Division 2 (Swedish football)

Division 2 is the fourth level in the league system of Swedish football and comprises 84 Swedish football teams. Division 2 had status as the official second level from 1928 to 1986, but was replaced by Division 1 in 1987. It then had status as the official third level until 2005, but was replaced once again by the recreated Division 1 in 2006.

This article is about the Swedish football league. For other uses, see Second Division (disambiguation).
Swedish Division 2
Founded2006
CountrySweden
ConfederationUEFA
Divisions6
Number of teams84
Level on pyramid4
Promotion toDivision 1
Relegation toDivision 3
Domestic cup(s)Svenska Cupen
Current championsPiteå IF (Norrland)

Hudiksvalls FF (Norra Svealand)
Assyriska FF (Södra Svealand)
Vänersborgs IF (Norra Götaland)
Österlen FF (Östra Götaland)

IFK Malmö (Västra Götaland)
Current: 2020 Division 2
Swedish football
league structure
Allsvenskan (Tier 1)
Superettan (Tier 2)
Division 1 (Tier 3)
Division 2 (Tier 4)
Division 3 (Tier 5)
Division 4 (Tier 6)
Division 5 (Tier 7)
Division 6 (Tier 8)
Division 7 (Tier 9)
Division 8 (Tier 10)

The competition

There are 84 clubs in Division 2, divided in six groups of 14 teams each representing a geographical area.[1] During the course of a season (starting in April and ending in October) each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 26 games. At the end of each season the two lowest placed teams of each group are relegated to Division 3 and the twelve winning teams from the twelve Division 3 leagues are promoted in their place while the third lowest placed teams in the Division 2 leagues plays promotion/relegation play-offs against the twelve second placed teams in Division 3. The top team in each Division 2 group is promoted to Division 1 and the three lowest placed teams from each Division 1 league are relegated in their place.[2]

Administration

The Swedish Football Association (Swedish: Svenska Fotbollförbundet; SvFF) is responsible for the administration of Division 2.

Historical context

Division 2 is the fourth-highest division in Swedish Football. It currently comprises six regional leagues which may show some small changes to their titles year on year reflecting the changing geographical distribution of clubs. The six sections for the 2014 season cover Norrland, Norra Svealand, Södra Svealand, Norra Götaland, Västra Götaland and Östra Götaland.[3]

The name of Division 2 has been around since 1924/25 season when there were 5 sections titled Uppsvenskan, Mellansvenskan, Östsvenskan, Västsvenskan and Sydsvenskan which were run on an unofficial basis. Division 2 became official in 1928/29 as the second tier of Swedish football with 2 sections being created - Norra and Södra - with a total of 20 teams.[4]

In 1932/33 Division 2 was expanded into 4 sections covering Norra, Östra, Västra and Södra. This format continued until the end of the 1946/47 season. For the 1947/48 season a 2 section structure was restored comprising the Nordöstra and Sydvästra sections. In 1953/54 a section representing the northern clubs in Sweden was introduced for the first time known as Norrland. The other two sections were titled Svealand and Götaland. In 1955/56 it was decided that Götaland should have 2 sections. This provided Division 2 with 4 sections covering Norrland, Svealand, Östra Götaland and Västra Götaland.[4]

In 1972 the structure reverted to 3 sections titled Norra, Mellersta and Södra. This was short-lived and in 1974 two sections covering Norra and Södra were consolidated. This system continued until the end of the 1986 season when the competition became Division 1.[4]

From 1987 onwards Division 2 became the third highest league in Swedish football and this continued until 2005. The new division initially had 4 sections titled Norra, Mellersta, Östra and Västra. In 1993 it was divided into 6 sections titled Norrland, Östra Svealand, Västra Svealand, Östra Götaland, Västra Götaland and Södra Götaland.[4]

In 2006 Division 2 became Sweden's fourth highest division with the introduction of Division 1 below the Superettan.[4]

Current clubs

2020 season.

Location of teams of the 2014 Division 2.
Red: Norrland; Blue: Norra Svealand; Green: Södra Svealand; Yellow: Norra Götaland; Orange: Södra Götaland; Purple: Västra Götaland.
Location of Stockholm County teams of the 2014 Division 2.
Blue: Norra Svealand; Green: Södra Svealand.
Location of Greater Gothenburg teams of the 2014 Division 2.
Purple: Västra Götaland.
Location of Skåne County teams of the 2014 Division 2 teams.
Orange: Södra Götaland; Purple: Västra Götaland.

Division 2 Norrland

Division 2 Norra Svealand

Division 2 Södra Svealand

Division 2 Norra Götaland

Division 2 Östra Götaland

Division 2 Västra Götaland

Seasons - League Tables
1920s: 1924/25 1925/26 1926/27 1927/28 1928/29
1930s: 1929/30 1930/31 1931/32 1932/33 1933/34 1934/35 1935/36 1936/37 1937/38 1938/39
1940s: 1939/40 1940/41 1941/42 1942/43 1943/44 1944/45 1945/46 1946/47 1947/48 1948/49
1950s: 1949/50 1950/51 1951/52 1952/53 1953/54 1954/55 1955/56 1956/57 1957/58 1959
1960s: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970s: 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980s: 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990s: 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000s: 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010s: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2018

Player of the year awards

Ever since 2003 the online bookmaker Unibet have given out awards at the end of the season to the best players in Division 2. The recipients are decided by a jury of sportsjournalists, coaches and football experts.[5]

2003
Mathias Ranégie who was voted best forward in 2006 went on to become the 2011 Allsvenskan top goalscorer and then signed with Serie A club Udinese in 2012.
Nigerian 2007 winner Abiola Dauda was signed by Allsvenskan club Kalmar FF after his successful season and was one of the top scorers in the 2012 Allsvenskan.
The best midfielder of 2010, Ibrahim Koroma, has over 10 caps for the Sierra Leone national football team.
Position Player Club
GK Jonnie Fedel Höllvikens GIF
DF Erik Skördåker Jönköpings Södra IF
MF Tom Juma Friska Viljor FC
FW Jimmy Rajala IK Brage

2004
Position Player Club
GK Sebastian Karlsson Degerfors IF
DF Markus Senften Mjällby AIF
MF Magnus Henrysson Umeå FC
FW Andreas Tegström Husqvarna FF

2005
Position Player Club
GK Rickard Claesson Sandareds IF
DF Björn Bjersing Umeå FC
MF Aram Ibrahim Jönköpings Södra IF
FW Johan Pettersson IK Sirius

2006
Position Player Club
GK Gerhard Andersson IK Brage
DF André Grim IFK Timrå
MF Mikael Andersson IK Sleipner
FW Mathias Ranégie Lärje-Angereds IF

2007
Position Player Club
GK Ambjörn Lennartsson Myresjö IF
DF Lars-Henrik Enered Eskilstuna City
MF Johan Blomberg Lunds BK
FW Abiola Dauda Sölvesborgs GoIF

2008
Position Player Club
GK Martin Sundström Brynäs IF
DF Haisem Ismail Skiljebo SK
MF Carlos Gaete Moggia Hammarby TFF
FW Robin Arestav Mariehem SK

2009
Position Player Club
GK Johannes Hopf Hammarby TFF
DF Haris Devic Bodens BK
MF Joakim Persson Lunds BK
FW Nedim Halilović Dalkurd FF

2010
Position Player Club
GK Modou Jawo IK Frej
DF Ibrahim Koroma Motala AIF
MF Goran Zdravkov Skellefteå FF
FW Andreas Grahm VMA IK

2011
Position Player Club
GK Besarion Kodalaev Östersunds FK
DF Pontus Jakobsson Örebro SK Ungdom
MF Armin Pasagic IFK Klagshamn
FW Sonny Karlsson Utsiktens BK

2012
Position Player Club
GK Jonas Käck IS Halmia
DF Pontus Nordenberg Nyköpings BIS
MF Pontus Silfver Hudiksvalls FF
FW Ahmad Khreis Selånger FK

2013
Position Player Club
GK Fredrik Enberg Skellefteå FF
DF Sebastian Starkenberg Motala AIF
MF Imer Beqiri IFK Uddevalla
FW Mathias Strinäs Norrby IF

2014
Position Player Club
GK Simon Lundgren Akropolis IF
DF William Olausson Piteå IF
MF Muktar Ahmed FK Karlskrona
FW Fredrik Notice Södertälje FK

References
  1. "Division 2 – svenskfotboll.se" (League Composition). Svenskfotboll. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  2. "Bilaga till Årsplan herrar 2014 - gällande förbundsserierna div 2-3, herrar och kval till dessa serier". Svenskfotboll. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  3. "Division 2 – svenskfotboll.se" (League Composition & Map). Svenskfotboll. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  4. "Sweden Final Tables - Clas Glenning" (Archive). Retrieved 2010-12-03.
  5. "Sveriges bästa division 2-spelare utsedda". Retrieved 2015-01-03.
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