Besta deild karla

The Besta deild karla (lit. 'Men's Best Division') is the top level men's football league in Iceland.[2] The competition was founded in 1912 as the Icelandic Championship.[3] Because of the harsh winters in Iceland, it is generally played in the spring and summer (May to September). It is governed by the Football Association of Iceland (KSI) and has 12 teams. By end of season 2015–16, UEFA ranked the league No. 35 in Europe.[4]

Besta deild karla
Founded1912 (1912)
CountryIceland
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toLengjudeildin
Domestic cup(s)Mjólkurbikarinn
League Cup
Super Cup
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa Conference League
Current championsBreiðablik (2nd title)
(2022)
Most championshipsKR (27)
Top goalscorer Tryggvi Guðmundsson (131 goals)
TV partnersDomestic:
Stöð 2 Sport[1]
International:
Eleven Sports
OneFootball
Websiteksi.is
Current: 2022 Season

From 27 April 2009 to 2022, the league had an active agreement on the league's name rights with Ölgerðin, the Icelandic franchisee for Pepsi. From the 2019 season to the end of the 2021 season, the league was popularly referred to as Pepsi Max deildin (The Pepsi Max League).[5][6] On 24 February 2022, the league was rebranded as Besta deild karla.[7]

The clubs play each other home and away. At the end of each season, the two teams with the fewest points are relegated to 1. deild karla (First Division), from which two top point teams promote to the higher tier. The winner of the Úrvalsdeild enters the European national competition UEFA Champions League in the second qualifying round. The second, third and fourth placed teams qualify for the UEFA Europa League in the first qualifying round.[8]

An effort by KSI to strengthen Icelandic football had only one team relegated in the 2007 season to the First Division and three clubs promoted to premier division, bringing the top flight to the number of clubs it contains currently.

Championship title counts are: KR with 27, Valur with 23, and ÍA and Fram Reykjavík each with 18. FH has 8 and Víkingur has 6. The 2022 title holder is Breidablik.[9][10]

Current clubs (2023)
Club Location Position
in 2022		 First season in
Besta deild		 Seasons
in
Besta deild		 First season of
current spell in
Besta deild		 Besta deild
titles		 First
Besta deild
title		 Last
Besta deild
title
Breiðablik Kópavogur 1st (Champions) 1971 38 2006 2 2010 2022
FH Hafnarfjörður 10th 1975 39 2001 8 2004 2016
Fram Reykjavík (Grafarholt) 9th 1912 100 2022 18 1913 1990
Fylkir Reykjavík (Árbær) 1st, 1. deild karla 1989 25 2023 0 - -
HK Kópavogur 2nd, 1. deild karla 2007 6 2023 0 - -
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar 8th 1912 53 2022 3 1979 1998
KA Akureyri 2nd 1978 21 2017 1 1989 1989
Keflavík Reykjanesbær (Keflavík) 7th 1958 55 2021 4 1964 1973
KR Reykjavík (Vesturbær) 4th 1912 109 1979 27 1912 2019
Stjarnan Garðabær 5th 1990 21 2009 1 2014 2014
Valur Reykjavík (Hlíðar/Miðborg) 6th 1915 103 2005 23 1930 2020
Víkingur Reykjavík
(Fossvogur, Háaleiti og Bústaðir)		 3rd 1918 72 2014 6 1920 2021

Source: [11]

History

Championship history

The Icelandic league title has been won in its over 100 years existence by 11 teams. KR has the most titles, with 27. Stjarnan are the latest team to join the list, winning their first title in 2014.

The league has been dominated by teams from the Capital Region which contains nearly two thirds of Iceland's population. Only four teams from outside the GRA have ever won the league: (Keflavík, ÍA, ÍBV, and KA). ÍBV and KA have won four titles amongst themselves, are located more than an hour's drive from Reykjavík, and the teams of the longest distance from the capital to title.

Single Round

Double Round

*There was no competition in 1913 and 1914, and Fram was awarded the title. **In 2020 the competition got cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Valur was awarded the title because they were at the top of the table when the season ended.

Champions by number of titles
TeamTitlesFirst titleLast title
KR2719122019
Valur2319302020
Fram1819131990
ÍA1819512001
FH820042016
Víkingur619202021
Keflavík419641973
ÍBV319791998
Breiðablik220102022
KA119891989
Stjarnan120142014

Season by season records

All-time top scorers
LAST SEASON TOP SCORER'S NAME GOALS CLUB
2013 Tryggvi Guðmundsson 131 ÍBV, KR, FH, Fylkir
1987 Ingi Björn Albertsson 126 Valur, FH

Top scorers
SEASON TOP SCORER'S NAME GOALS CLUB
1980 Matthias Hallgrimsson 15 Valur
1981 Sigurlás Þorleifsson
Larus Gudmundsson		 12 ÍBV
Víkingur R.
1982 Sigurlás Þorleifsson
Heimir Karlsson		 10 ÍBV
Víkingur R.
1983 Ingi Björn Albertsson 14 Valur
1984 Guðmundur Steinsson 10 Fram
1985 Ómar Torfason 13 Fram
1986 Gudmundur Torfason 19 Fram
1987 Petur Ormslev 12 Fram
1988 Sigurjón Kristjánsson 13 Valur
1989 Hörður Magnússon 12 FH
1990 Hörður Magnússon 13 FH
1991 Hörður Magnússon
Guðmundur Steinsson		 13 FH
Víkingur R.
1992 Arnar Gunnlaugsson 15 ÍA
1993 Þórður Guðjónsson 19 ÍA
1994 Mihajlo Biberčić 14 ÍA
1995 Arnar Gunnlaugsson 15 ÍA
1996 Ríkharður Daðason 14 KR
1997 Tryggvi Guðmundsson 19 ÍBV
1998 Steingrímur Jóhannesson 16 ÍBV
1999 Steingrímur Jóhannesson 12 ÍBV
2000 Guðmundur Steinarsson
Andri Sigþórsson		 14 Keflavík
KR
2001 Hjörtur Hjartarson 15 ÍA
2002 Grétar Hjartarson 13 Grindavík
2003 Björgólfur Takefusa 10 Þróttur R.
2004 Gunnar Heiðar Þorvaldsson 12 ÍBV
2005 Tryggvi Guðmundsson 16 FH
2006 Marel Baldvinsson 11 Breiðablik
2007 Jónas Grani Garðarsson 13 Fram
2008 Guðmundur Steinarsson 16 Keflavík
2009 Björgólfur Takefusa 16 KR
2010 Atli Viðar Björnsson
Alfreð Finnbogason
Gilles Mbang Ondo		 14 FH
Breiðablik
Grindavík
2011 Garðar Jóhannsson 15 Stjarnan
2012 Atli Guðnason 12 FH
2013 Atli Viðar Björnsson
Viðar Örn Kjartansson
Gary Martin		 13 FH
Fylkir
KR
2014 Gary Martin 13 KR
2015 Patrick Pedersen 13 Valur
2016 Garðar Gunnlaugsson 14 ÍA
2017 Andri Rúnar Bjarnason 19 Grindavík
2018 Patrick Pedersen 17 Valur
2019 Gary Martin 14 Valur/ÍBV
2020 Steven Lennon 17 FH
2021 Nikolaj Hansen 16 Víkingur R.
2022 Nökkvi Þeyr Þórisson
Guðmundur Magnússon		 17 KA
Fram

Player of the Year
SEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR CLUB
1984 Bjarni Sigurðsson ÍA
1985 Guðmundur Þorbjörnsson Valur
1986 Guðmundur Torfason Fram
1987 Pétur Ormslev Fram
1988 Sigurjón Kristjánsson Valur
1989 Þorvaldur Örlygsson KA
1990 Sævar Jónsson Valur
1991 Guðmundur Steinsson Víkingur R.
1992 Lúkas Kostic ÍA
1993 Sigurður Jónsson ÍA
1994 Sigursteinn Gíslason ÍA
1995 Ólafur Þórðarson ÍA
1996 Gunnar Oddsson Leiftur
1997 Tryggvi Guðmundsson ÍBV
1998 David Winnie KR
1999 Guðmundur Benediktsson KR
2000 Hlynur Stefánsson ÍBV
2001 Gunnlaugur Jónsson ÍA
2002 Finnur Kolbeinsson Fylkir
2003 Allan Borgvardt FH
2004 Heimir Guðjónsson FH
2005 Allan Borgvardt FH
2006 Viktor Bjarki Arnarsson Víkingur R.
2007 Helgi Sigurðsson Valur
2008 Guðmundur Steinarsson Keflavík
2009 Atli Guðnason FH
2010 Alfreð Finnbogason Breiðablik
2011 Hannes Þór Halldórsson KR
2012 Atli Guðnason FH
2013 Björn Daníel Sverrisson FH
2014 Ingvar Jónsson Stjarnan
2015 Emil Pálsson FH
2016 Kristinn Freyr Sigurðsson Valur
2017 Andri Rúnar Bjarnason Grindavík
2018 Patrick Pedersen Valur
2019 Óskar Örn Hauksson KR
2020 Steven Lennon FH
2021 Nikolaj Hansen Víkingur R.
2022 Nökkvi Þeyr Þórisson KA

Young Player of the Year

Caps correct as of 27 September 2022

Season Player Club International caps International goals
1984 Guðni Bergsson Valur 80 1
1985 Halldór Áskelsson Þór Akureyri 24 4
1986 Gauti Laxdal Fram 0 0
1987 Rúnar Kristinsson KR 104 3
1988 Arnljótur Davíðsson Fram 3 0
1989 Ólafur Gottskálksson ÍA 9 0
1990 Steinar Guðgeirsson Fram 1 0
1991 Arnar Grétarsson Breiðablik 71 2
1992 Arnar Gunnlaugsson ÍA 32 3
1993 Þórður Guðjónsson ÍA 58 13
1994 Eiður Guðjohnsen Valur 88 26
1995 Tryggvi Guðmundsson ÍBV 42 12
1996 Bjarni Guðjónsson ÍA 23 1
1997 Sigurvin Ólafsson ÍBV 7 0
1998 Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson ÍR 1 0
1999 Grétar Hjartarson Grindavík 1 0
2000 Helgi Valur Daníelsson Fylkir 33 0
2001 Grétar Rafn Steinsson ÍA 46 4
2002 Gunnar Heiðar Þorvaldsson ÍBV 24 5
2003 Ólafur Ingi Skúlason Fylkir 36 1
2004 Emil Hallfreðsson FH 73 1
2005 Hörður Sveinsson Keflavik 0 0
2006 Birkir Sævarsson Valur 103 3
2007 Matthías Vilhjálmsson FH 15 2
2008 Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson Breiðablik 81 8
2009 Alfreð Finnbogason Breiðablik 63 15
2010 Kristinn Steindórsson Breiðablik 3 2
2011 Þórarinn Ingi Valdimarsson ÍBV 4 0
2012 Jón Daði Böðvarsson Selfoss 64 4
2013 Arnór Ingvi Traustason Keflavík 44 5
2014 Elías Már Ómarsson Keflavík 9 0
2015 Höskuldur Gunnlaugsson Breiðablik 5 0
2016 Óttar Magnús Karlsson Víkingur R. 9 2
2017 Alex Þór Hauksson Stjarnan 4 0
2018 Willum Þór Willumsson Breiðablik 1 0
2019 Finnur Tómas Pálmason KR 1 0
2020 Valgeir Lunddal Friðriksson Valur 3 0
2021 Kristall Máni Ingason Víkingur R. 2 0
2022 Ísak Andri Sigurgeirsson Stjarnan 0 0

Total seasons in Besta deild by club

A total of 30 teams have played at least one season in the top division. Teams in bold play in 2023 season.

Seasons counted up to and including the 2023 season

Club Location First season in
Besta deild		 Last season in
in
Besta deild		 Seasons
in
Besta deild		 Best result in
Besta deild		 Besta deild
titles		 First
Besta deild
title		 Last
Besta deild
title
Breiðablik Kópavogur 1971 2023 38 1st 2 2010 2022
FH 2 Hafnarfjörður 1975 2023 39 1st 8 2004 2016
Fjölnir Reykjavík (Grafarvogur) 2008 2020 8 4th 0 - -
Fram Reykjavík (Grafarholt) 1912 2023 100 1st 18 1913 1990
Fylkir Reykjavík (Árbær) 1989 2023 25 2nd 0 - -
Grindavík Grindavík 1995 2019 20 3rd 0 - -
Grótta Seltjarnarnes 2020 2020 1 11th 0 - -
Haukar 2 Hafnarfjörður 1979 2010 2 10th 0 - -
HK Kópavogur 2007 2023 6 9th 0 - -
ÍA Akranes 1946 2022 69 1st 18 1951 2001
ÍBA1 Akureyri 1929 1974 20 3rd 0 - -
ÍBH 2 Hafnarfjörður 1957 1961 3 4th 0 - -
ÍBÍ 3 Ísafjörður 1962 1983 3 6th 0 - -
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar 1912 2023 53 1st 3 1979 1998
ÍR Reykjavík (Breiðholt) 1998 1998 1 10th 0 - -
KA 1 Akureyri 1978 2023 21 1st 1 1989 1989
Keflavík Reykjanesbær (Keflavík) 1958 2023 55 1st 4 1964 1973
KR Reykjavík (Vesturbær) 1912 2023 109 1st 27 1912 2019
Leiftur 4 Ólafsfjörður 1988 2000 7 3rd 0 - -
Leiknir Reykjavík (Breiðholt) 2015 2022 3 8th 0 - -
Selfoss Selfoss 2010 2012 2 11th 0 - -
Skallagrímur Borgarnes 1997 1997 1 9th 0 - -
Stjarnan Garðabær 1990 2023 21 1st 1 2014 2014
Valur Reykjavík (Hlíðar/Miðborg) 1915 2023 103 1st 23 1930 2020
Víðir Garður 1985 1991 4 7th 0 - -
Víkingur Ólafsvík 2013 2017 3 10th 0 - -
Víkingur Reykjavík
(Fossvogur, Háaleiti og Bústaðir)		 1918 2023 72 1st 6 1920 2021
Völsungur Húsavík 1987 1988 2 8th 0 - -
Þór 1 Akureyri 1977 2014 17 3rd 0 - -
Þróttur Reykjavík (Laugardalur) 1953 2016 19 5th 0 - -

1 ÍBA stood for "Sports Association of Akureyri", composed of KA and Þór. Disbanded after the 1974 season with KA and Þór fielding their own teams starting from the 1975 season.
2 ÍBH stood for "Sports Association of Hafnarfjörður", composed of FH and Haukar. Disbanded after the 1963 season with FH and Haukar fielding their own teams starting from the 1964 season.
3 ÍBÍ ran into financial trouble and folded after the 1987 season. Most of the players transferred to BÍ which took over as the main football club in Ísafjörður. BÍ is now known as Vestri.
4 Leiftur ran into financial trouble and eventually merged with KS from Siglufjörður before the 2006 season. The teams were disbanded before the 2010 season in favour of forming a new football club for both towns, the new club being called KF.

See also
  • Besta deild kvenna (Women's Premier League)
  • List of football clubs in Iceland
  • List of foreign Úrvalsdeild players

References
  1. Stefnt á að sýna alla leiki í Pepsi-deild karla beint - Pepsi-deildin á Stöð 2 Sport til 2021
  2. "Icelandic Premier League – Úrvalsdeild / Pepsi Max deildin (Review)". Fieldo Blog. March 19, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  3. "Iceland coming in from the cold". UEFA. 5 January 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  4. UEFA Country Ranking 2016 UEFA rankings for club competitions, accessed on April 30, 2017.
  5. Pepsi-deildin í knattspyrnu 2009 KSÍ's official site, accessed on 28 April 2009.
  6. "Pepsi-deildin til næstu þriggja ára". Ölgerðin. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  7. Helga Margrét Höskuldsdóttir (24 February 2022). "Nýtt vörumerki með rætur íslenskri knattspyrnusögu". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  8. "Reglugerðir - Knattspyrnusamband Íslands". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  9. Íslandsmeistarar meistaraflokks karla
  10. "Archive - Úrvalsdeild - Iceland - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  11. Íslandsmót - Pepsi-deild karla - 2021
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