Eliteserien

The Norwegian Premier League is the top football league division in Norway. Its official Norwegian name is Tippeligaen ("the betting league", due to the league being sponsored by Norsk Tipping ("Norwegian Betting"), a bookmaking company), and has been so since 1991. It is also colloquially known as Eliteserien ("the league of the elite"), and even though this name has never been an official name, the two are used equally often. Between 1963 and 1990, the league's name was 1. division ("the first division", the name that was later used for the second level league of Norwegian football, before this league changed its name to Adeccoligaen in 2005). From the fall of 1948 to 1962 it was called Hovedserien ("the main league"), and between 1937 and the summer of 1948 it was called Norgesserien ("Norway's league").

The Norwegian Premier League consists of 14 teams that play each other twice (home and away) during a season which lasts from April until October.

Teams are ranked by

• Number of points (3 points per win, 1 point per draw). If two teams are tied they are ranked by

• Goal difference (Goals scored during the season - goals conceded). If this is also tied the teams are ranked by

• Goals scored, and finally

• Results between the tied teams.

The two worst ranked teams at the end of the season are relegated, while the third worst ranked team has to play two qualification matches (home and away) against the third best team in the First Division (the division beneath the Premier League). The winner of the league qualifies for the UEFA Champions League and the four highest ranked teams (including the winner) qualify for the Royal League.

The league is extremely popular in Norway, even though it has been critizised as boring because of Rosenborg's extreme dominance in recent years. Rosenborg won the league 13 consecutive years (1992-2004). This dominance nearly ended in the 2004 season, when Vålerenga had a very strong season and lost the title to Rosenborg with only a single scored goal difference (both team had 48 points and similar GD).

In 2005 the Rosenborg dominance ended. Before the last matchday On October 29 it looked to be a thrilling last round reminicent of the previous year, as both Start and Vålerenga had the excact same amount of points, but Start with a slightly better goal difference. Start met Fredrikstad at home, while Vålerenga met Odd Grenland away. As the opening whistle blew the scene was set for some nail-biting football minutes around Norway. Eventually Fredrikstad, who faced relegation if they lost, beat Start 3-1 while at the same time Vålerenga managed a 2-2 draw against Odd. Vålerenga got it's revenge for the previous year, and won the series with one point ahead of Start.

Top flight champions in Norwegian football

The following clubs have won the top division in Norwegian football since 1938. Note that this list is in a way misleading, due to the fact that clubs from Northern Norway were not allowed to take part in the league system before 1972. This odd league system caused considerable bitterness in the north in the 50's, 60's and 70's (see also: F.K. Bodø/Glimt and List of Premier League Champions from 1938 to present time).

• 19 wins: Rosenborg
• 9 wins: Fredrikstad
• 8 wins: Viking
• 5 wins: Lillestrøm, Vålerenga
• 3 wins: Larvik Turn
• 2 wins: Brann, Lyn, Start
• 1 win: Fram Larvik, Freidig, Moss, Skeid, Strømsgodset

Attendance

From 1995 the league was expanded with two teams, and has 182 matches a year. Before that the number was 132 matches a year.

Year	Total	Average
1985	581 177	4 403
1986	426 349	3 229
1987	469 030	3 553
1988	576 257	4 365
1989	624 679	4 732
1990	647 489	4 905
1991	706 508	5 352
1992	671 903	5 083
1993	731 565	5 542
1994	688 589	5 216
1995	841 717	4 624
1996	841 368	4 622
1997	772 197	4 242
1998	959 317	5 270
1999	983 630	5 404
2000	1 024 722	5 639
2001	1 013 264	5 567
2002	1 092 359	6 002
2003	1 198 798	6 587
2004	1 458 258	8 012
2005	1 727 101	9 489

Individual all-time records

Most matches played

Player	Time	Matches
Ola By Rise	1977-1995	346
Roar Strand	1989-2005	345
Erik Hoftun	1992-2005	335
Bjørn Johansen	1987-2005	333
Svein Mathisen	1973-1989	327
Arne Vidar Moen	1991-2005	309
Tom Gulbrandsen	1983-1997	307
Torgeir Bjarmann	1988-2003	306
Charles Berstad	1983-1998	303
Christer Basma	1993-2005	300

Most goals scored

Player	Time	Goals
Harald Brattbakk	1990-2005	166
Petter Belsvik	1989-2003	159
Odd Iversen	1967-1982	158
Per Kristoffersen	1957-1968	145
Sigurd Rushfeldt	1992-2001	122
Jostein Flo	1987-2001	114
Jan Fuglset	1967-1982	109
Arne Pedersen	1951-1966	107
Svein Mathisen	1973-1989	106
Mini Jakobsen	1988-1999	98

See also

• List of Premier League Champions from 1938 to present time
• List of football clubs in Norway
• Norwegian Premier League 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
• Norwegian Premier League for women
• Sports league attendances

External links

• Norwegian Football Associaton
• All-time Premier League table from 1963 to 2004

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