Danish football league system
The Danish football league system, also known as the football league pyramid, refers to the hierarchically interconnected league structure for association football in Denmark, in which all divisions are bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. Within men's association football, the top two professional levels contain one division each. Below this, the semi-professional and amateur levels have progressively more parallel divisions, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas. The top four tiers are classed as nationwide, while the fifth tier and below are classed provincial leagues. Teams that finish at the top of their division at the end of each season can rise higher in the pyramid, while those that finish at the bottom find themselves sinking further down. In theory it is possible for even the lowest local amateur club to rise to the top of the system and become Danish football champions one day. The number of teams promoted and relegated between the divisions varies, and promotion to the upper levels of the pyramid is usually contingent on meeting additional criteria, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.
The league system is held under the jurisdiction of the Danish FA, Divisionsforeningen and its six regional associations. Dansk Arbejder Idrætsforbund run a separate league system for their members. The men's senior league system excludes parallel leagues such as the Reserveliga, which runs in conjunction with primarily the Superliga as a national youth developmental and reserve league. The pyramid for women's football in Denmark runs separately with fewer divisions and levels. The women's top-flight league is semi-professional and additional criteria apply, the higher the team is placed in the league system.
Current structure
Men's league system
The Danish football league system is held under the jurisdiction of the national Danish Football Association and its professional body Divisionsforeningen, along with its six regional associations. On top of the hierarchical system sit the level one Superliga, the level two 1. division and the level three 2. division, collectively known as the Danmarksturneringen i fodbold and referred to as divisionerne, organised by the Divisionsforeningen. The top-flight league is professional, while the second-tier league consists primarily of professional and semi-professional teams, with the third-tier being a semi-professional league consisting of primarily semi-professional and amateur teams with some professional teams. The three top levels then are followed by the level four Danmarksserien, the lowest league classed as nationwide and the highest fully amateur league, operated by the Danish FA itself. The fourth level and below are collectively referred to as serierne. At the fifth level, four parallel regional leagues are operated by four regional football associations, some of which have multiple divisions. The regional associations are divided by geographical boundaries.The number of promotions and regulations between the highest regional leagues and below are dependent on the number of regional clubs regulated from the fourth tier. This also includes forced regulations of reserve teams, when the first team is being relegated to a lower level with their reserve team present. Reserve teams and mother clubs to superstructures are not allowed in the first three levels. The Reserveliga was created as a parallel competition outside of the league structure to run in conjunction with primarily the Superliga as a national youth developmental and reserve league. A separate league system exist, consisting of amateur clubs, and governed by the Dansk Arbejder Idrætsforbund.
The table below illustrates the current structure of the system. For each league, its official name in Danish and number of divisions and clubs is given. Each division promotes to the league that lie directly above it and relegates to the league that lie directly below it.
Women's league system
The six levels of women's football in Denmark are structured as follows. For each league, its official name in Danish and number of divisions and clubs is given. Each division promotes to the league that lie directly above it and relegates to the league that lie directly below it.
System by period
Men's league history
The first domestic club league was established in 1889 with the foundation of the Fodboldturneringen, comprising seven amateur clubs exclusively based in Copenhagen, deciding the Copenhagen Football Championship and governed by the Danish Football Association. In the following years, several regional league structures emerged with the establishment of the regional football associations. Five of the newly founded provincial football associations, Jutland FA, Zealand FA, Funen FA, Lolland-Falster FA and Bornholm FA, became part of the Danish Football Association. With the formation of a regional FA for the capital city in 1903, the administration of the Copenhagen Football League was transferred to the Copenhagen FA. These six regional football competitions were the top-flight leagues, determining the regional club football championship. Between 1912 and 1927, the Danish football championship was determined via a play-off cup tournament at the end of the season, known as the Landsfodboldturneringen].The first nationwide championship league competition, known as the Danmarksmesterskabsturneringen, had its inaugural season in 1927–28, and the tournament expanded two years later with a secondary national league. There was no avenue for progression between the national top-flight tournament and regional leagues until 1936, where the best clubs were permanently moved out of the highest regional championship leagues. From 1927 to 1935 the Danish league pyramid had two simultaneous and independent pyramids, the national pyramid, and the regional pyramid, and the best clubs were playing in both pyramids. The national league structure was reconstructed after World War II with the formation of three nationwide leagues with an equal amount of clubs and matches. The current interconnected league system has been in place since 2004, when the regional leagues were reorganised. Professionalism in Danish football was introduced in 1978, but was restricted to the top three levels. In 1986, Brøndby IF became the first Danish club with a squad of full time professional players contracts and the first to be listed on the stock exchange in 1987.
Men's league timeline
The timeline below lists the evolution of the men's tiers and leagues related to the Danish FA and DBU Copenhagen since 1889. Excluded are Landsfodboldturneringen and Kvalifikations-Cupturneringen, which were end-of-the season cup tournaments, and the first seasons of Kvalifikationsturneringen was a qualification tournament held at the end of the season.DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
ImageSize = width:1500 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1889 till:2025
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
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id:line value:pink
id:bg value:white
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id:tier4 value:skyblue legend:Tier-4
id:tier5 value:coral legend:Tier-5
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id:tier7 value:lavender legend:Tier-7
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id:tier9 value:rgb legend:Tier-9
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bar:2 color:tier1 from:01/07/1929 till:30/06/1940 text:Mesterskabsserien
bar:3 color:tier1 from:01/07/1940 till:30/06/1945 text:Danmarksturneringen
bar:4 color:tier1 from:01/07/1945 till:31/12/1990 text:1. division
bar:5 color:tier1 from:01/01/1991 till:end text:Superligaen
bar:6 color:tier2 from:01/07/1929 till:30/06/1936 text:Oprykningsserien
bar:7 color:tier2 from:01/07/1936 till:30/06/1940 text:2. Serie
bar:8 color:tier2 from:01/07/1945 till:31/12/1990 text:2. division
bar:9 color:tier2 from:01/01/1992 till:30/06/1992 text:
bar:9 color:tier2 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/1993 text:
bar:9 color:tier2 from:01/01/1994 till:30/06/1994 text:
bar:9 color:tier2 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text: Kvalifikationsligaen
bar:10 color:tier2 from:01/01/1991 till:31/12/1991 text:1. division
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bar:11 color:tier3 from:01/07/1936 till:31/12/1940 text:3. Serie
bar:12 color:tier3 from:01/07/1945 till:31/12/1990 text:3. division
bar:13 color:tier3 from:01/01/1991 till:31/12/1991 text:2. division
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bar:13 color:tier4 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text:
bar:13 color:tier3 from:01/07/1995 till:30/06/2021 text:
bar:14 color:tier3 from:01/07/2021 till:end text:New unnamed division
bar:15 color:tier4 from:01/07/2021 till:end text:New unnamed division
bar:16 color:tier4 from:01/01/1998 till:30/06/2000 text:Kvalifikationsrækken
bar:17 color:tier4 from:01/01/1959 till:31/12/1965 text:Kvalifikationsturneringen
bar:18 color:tier4 from:01/01/1966 till:31/12/1991 text:Danmarksserien
bar:18 color:tier5 from:01/01/1992 till:30/06/1992 text:
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bar:18 color:tier5 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/1993 text:
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bar:18 color:tier5 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text:
bar:18 color:tier4 from:01/07/1995 till:31/12/1997 text:
bar:18 color:tier5 from:01/01/1998 till:30/06/2000 text:
bar:18 color:tier4 from:01/07/2000 till:30/06/2021 text:
bar:18 color:tier5 from:01/07/2021 till:end text:
bar:19 color:tier5 from:01/07/2000 till:30/06/2008 text:Danmarksseriens Kvalifikationsrække
bar:20 color:tier1 from:01/07/1889 till:30/06/1906 text:Fodboldturneringen
bar:20 color:tier1 from:01/07/1906 till:30/06/1920 text:KBUs A-række
bar:20 color:tier1 from:01/07/1920 till:30/06/1927 text:KBUs Mesterskabsrække
bar:20 color:tier2 from:01/07/1927 till:30/06/1929 text:
bar:20 color:tier3 from:01/07/1929 till:30/06/1936 text:
bar:21 color:tier4 from:01/07/1936 till:30/06/1940 text:KBUs A-række
bar:21 color:tier2 from:01/07/1940 till:30/06/1945 text:
bar:21 color:tier4 from:01/07/1945 till:30/06/1947 text:
bar:22 color:tier4 from:01/07/1947 till:31/12/1958 text:Københavnsserien A & B
bar:22 color:tier5 from:01/01/1959 till:31/12/1977 text:
bar:23 color:tier5 from:01/01/1978 till:31/12/1991 text:Københavnsserien
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bar:23 color:tier6 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/1993 text:
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bar:23 color:tier6 from:01/01/1994 till:30/06/1994 text:
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bar:23 color:tier6 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text:
bar:23 color:tier5 from:01/07/1995 till:30/12/1997 text:
bar:23 color:tier6 from:01/01/1998 till:30/06/2008 text:
bar:23 color:tier5 from:01/07/2008 till:30/06/2021 text:
bar:23 color:tier6 from:01/07/2021 till:end text:
bar:24 color:tier2 from:01/07/1903 till:30/06/1906 text:KBUs Række II
bar:25 color:tier2 from:01/07/1906 till:30/06/1920 text:KBUs B-række
bar:25 color:tier2 from:01/07/1920 till:30/06/1927 text:KBUs A-række
bar:25 color:tier3 from:01/07/1927 till:30/06/1929 text:
bar:25 color:tier4 from:01/07/1929 till:30/06/1936 text:
bar:26 color:tier5 from:01/07/1936 till:30/06/1940 text:KBUs B-række
bar:26 color:tier3 from:01/07/1940 till:30/06/1945 text:
bar:26 color:tier5 from:01/07/1945 till:30/06/1947 text:
bar:27 color:tier5 from:01/07/1947 till:31/12/1958 text:KBUs Mellemrække
bar:27 color:tier6 from:01/01/1959 till:31/12/1984 text:
bar:28 color:tier6 from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1991 text:KBUs Serie 1
bar:28 color:tier7 from:01/01/1992 till:30/06/1992 text:
bar:28 color:tier6 from:01/07/1992 till:30/12/1992 text:
bar:28 color:tier7 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/1993 text:
bar:28 color:tier6 from:01/07/1993 till:30/12/1993 text:
bar:28 color:tier7 from:01/01/1994 till:30/06/1994 text:
bar:28 color:tier6 from:01/07/1994 till:30/12/1994 text:
bar:28 color:tier7 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text:
bar:28 color:tier6 from:01/07/1995 till:30/12/1997 text:
bar:28 color:tier7 from:01/01/1998 till:30/06/2008 text:
bar:28 color:tier6 from:01/07/2008 till:31/01/2011 text:
bar:28 color:tier6 from:01/02/2011 till:30/06/2021 text:DBU Københavns Serie 1
bar:28 color:tier7 from:01/07/2021 till:end text:
bar:29 color:tier3 from:01/07/1904 till:30/06/1905 text:KBUs Række III
bar:30 color:tier3 from:01/07/1920 till:30/06/1921 text:KBUs Deltagerturnering & KBUs Forstadsturnering
bar:31 color:tier3 from:01/07/1921 till:30/06/1927 text:KBUs B-række
bar:31 color:tier4 from:01/07/1927 till:30/06/1929 text:
bar:31 color:tier5 from:01/07/1929 till:30/06/1936 text:
bar:32 color:tier4 from:01/07/1944 till:30/06/1945 text:KBUs C-række
bar:32 color:tier6 from:01/07/1945 till:30/06/1947 text:
bar:33 color:tier6 from:01/07/1947 till:31/12/1958 text:KBUs A-række
bar:33 color:tier7 from:01/01/1959 till:31/12/1984 text:
bar:34 color:tier7 from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1991 text:KBUs Serie 2
bar:34 color:tier8 from:01/01/1992 till:30/06/1992 text:
bar:34 color:tier7 from:01/07/1992 till:30/12/1992 text:
bar:34 color:tier8 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/1993 text:
bar:34 color:tier7 from:01/07/1993 till:30/12/1993 text:
bar:34 color:tier8 from:01/01/1994 till:30/06/1994 text:
bar:34 color:tier7 from:01/07/1994 till:30/12/1994 text:
bar:34 color:tier8 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text:
bar:34 color:tier7 from:01/07/1995 till:30/12/1997 text:
bar:34 color:tier8 from:01/01/1998 till:30/06/2008 text:
bar:34 color:tier7 from:01/07/2008 till:31/01/2011 text:
bar:34 color:tier7 from:01/02/2011 till:30/06/2021 text:DBU Københavns Serie 2
bar:34 color:tier8 from:01/07/2021 till:end text:
bar:35 color:tier4 from:01/07/1921 till:30/06/1923 text:KBUs C-række
bar:36 color:tier7 from:01/07/1947 till:31/12/1958 text:KBUs B-række
bar:36 color:tier8 from:01/01/1959 till:31/12/1984 text:
bar:37 color:tier8 from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1991 text:KBUs Serie 3
bar:37 color:tier9 from:01/01/1992 till:30/06/1992 text:
bar:37 color:tier8 from:01/07/1992 till:30/12/1992 text:
bar:37 color:tier9 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/1993 text:
bar:37 color:tier8 from:01/07/1993 till:30/12/1993 text:
bar:37 color:tier9 from:01/01/1994 till:30/06/1994 text:
bar:37 color:tier8 from:01/07/1994 till:30/12/1994 text:
bar:37 color:tier9 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text:
bar:37 color:tier8 from:01/07/1995 till:30/12/1997 text:
bar:37 color:tier9 from:01/01/1998 till:30/06/2008 text:
bar:37 color:tier8 from:01/07/2008 till:31/01/2011 text:
bar:37 color:tier8 from:01/02/2011 till:30/06/2021 text:DBU Københavns Serie 3
bar:37 color:tier9 from:01/07/2021 till:end text:
bar:38 color:tier8 from:01/07/1949 till:31/12/1958 text:KBUs C-række
bar:38 color:tier9 from:01/01/1959 till:31/12/1984 text:
bar:39 color:tier9 from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1991 text:KBUs Serie 4
bar:39 color:tier10 from:01/01/1992 till:30/06/1992 text:
bar:39 color:tier9 from:01/07/1992 till:30/12/1992 text:
bar:39 color:tier10 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/1993 text:
bar:39 color:tier9 from:01/07/1993 till:30/12/1993 text:
bar:39 color:tier10 from:01/01/1994 till:30/06/1994 text:
bar:39 color:tier9 from:01/07/1994 till:30/12/1994 text:
bar:39 color:tier10 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text:
bar:39 color:tier9 from:01/07/1995 till:30/12/1997 text:
bar:39 color:tier10 from:01/01/1998 till:30/06/2008 text:
bar:39 color:tier9 from:01/07/2008 till:31/01/2011 text:
bar:39 color:tier9 from:01/02/2011 till:30/06/2021 text:DBU Københavns Serie 4
bar:39 color:tier10 from:01/07/2021 till:end text:
bar:40 color:tier10 from:01/01/1977 till:31/12/1984 text:KBUs D-række
bar:41 color:tier10 from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1991 text:KBUs Serie 5
bar:41 color:tier11 from:01/01/1992 till:30/06/1992 text:
bar:41 color:tier10 from:01/07/1992 till:30/12/1992 text:
bar:41 color:tier11 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/1993 text:
bar:41 color:tier10 from:01/07/1993 till:30/12/1993 text:
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bar:41 color:tier11 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text:
bar:41 color:tier10 from:01/07/1995 till:30/12/1997 text:
bar:41 color:tier11 from:01/01/1998 till:30/06/2008 text:
bar:41 color:tier10 from:01/07/2008 till:31/01/2011 text:
bar:41 color:tier10 from:01/02/2011 till:30/06/2021 text:DBU Københavns Serie 5
bar:41 color:tier11 from:01/07/2021 till:end text:
bar:42 color:tier11 from:01/01/1983 till:31/12/1983 text:KBUs E-række
bar:43 color:tier11 from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1991 text:KBUs Serie 6
bar:43 color:tier12 from:01/01/1992 till:30/06/1992 text:
bar:43 color:tier11 from:01/07/1992 till:30/12/1992 text:
bar:43 color:tier12 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/1993 text:
bar:43 color:tier11 from:01/07/1993 till:30/12/1993 text:
bar:43 color:tier12 from:01/01/1994 till:30/06/1994 text:
bar:43 color:tier11 from:01/07/1994 till:30/12/1994 text:
bar:43 color:tier12 from:01/01/1995 till:30/06/1995 text:
bar:43 color:tier11 from:01/07/1995 till:30/12/1997 text:
bar:43 color:tier12 from:01/01/1998 till:31/12/2000 text:
bar:44 color:tier12 from:01/01/1990 till:31/12/1991 text:KBUs Serie 7
bar:44 color:tier13 from:01/01/1992 till:30/06/1992 text:
bar:44 color:tier12 from:01/07/1992 till:30/12/1992 text:
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Source:
Women's league timeline
The timeline below lists the evolution of the women's tiers and leagues related to the Danish FA and DBU Copenhagen, specifically the women's association football being administrated by the Danish FA since 1972. Excluded are the women's national championship in the first two seasons, which were end-of-the season cup tournaments.DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
ImageSize = width:1500 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1889 till:2025
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = left:20 right:150 bottom:50 top:20
Legend = left:20 top:20 columnwidth:50
Colors = id:barcolor
id:line value:pink
id:bg value:white
id:tier1 value:dullyellow legend:Tier-1
id:tier2 value:gray legend:Tier-2
id:tier3 value:yellow2 legend:Tier-3
id:tier4 value:skyblue legend:Tier-4
id:tier5 value:coral legend:Tier-5
id:tier6 value:yellowgreen legend:Tier-6
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width:15 textcolor:black shift: anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:tier1 from:01/01/1975 till:31/12/1980 text:Danmarksturneringen for damer
bar:2 color:tier1 from:01/01/1981 till:31/12/1992 text:Dame 1. division
bar:3 color:tier1 from:01/01/1993 till:30/06/2019 text:Elitedivisionen
bar:4 color:tier1 from:01/07/2019 till:end text:Kvindeligaen
bar:5 color:tier2 from:01/01/1993 till:31/12/2003 text:Dame 1. division
bar:6 color:tier2 from:01/01/2004 till:end text:Kvinde 1. division
bar:7 color:tier2 from:01/01/1981 till:31/12/1992 text:Dame Danmarksserien
bar:7 color:tier3 from:01/01/1993 till:31/12/2003 text:
bar:8 color:tier3 from:01/01/2004 till:30/06/2013 text:Kvinde Danmarksserien
bar:9 color:tier3 from:01/07/2013 till:end text:Kvindeserien
bar:10 color:tier1 from:01/01/1972 till:31/12/1974 text:KBUs Serie I
bar:10 color:tier2 from:01/01/1975 till:31/12/1980 text:
bar:10 color:tier3 from:01/01/1981 till:31/12/1984 text:
bar:11 color:tier3 from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1992 text:Dame Københavnsserien
bar:11 color:tier4 from:01/01/1993 till:31/12/2003 text:
bar:12 color:tier4 from:01/01/2004 till:30/06/2019 text:Kvinde Københavnsserien
bar:12 color:tier4 from:01/07/2019 till:end text:
bar:13 color:tier2 from:01/01/1972 till:31/12/1974 text:KBUs Serie II
bar:13 color:tier3 from:01/01/1975 till:31/12/1978 text:
bar:13 color:tier3 from:01/01/1980 till:31/12/1980 text:
bar:13 color:tier4 from:01/01/1981 till:31/12/1984 text:
bar:14 color:tier4 from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1992 text:KBUs Dame Serie 1
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bar:15 color:tier5 from:01/01/2004 till:31/01/2011 text:KBUs Kvinde Serie 1
bar:16 color:tier5 from:01/02/2011 till:30/06/2019 text:DBU Københavns Kvinde Serie 1
bar:16 color:tier5 from:01/07/2019 till:end text:
bar:17 color:tier5 from:01/01/1983 till:31/12/1984 text:KBUs Serie III
bar:18 color:tier5 from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1992 text:KBUs Dame Serie 2
bar:18 color:tier6 from:01/01/1993 till:31/12/1994 text:
bar:18 color:tier6 from:01/01/1996 till:31/12/1997 text:
bar:19 color:tier6 from:01/07/2005 till:31/01/2011 text:KBUs Kvinde Serie 2
bar:20 color:tier6 from:01/02/2011 till:30/06/2019 text:DBU Københavns Kvinde Serie 2
bar:20 color:tier6 from:01/07/2019 till:end text:
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Source: