Allsvenskan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Countries | Sweden |
|---|---|
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Founded | 1924 |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Relegation to | Superettan |
| Domestic cup(s) | Svenska Cupen |
| International cup(s) | Champions League Europa League |
| Current champions | Kalmar FF (2008) |
| Most championships | Malmö FF (18 titles) |
| TV partners | TV4 Group |
| Website | Allsvenskan |
 Allsvenskan 2009 |
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Allsvenskan (literally, "The All Swedish") is the highest league in the league system of Swedish football. The league was created in 1924. Before that, the top league in Sweden had been called Svenska Serien. Since 2008 season 16 teams have taken part instead of 14 previously.
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[edit] Status
The winners of Allsvenskan are considered Swedish Champions since 1931. The winners of Allsvenskan before that, between 1924 and 1930, were only considered league winners. The same is true for the years 1982 through 1990 when the champions were decided through play-offs and 1991–1992 when the champions were decided through a continuation league called Mästerskapsserien.
[edit] The competition
There are 16 clubs in Allsvenskan, increased from 14 participants from 2008 onwards. During the course of a season (starting in March and ending in October) each club plays the others twice (home and away) for a total of 30 games. The two lowest placed teams at the end of the season are relegated to Superettan and the top two teams from Superettan were promoted in their place. The third lowest team in Allsvenskan plays a relegation/promotion play-off against the third placed team in Superettan.
The winners of Allsvenskan qualify for the UEFA Champions League, and enters the competition at the first qualifying round. The runner-up team qualify for the UEFA Cup, and enters the competition at the first qualifying round. The third placed team enters the UEFA Intertoto Cup. This also depends on which team wins Svenska Cupen, as that team is assured a place in the UEFA Cup. Since the start of Royal League in 2004, the four top placed teams enter that tournament together with four teams from Norway and four from Denmark.
[edit] UEFA rankings
UEFA Country Ranking as of May 21 2008, for league participation in 2009-10 European football season (Previous year rank in italics)
- 21
(20) 
Serbian League - 22 (19)
Israeli League - 23
(28) 
Swedish League - 24 (25)
Slovakian League - 25 (23)
Polish League
[edit] Television
The Swiss corporation Kentaro has since 2006[1] owned the TV rights for Allsvenskan, through licence agreements with broadcasters matches are aired through, C More Entertainment, owns the rights to most matches and broadcasts them through their main channel CANAL+ and the pay-per-view package "Season ticket" (Säsongskortet) and TV4 who before the 2008 season the rights for 14 games which airs on TV4. But with the expansion of Allsvenskan to the 2008 season with two teams, Kentaro sold TV4 the rights to 36 extra matches to be aired on TV4 Sport, this has led to a lawsuit from C More Entertainment suing Kentaro over the rights for the new matches, the case has at the moment has been appealed to the Supreme Court of Sweden, the verdict from the Court of Appeal was in C More Entertainment's favour[2].
[edit] Current clubs
| Club |
Last season | First season in league |
First season of current spell |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIK* | 5th | 1924-25 | 2006 |
| IF Brommapojkarna | 3rd (in Superettan) | 2007 | 2009 |
| Djurgårdens IF | 12th | 1927-28 | 2001 |
| IF Elfsborg | 2nd | 1926-27 | 1997 |
| GAIS* | 11th | 1924-25 | 2006 |
| Gefle IF | 13th | 1933-34 | 2005 |
| IFK Göteborg* | 3rd | 1924-25 | 1977 |
| Halmstads BK | 8th | 1933-34 | 1993 |
| Hammarby IF* | 9th | 1924-25 | 1998 |
| Helsingborgs IF* | 4th | 1924-25 | 1993 |
| BK Häcken | 2nd (in Superettan) | 1983 | 2009 |
| Kalmar FF | 1st | 1949-50 | 2004 |
| Malmö FF | 6th | 1931-32 | 2001 |
| Trelleborgs FF | 10th | 1985 | 2007 |
| Örebro SK | 7th | 1946-47 | 2007 |
| Örgryte IS* | 1st (in Superettan) | 1924-25 | 2009 |
- * Participated in the first Allsvenskan.
[edit] Stadiums
| Club | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| AIK | Råsunda | 36,608 |
| Brommapojkarna | Grimsta IP | 8,000 |
| Djurgården | Stockholms Stadion | 14,417 |
| Elfsborg | Borås Arena | 17,800 |
| GAIS | Gamla Ullevi | 18,800 |
| Gefle | Strömvallen | 7,200 |
| IFK Göteborg | Gamla Ullevi | 18,800 |
| Halmstad | Örjans Vall | 15,500 |
| Hammarby | Söderstadion | 16,197 |
| Helsingborg | Olympia | 17,100 |
| Häcken | Rambergsvallen | 8,480 |
| Kalmar | Fredriksskans | 8,973 |
| Malmö | Swedbank Stadion | 24,000 |
| Trelleborg | Vångavallen | 10,000 |
| Örebro | Behrn Arena | 14,500 |
| Örgryte | Gamla Ullevi | 18,800 |
[edit] Previous winners
[edit] Swedish champions
| Titles | Club |
|---|---|
| 18 | IFK Göteborg |
| 15 | Malmö FF |
| 12 | IFK Norrköping |
| 12 | Örgryte IS |
| 11 | Djurgårdens IF |
| 10 | AIK |
| 5 | IF Elfsborg |
| 4 | GAIS |
| 4 | Halmstads BK |
| 4 | Helsingborgs IF |
| 4 | Östers IF |
| 2 | Åtvidabergs FF |
| 1 | Brynäs IF |
| 1 | IFK Eskilstuna |
| 1 | Fässbergs IF |
| 1 | Göteborgs IF |
| 1 | Hammarby IF |
| 1 | IK Sleipner |
| 1 | Kalmar FF |
[edit] League winners
| Titles | Club |
|---|---|
| 18 | Malmö FF |
| 13 | IFK Göteborg |
| 12 | IFK Norrköping |
| 7 | Djurgårdens IF |
| 6 | Helsingborgs IF |
| 5 | IF Elfsborg |
| 4 | AIK |
| 4 | GAIS |
| 4 | Halmstads BK |
| 4 | Östers IF |
| 2 | Åtvidabergs FF |
| 2 | Örgryte IS |
| 1 | Hammarby IF |
| 1 | IK Sleipner |
| 1 | Kalmar FF |
[edit] Total league winners by town or city
| Town or city | Number of league wins | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Gothenburg |
|
IFK Göteborg (13), GAIS (4) Örgryte IS (1) |
| Malmö |
|
Malmö FF (18) |
| Norrköping |
|
IFK Norrköping (13), IK Sleipner (1) |
| Stockholm |
|
Djurgårdens IF (7), AIK (4), Hammarby IF (1) |
| Helsingborg |
|
Helsingborgs IF (6) |
| Borås |
|
IF Elfsborg (5) |
| Halmstad |
|
Halmstads BK (4) |
| Växjö |
|
Östers IF (4) |
| Åtvidaberg |
|
Åtvidabergs FF (2) |
| Kalmar |
|
Kalmar FF (1) |
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Tar kameran – med våld" (in Swedish). 2008-04-26. http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/allsvenskan/article2353890.ab. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ "TV4 riskerar miljonsmäll" (in Swedish). 2008-04-26. http://www.svd.se/sportspel/nyheter/artikel_1182375.svd. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
