played each other, home and away. The 2005 Royal League Final was contested on May 26, 2005, by Swedish team IFK Göteborg and F.C. Copenhagen from Denmark. F.C. Copenhagen won the title following a penalty shootout.

In the second season of the tournament, the twelve participating teams were also divided into three preliminary groups. The two best-placed teams of each group, and the two best third-placed teams went on to play quarterfinals. The rest of the tournament was played in a knockout-system. The quarterfinals and semifinals were played both at home and away, while there was only a single final game to decide the winner. The 2006 Royal League Final was contested on April 6, 2006, by F.C. Copenhagen and Lillestrøm S.K. from Norway. F.C. Copenhagen won their second title, when Razak Pimpong scored to 1-0 in the last minutes of the game.

For the Royal League 2006-07 tournament, the structure of initial group stage and subsequent knockout-stage was kept. As opposed to the previous edition of the tournament, the knock-out stages were played as single games, with the team having the best group stage record earning home field advantage. The 2007 Royal League Final was contested on March 15, 2007, by Danish team Brøndby IF and F.C. Copenhagen. Brøndby won 1-0, on a penalty kick converted by Martin Ericsson.

[edit] Finals

Season Winner Score Runner-up Venue Attendance Date
2006-07 Flag of Denmark
Brøndby IF
1–0 Flag of Denmark
FC Copenhagen
Brøndby Stadion,
Brøndby,
Denmark
17,914 Thu, March 15, 2007
2005-06 Flag of Denmark
FC Copenhagen
1–0 Flag of Norway
Lillestrøm SK
Parken,
Copenhagen,
Denmark
13,617 Thu, April 6, 2006
2004-05 Flag of Denmark
FC Copenhagen
1–1
12–11 (pen)
Flag of Sweden
IFK Göteborg
Ullevi,
Gothenburg,
Sweden
10,216 Thu, May 26, 2005

[edit] All-time table by country

See also: All-time Royal League statistics

Country Titles Runners-up
Flag of Denmark Denmark 3 1
Flag of Norway Norway 0 1
Flag of Sweden Sweden 0 1

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Royal League 2006–07
v  d  e
Denmark: FC Copenhagen Brøndby IF Odense BK Viborg FF
Norway: Rosenborg BK SK Brann Vålerenga IF Lillestrøm SK
Sweden: IF Elfsborg AIK Hammarby IF Helsingborgs IF
Royal League seasons
v  d  e

2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07

Royal League finals
v  d  e

2005 | 2006 | 2007