Danish 1st Division

1. division
Country Denmark
Confederation UEFA
Founded 1945
Number of teams 12
Level on pyramid 2
Promotion to Superliga
Relegation to 2nd Divisions
Domestic cup(s) Danish Cup
Current champions Viborg FF
(2014–15)
TV partners TV3 Sport
Website 1-division.dk
2015–16 Danish 1st Division

The Danish 1st Division, called bet25 Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the name of the second highest football league in Denmark. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark. With the formation of the Danish Superliga, the second tier of Danish football became the 1st Division. While all the teams in the Superliga are full-time professional the 1.division has a mixture of full-time professional and semi-professional teams.

The top-ranking teams each year win promotion to the Superliga, while the bottom finishers get relegated to the Danish 2nd Divisions.

TV3 Sport 1 broadcasts one match per week from the league.

History

After World War II the format of the top-flight football division in Denmark, the "Championship League", where reverted with the tournament now named the "1st Division".[1] There were 10 teams in the top division once again, playing each other twice, with the lowest team being relegated.[2] The 1953–54 season saw the first non-Copenhagen team win the Danish championship, when Køge Boldklub won the title.[3] The championship title was not reclaimed by a Copenhagen team in more than ten years, until Akademisk Boldklub (AB) won the 1967 season.

From 1958, the Danish championship was arranged through one calendar year,[1] and the 1956–57 season lasted 18 months with the teams playing each other thrice for a 27 games total.[4] From 1958 to 1974, the tournament was expanded to 12 teams,[1] playing each other twice for 22 games per season each, but now the bottom two teams faced relegation.[5] The number of teams was increased to 16 for the 1975 season,[1] which resulted in 30 games per season.[6] In 1986, the number of participants was altered once more, this time decreasing the number of teams to 14,[1] and the number of games to 26.[7]

Former 1st Division sponsors and logos
Faxe Kondi Divisionen logo
Faxe Kondi Divisionen (1996–2001) 
Viasat Sport Divisionen logo
Viasat Sport Divisionen (2004–2007) 
Viasat Divisionen logo
Viasat Divisionen logo (2007–2010) 
First Division logo
Sponsorless First Division logo (2011-1 January 2012) 

In 1991, the Danish Superliga was created.[1] This meant the 1st Division became the second highest league. Together with the Superliga introduction the best Danish leagues changed back to autumn-spring seasons.

In 1996, the 1st Division had its first name sponsor, as the league received the official name "Faxe Kondi Divisionen" after main sponsor Faxe Brewery. The sponsor deal ended in 2001, but from 2004 to mid-2007 it was named "Viasat Sport Divisionen". The "Sport" was omitted upon the closing of the Viasat Sport-channels in Denmark, and the opening of TV 2 Sport. The sponsorship finally ended prior to the start of the 2010–11 season.

Current Teams (2015–16)

Club
Finishing position
last season
First season of
current spell in
1st Division
AC Horsens6th2013–14
FC Fredericia10th2001–02
FC Helsingør1st in 2nd Division East2015–16
FC Roskilde9th2014–15
FC Vestsjælland11th in Superliga2015–16
HB Køge7th2012–13
Lyngby BK3rd2012–13
Næstved BK1st in 2nd Division West2015–16
Silkeborg IF12th in Superliga2015–16
Skive IK8th2014–15
Vejle BK5th2009–10
Vendsyssel FF4th2010–11

Previous winners

SeasonWinner
1945–46B93 (1)
1946–47AB (1)
1947–48KB (1)
1948–49KB (2)
1949–50KB (3)
1950–51AB (2)
1951–52AB (3)
1952–53KB (4)
1953–54Køge BK (1)
1954–55AGF (1)
1955–56AGF (2)
1956–57AGF (3)
1958Vejle Boldklub (1)
1959B1909 (1)
1960AGF (4)
1961Esbjerg fB (1)
1962Esbjerg fB (2)
1963Esbjerg fB (3)
1964B1909 (2)
1965Esbjerg fB (4)
1966Hvidovre IF (1)
1967AB (4)
1968KB (5)
1969B1903 (1)
1970B1903 (2)
1971Vejle Boldklub (2)
1972Vejle Boldklub (3)
1973Hvidovre IF (2)
1974KB (6)
1975Køge BK (2)
1976B1903 (3)
1977OB (1)
1978Vejle Boldklub (3)
1979Esbjerg fB (5)
1980KB (7)
1981Hvidovre IF (3)
1982OB (2)
1983Lyngby BK (1)
1984Vejle Boldklub (4)

SeasonWinner
1985Brøndby IF (1)
1986AGF (5)
1987Brøndby IF (2)
1988Brøndby IF (3)
1989OB (3)
1990Brøndby IF (4)
1991Næstved IF (1)
Autumn 1991Viborg FF (1)
Spring 1992Brønshøj BK (1)
Autumn 1992Esbjerg fB (6)
Spring 1993Horsens fS (1)
Autumn 1993Vejle Boldklub (5)
Spring 1994B93 (2)
Autumn 1994Viborg FF (2)
Spring 1995Esbjerg fB (7)
1995–96Hvidovre IF (4)
1996–97Ikast FS (1)
1997–98Viborg FF (3)
1998–99OB (4)
1999-00FC Midtjylland (1)
2000–01Esbjerg fB (8)
2001–02Køge BK (3)
2002–03Herfølge BK (1)
2003–04Silkeborg IF (1)
2004–05SønderjyskE (1)
2005–06Vejle Boldklub (6)
2006–07Lyngby BK (2)
2007–08Vejle Boldklub (7)
2008–09Herfølge BK (2)
2009–10AC Horsens (2)
2010-11AGF (6)
2011–12Esbjerg fB (9)
2012–13Viborg FF (4)
2013–14Silkeborg IF (2)
2014–15Viborg FF (5)

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Historien om Danmarksmesterskabet i fodbold" (in Danish). Danish Football Association. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  2. "Danmarksturneringen 1945 – 46". Peders fodboldstatistik. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  3. "Køges første DM-titel blev til på "Ungarsk Rapsodi"" (in Danish). Køge Boldklub. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  4. "Danmarksturneringen 1956 – 57". Peders fodboldstatistik. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  5. "Danmarksturneringen 1958". Peders fodboldstatistik. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  6. "Danmarksturneringen 1975". Peders fodboldstatistik. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  7. "Danmarksturneringen 1986". Peders fodboldstatistik. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
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