Nordic Football Championship
Encyclopedia
The Nordic Football Championship was an international football competition contested by the men's national football teams of the Nordic countries
. In the first tournament played 1924–1928, only Denmark
, Norway
and Sweden
competed, but Finland
joined for the second tournament, and at the last tournament played in 2000–2001, Iceland
and the Faroe Islands
also competed.
(DBU), Norwegian
(NFF) and Swedish Football Association
(SvFF) that stated that the national teams of the three associations should play two annual matches against each other. However the idea was not realised until four years later, when the Danish association celebrated its 35th anniversary, and the first tournament was started. It was arranged by the DBU and was played as a single group where the three teams met each other five times for a total of ten matches each. DBU also provided the trophy of the first edition, a trophy that Denmark won when the tournament ended in 1928.
The second tournament was arranged by SvFF that celebrated its 25th anniversary, and this time the Football Association of Finland
(SPF) was invited. It was also decided to play the tournaments over four years, with each team playing 12 matches, four against each other team, two at home and two away. The tournament was won by Norway, but the following nine tournaments, played between 1933 and 1977, were completely dominated by Sweden which won all of them. The fourth tournament was interrupted by the Second World War
, and thus was played over eleven years, from 1937 to 1947.
The tournament gained popularity after the war and the matches were important for the Nordic national teams as preparation for larger tournaments such as the World Cup
and the Olympics
. But the tournament lost significance in the 1970s, partially due to the increased number of matches played against other international opponents, and thus the last three tournaments played in the 1970s and 1980s varied in length and format. The last match of the 1981–1983 tournament, between Sweden and Norway, was not even played as Denmark had already won.
A non-recurrent edition of the tournament was played in 2000–01, to which the Football Association of Iceland
and the Faroe Islands Football Association
were invited. Some of the matches were played during a joint training camp in La Manga
, Spain
, and the rest were played at home, some in indoor arenas. One match, between Norway and the Faroe Islands, was never played.
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
. In the first tournament played 1924–1928, only Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
, Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
and Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
competed, but Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
joined for the second tournament, and at the last tournament played in 2000–2001, Iceland
Iceland national football team
The Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
and the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands national football team
The Faroe Islands national football team represents the Faroe Islands in association football and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association, the governing body for football in the Faroe Islands. The Faroe Islands became a member of FIFA in 1988 and UEFA in 1990 and are the third...
also competed.
History
The tournament was created on Danish initiative to replace a contract, ended in 1919, between the DanishDanish Football Association
The Danish Football Association is the governing body of football in Denmark. It is the organization of the Danish football clubs and runs the professional Danish football leagues and the men's and women's national teams. It is based in the city of Brøndby and is a founding member of both FIFA...
(DBU), Norwegian
Football Association of Norway
The Football Association of Norway is the governing body of football in Norway. Current FIFA World Champions It was formed in 1902 and organises the men's and women's national teams, as well as the Norwegian Premier League.The team are enjoying their best ever spell thanks to World Player of the...
(NFF) and Swedish Football Association
Swedish Football Association
The Swedish Football Association is the governing body of football in Sweden. It organises the football leagues — Allsvenskan for men and Damallsvenskan for women — and the men's and women's national teams. It is based in Solna and is a founding member of both FIFA and UEFA...
(SvFF) that stated that the national teams of the three associations should play two annual matches against each other. However the idea was not realised until four years later, when the Danish association celebrated its 35th anniversary, and the first tournament was started. It was arranged by the DBU and was played as a single group where the three teams met each other five times for a total of ten matches each. DBU also provided the trophy of the first edition, a trophy that Denmark won when the tournament ended in 1928.
The second tournament was arranged by SvFF that celebrated its 25th anniversary, and this time the Football Association of Finland
Football Association of Finland
The Football Association of Finland is the governing body of football in Finland. It was founded in 1907, and was also the governing body of bandy in Finland until the bandy association, Suomen Jääpalloliitto, was founded in 1972....
(SPF) was invited. It was also decided to play the tournaments over four years, with each team playing 12 matches, four against each other team, two at home and two away. The tournament was won by Norway, but the following nine tournaments, played between 1933 and 1977, were completely dominated by Sweden which won all of them. The fourth tournament was interrupted by the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and thus was played over eleven years, from 1937 to 1947.
The tournament gained popularity after the war and the matches were important for the Nordic national teams as preparation for larger tournaments such as the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
and the Olympics
Football at the Summer Olympics
Association football, usually known simply as football or soccer, has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport. Women's football was added to the official programme in 1996.-Early history:...
. But the tournament lost significance in the 1970s, partially due to the increased number of matches played against other international opponents, and thus the last three tournaments played in the 1970s and 1980s varied in length and format. The last match of the 1981–1983 tournament, between Sweden and Norway, was not even played as Denmark had already won.
A non-recurrent edition of the tournament was played in 2000–01, to which the Football Association of Iceland
Football Association of Iceland
The Football Association of Iceland is the governing body of football in Iceland. It was founded on 26 March 1947, joined FIFA the same year, and UEFA in 1954. It organizes the football league, Pepsi deild, and the Iceland national football team and Iceland women's national football team...
and the Faroe Islands Football Association
Faroe Islands Football Association
The Faroe Islands Football Association , or FSF, is the governing body of all domestic football in the Faroe Islands, the highest level of which is the Faroe Islands Premier League. It also runs the Faroe Islands national teams for men and women. Established in 1979, it is based in...
were invited. Some of the matches were played during a joint training camp in La Manga
La Manga
La Manga , or La Manga del Mar Menor is a seaside spit in the Region of Murcia, Spain.The strip is 22 km long and 100 metres wide , separating the Mediterranean Sea from the Mar Menor lagoon, from Cabo de Palos to the Punta del Mojón.Historically, it was known by the Romans as Palus and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and the rest were played at home, some in indoor arenas. One match, between Norway and the Faroe Islands, was never played.
Results
| Year | Trophy | Winner | Runner-up | 3rd Place | 4th Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924–28 Details |
Jubilæumspokal | Only three participants | ||||
| 1929–32 Details |
Guldkrus | |||||
| 1933–36 Details |
Nordiske Pokal | |||||
| 1937–47 Details |
Suomen Karhut | |||||
| 1948–51 Details 1948-51 Nordic Football Championship The 1948–51 Nordic Football Championship was the fifth Nordic Football Championship staged. Four Nordic countries participated: Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Sweden won the tournament, its third Nordic Championship win... |
DBU's Vase | |||||
| 1952–55 Details |
SvFF:s pokal | |||||
| 1956–59 Details |
Eventyr og Lek | |||||
| 1960–63 Details |
SPL's Pokal | |||||
| 1964–67 Details |
Fodboldspillere | |||||
| 1968–71 Details |
SvFF:s pokal | |||||
| 1972–77 Details |
— | |||||
| 1978–80 Details 1978-80 Nordic Football Championship The 1978–80 Nordic Football Championship was the 12th Nordic Football Championship staged. Four Nordic countries participated: Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Denmark won the tournament, its second Nordic Championship win.-1978:-1979:... |
— | |||||
| 1981–83 Details 1981-83 Nordic Football Championship The 1981–83 Nordic Football Championship was the 13th Nordic Football Championship staged. Four Nordic countries participated: Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden... |
— | |||||
| 2000–01 Details |
— |
External links
- Nordic Championships at RSSSFRec.Sport.Soccer Statistics FoundationThe Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation is an international amateur organization dedicated to collecting statistics about association football...