Tippeligaen

Tippeligaen (after the main sponsor Norsk Tipping) is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien (English: The Elite League), although the name has never been official. The name of Norwegian football's top league has been subject for sponsoring since 1991 and Norsk Tipping has been the main sponsor of the League since then - hence the official name of the league.

Between 1963 and 1990 the name of the league was 1. divisjon (English: 1st Division), a name that the second level league of the Norwegian football system 'inherited' in 1991. (In 2005 the second level league was officially named Adeccoligaen after its sponsor Adecco.) From the fall of 1948 to 1962 the top division of Norwegian football was called Hovedserien (English: The Main League), and between 1937 and the summer of 1948, it was called Norgesserien (English: The League of Norway).

Format

Competition

As of the 2010 season there are 16 clubs in the Norwegian Premier League, half of which are placed in or near the Oslofjord area. After Bodø/Glimt's relegation last year, Tromsø is now the only team north of the Arctic Circle. 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 March and lasts until early November. Rounds played during the weekends are broken up into one game on Saturdays, six games on Sundays and one game on Mondays. Midweek rounds are broken up into six games on Wednesdays and one game on Thursdays. For the final two rounds, all games start simultaneously so that no club may gain an unfair advantage by knowing the results of other games in advance of kicking off their own.

The 16 May round, which is played the day before Norway's Constitution Day, 17 May, is one of the most anticipated rounds of the season. It is often referred to as the "national day of football"^[1] and since it precedes a national holiday, games usually see higher attendance than other rounds.

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, goals scored, and then head to head records used to separate teams on equal points. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned "League Winner". The title of "Champions" is reserved for the Cup Winners. The two lowest placed teams are automatically relegated to the First Division and the top two teams from the First Division take their place. Traditionally the fourteenth placed team in the Premier League is also in danger of being relegated and must enter play-offs with teams from the First Division to stay in the top flight, but as of the 2011 league, play-offs are not being used.

European qualification

As of the 2009-10 European season the winners of the previous calendar year's Norwegian Premier League enter the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, while the second and third placed teams enter respectively, the third and second qualifying rounds of the Europa League.^[2] The fourth placed team may also qualify, depending on what happens in the Norwegian Cup. Normally the winners of the Cup receive the final spot (entering the Europa League in the third qualifying round). If the winners have already qualified for Europe, the spot is transferred to the fourth placed team. Incidentally, the cup competition is called The Championship, while the winners of the League are merely that - League Winners.

The Norwegian Premier League is nineteenth in the UEFA rankings of European leagues based on their performances in European competitions over a five year period.^[3]

History

The league has enjoyed tremendous popularity in Norway. Viking of Stavanger won the first year the league bore the name Tippeligaen, followed by Rosenborg of Trondheim, claiming 13 consecutive titles (1992–2004). During the first years Rosenborg won with a substantial margin, only partly challenged by Bodø/Glimt (1993), Molde, Lillestrøm and Brann. However, this was streadily narrowing down towards a dramatic finish in 2004, where the Trondheim team tied with Vålerenga of Oslo in game points, but finished ahead on goals scored. However, in 2005 the winning streak came to an end as Vålerenga clinched the title, one point ahead of Start of Kristiansand. Rosenborg was never in contention that season and would finish only 7th. In 2006, Rosenborg returned to the top of the league, coming back from 10 points behind Brann at the halfway point to clinch the title with a match to spare. Brann won the league in 2007, and Stabæk won their first-ever title in 2008. Rosenborg then returned for a two-year winning streak in 2009 and 2010.

The league has been professional since 1992.^[4]

UEFA Rankings

UEFA association coefficient as of the end of the 2010–11 season, for league participation in 2011–12 European football season (Previous year rank in italics)

• 24 (26) Poland
• 25 (23) Slovakia
• 26 (22) Norway
• 27 (25) Serbia
• 28 (24) Sweden

Current members

Tippeligaen title holders

The following sixteen clubs will compete in the Norwegian Premier League during the 2012 season.

Top flight champions

The following clubs have won the top division in Norwegian football since 1938. Note that clubs from Northern Norway were not allowed to take part in the league system before 1972. The league system caused considerable bitterness in the north in the 50's, 60's and 70's (see also: Bodø/Glimt and List of Premier League Champions from 1938 to present time).

• 22 wins: Rosenborg
• 9 wins: Fredrikstad
• 8 wins: Viking
• 5 wins: Lillestrøm, Vålerenga
• 3 wins: Brann, Larvik Turn
• 2 wins: Lyn, Start
• 1 win: Fram Larvik, Freidig, Moss, Skeid, Strømsgodset, Stabæk, Molde

League Winners

Below is a list of the gold, silver and bronze medalists in the Norwegian Premier League for men since its beginning in 1937/38. (The Norwegian football cup has been played since 1902, and is regarded as the Championship of Norway, presented with "The King`s Cup".) During 1937-1948 the name of the league was Norgesserien ("The League of Norway"), 1948-1962 Hovedserien ("The Main League"), 1963-1990 1. divisjon ("1st Division"), and from 1991 Tippeligaen (sponsored name) or Eliteserien ("The Elite League", a generic name).

Before 1961, the league was divided into two sections, and decided by a final match. Since then it has been a roundrobin decided through a league table. Bronze finals were played in 1960 and 1961, before that no bronze medals were awarded. Note that clubs from Northern Norway (including Bodø/Glimt and Tromsø) were not allowed in the top division until 1972, but a separate Northern Norwegian Cup was played. The league did not play during the period 1940-1946 because of the 2nd World War.

See below for a list of medalists by club name.

Medalists by year

The following medals have been awarded:

Medalists by club name

The following clubs have won one or more Premier League medals since 1937/38:

Attendance

Up to 1994 the league consisted of 12 teams (132 matches a year). The number was raised to 14 teams (182 matches a year) in 1995 and to 16 teams (240 matches a year) in 2009.

Individual all-time records

Foreign players

See also

• Toppserien (Women's Premier League)
• Norwegian football top scorers
• List of football clubs in Norway
• List of Premier League Champions from 1938 to present time

Notes and references

External links

• Football Association of Norway
• All-time Premier League table from 1963 to 2004
• Tippeligaen Stats, Fixtures, Results and Team Profiles