Danish 1st Division

1. Division
Country	Denmark
Confederation	UEFA
Founded	1945
Number of teams	12 (from 2012–13)
Promotion to	Superliga
Relegation to	2nd Division
Levels on pyramid	2
Domestic cup(s)	Danish Cup
UEFA cup(s)	Europa Conference League (via domestic cup)
Current champions	Vejle Boldklub (2022–23)
TV	TV3 Sport
Website	Official website
2023–24

The 1st Division (1. Division) is the second highest football league in Denmark, also known as NordicBet Liga for sponsorship reasons. From 1945 to 1991 the 1. Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark. With the formation of the Danish Superliga, the 1st Division became the second tier of Danish football. 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 Division.

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". There were 10 teams in the top division once again, playing each other twice, with the lowest team being relegated. The 1953–54 season saw the first non-Copenhagen team win the Danish championship, when Køge Boldklub won the title. 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, and the 1956–57 season lasted 18 months with the teams playing each other thrice for a 27 games total. From 1958 to 1974, the tournament was expanded to 12 teams, playing each other twice for 22 games per season each, but now the bottom two teams faced relegation. The number of teams was increased to 16 for the 1975 season, which resulted in 30 games per season. In 1986, the number of participants was altered once more, this time decreasing the number of teams to 14, and the number of games to 26.

In 1991, the Danish Superliga was created. 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.

Former 1st Division sponsors and logos:

Current teams (2023–24)

Club	Finishing position last season	First season of current spell in 1st Division
FC Fredericia	5th	2001–02
FC Helsingør	4th	2020–21
Fremad Amager	10th	2016–17
HB Køge	7th	2012–13
Hillerød	2nd in 2nd Division	2022–23
Hobro IK	8th	2020–21
Næstved BK	1st in 2nd Division	2022–23
Hvidovre IF	3rd	2018–19
Nykøbing FC	6th	2021–22
SønderjyskE	12th in Superliga	2022–23
Vejle BK	11th in Superliga	2022–23
Vendsyssel FF	9th	2019–20

Previous winners

First tier until 1990, then second tier

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

Season Winner 1985 Brøndby IF (1) 1986 AGF (5) 1987 Brøndby IF (2) 1988 Brøndby IF (3) 1989 OB (3) 1990 Brøndby IF (4) 1991 Næstved IF (1) Autumn 1991 Viborg FF (1) Spring 1992 Brønshøj BK (1) Autumn 1992 Esbjerg fB (6) Spring 1993 Horsens fS (1) Autumn 1993 Vejle Boldklub (5) Spring 1994 B93 (2) Autumn 1994 Viborg FF (2) Spring 1995 Esbjerg fB (7) 1995–96 Hvidovre IF (4) 1996–97 Ikast FS (1) 1997–98 Viborg FF (3) 1998–99 OB (4) 1999-00 FC Midtjylland (1) 2000–01 Esbjerg fB (8) 2001–02 Køge BK (3) 2002–03 Herfølge BK (1) 2003–04 Silkeborg IF (1) 2004–05 SønderjyskE (1) 2005–06 Vejle Boldklub (6) 2006–07 Lyngby BK (2) 2007–08 Vejle Boldklub (7) 2008–09 Herfølge BK (2) 2009–10 AC Horsens (2) 2010-11 AGF (6) 2011–12 Esbjerg fB (9) 2012–13 Viborg FF (4) 2013–14 Silkeborg IF (2) 2014–15 Viborg FF (5) 2015–16 Lyngby BK (3) 2016–17 Hobro IK (1) 2017–18 Vejle Boldklub (8)

External links

Official website (Danish)