This season there is quite an interesting competition in the Norwegian first division. Some experts say it is as exciting to watch as the top division, here called the Eliseration. There is some truth in this, as in the lower divisions football is more suited to the tastes of the fans. It’s not as technical but it is spectacular, thanks to the use of brute force and not always legalistic moves. VARs are not yet used, so the outcome of a match is largely dependent on chance. And fans like it when football is less predictable.
Which teams are competing for promotion from the Norwegian top flight?
As in other competitions, there are 16 teams represented. At the end of the season two of them will qualify for the elite series and two will drop down to the second division.
The Norway 1st division table currently looks like this:
№ Team G W D L Goals Points
- Brann 30 26 3 1 95 – 16 81
- Stabæk 30 16 10 4 62 – 28 58
- Start 31 16 6 9 63 – 39 54
4.KFUM-Kameratene Oslo 31 15 7 9 62 – 50 52
- Kongsvinger 32 15 7 10 46 – 38 52
- Sandnes Ulf 30 14 5 11 54 – 52 47
- Sogndal 30 12 7 11 55 – 53 43
- Ranheim 30 12 7 11 49 – 52 43
- Mjøndalen 30 13 3 14 39 – 47 42
- Fredrikstad 30 9 8 13 46 – 51 35
- Bryne 30 9 8 13 42 – 52 35
- Raufoss 30 9 8 13 35 – 54 35
- Asane 30 8 8 14 42 – 67 32
- Shade 30 8 4 18 39 – 54 28
- Grorud 30 4 8 18 34 – 69 20
- Stjørdal 30 4 5 21 30 – 71 17
The Branns are unlikely to be stopped this year, with more than 20 points separating them from their nearest pursuer. The huge number of goals scored is also striking. Most of them, of course, will be scored by the team’s forwards. And it is worth mentioning the goalkeeper Matias Dingeland, because 16 conceded goals in 30 games is a very good indicator. It’s not surprising after all, as Brann recently played for the Elite Series and even had some modest success in the Eurocups. The team is actively looking to bounce back, believing they don’t belong in the first division at all.
The fate of Grorud and Schjørdals, on the other hand, is unenviable. Most likely they will make a trip to the second division. Especially Skjordals, who have conceded a record number of goals. And who will keep him company: Asane, Schaid or Grorud is not quite clear yet. A very shaky position for Asane, who although not in the relegation group, is conceding too much to feel confident.
What is the outlook for the first division as a whole?
It is noteworthy that the first division in Norway is quite a serious force, which is not the case in other European countries. Almost all the players here are professionals. It is also worth noting that in the first division there are very few foreigners, almost all the players are Norwegian.
That’s probably why the country’s inhabitants love the league so much. Even the most mediocre teams always play with full stands. This is also evident from the fact that the clubs always have good sponsors. And since 2015, the league has even changed its name after its sponsor, the construction company OBOS.
There are many strong mid-table clubs in the first league. Some of them have a very long history. For example Brann, the club that now leads the league, was founded in 1908. Now it has a 17,000-seat stadium and plenty of fans. The club has won the Norwegian Cup six times and has featured in the top division three times.
Despite the fact that many people regard England as the home of football, some Norwegian clubs are not inferior to English clubs in terms of foundation date, football style and the support of their fans. Football in Norway is a vibrant and red-hot sporting event.