The Norwegian Second Division is the third highest division of the Norwegian football league system

Norwegian football league system

The current national league system administered by the football association is organised as 1-1-4-12, where Tippeligaen is the highest Norwegian level and Adeccoligaen the second highest, followed by four third level and 12 fourth level ....

. Since 2009, the official name of the league has been Fair Play-ligaen.

There are 56 teams divided into four groups, and at the end of the season

Season (sports)

In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

 the winner of each group earns promotion to the second highest league, Adeccoligaen. The bottom three teams in each group are relegated to the Third Division

Norwegian Third Division

The Norwegian Third Division is the fourth highest division of the men's football league in Norway. Like the rest of the Norwegian football league system, the season runs from spring to autumn, running approximately from April to October...

.

Until the 1996 season

1996 Norwegian Second Division

The 1996 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest association football league for men in Norway.22 games were played in 6 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Sarpsborg and Runar were promoted to the First Division through playoffs against the other 3 group winners as well as...

 the Second Division was divided into six groups. Between 1997 and 2001 that was increased to eight. It was named the Third Division until 1990.

The Second Division is the highest league a reserve team

Reserve team

Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...

 can participate in, and only reserve teams from the Tippeligaen

Norwegian Premier League

Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...

clubs (first tier) are allowed to enter. The participation of reserve teams stirs debate from time to time.

Previous winners

Season	Clubs
2011 2011 Norwegian Second Division The 2011 Norwegian Second Division consists of 56 teams divided into 4 groups. Follo, Tromsdalen and Moss were relegated from the 2010 Norwegian First Division...	Ullensaker/Kisa Ullensaker/Kisa IL Ullensaker/Kisa IL is a Norwegian sports club from Jessheim in Ullensaker. Founded in 1894, it has sections for association football, team handball and athletics.... , Bærum Bærum SK Bærum Sportsklubb is a Norwegian association football club founded on 26 March 1910. The men's team is currently playing in the Adeccoligaen, after being promoted from the Norwegian Second Division in 2011.... , Notodden, Tromsdalen
2010 2010 Norwegian Second Division The 2010 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest association football league for men in Norway.26 games were played in 4 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. HamKam, Notodden, Stavanger and Skeid were relegated from the 2009 Norwegian First Division. Asker, Hødd, Randaberg and...	Asker, Hødd, Randaberg Randaberg IL Randaberg Idrettslag is a Norwegian sports club from Randaberg. It has sections for football, swimming, gymnastics and volleyball.-Football:Before the 2007 season the football team made the national news as it increased its budget significantly in order to gain promotion, signing players like Petar... , HamKam
2009 2009 Norwegian Second Division The 2009 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest football league for men in Norway.26 games were played in 4 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Strømmen, Follo, Sandnes Ulf and Ranheim were promoted to the 2010 Norwegian First Division...	Strømmen Strømmen IF Strømmen Idrettsforening is a Norwegian sports club from Strømmen. It has sections for football, athletics,-History:The club was founded on 25 September 1911 as Strømmen FK. The name was changed to FK Norrøna in 1914. In 1923 the club merged with Strømmen IL and took the name IL Norrøna... , Follo, Sandnes Ulf Sandnes Ulf Sandnes Ulf is a Norwegian football club from Sandnes, Rogaland. They currently play in the Adeccoligaen, the second highest division in the Norwegian football league system. Sandnes Ulf is the biggest football club in Sandnes, but has traditionally been in the shadow of regional greats Viking FK... , Ranheim Ranheim Fotball Ranheim Fotball is a Norwegian football club from Ranheim in Trondheim. Ranheim is the football department of Ranheim IL, founded on 17 February 1901. Former manager Per Joar Hansen earned Ranheim a promotion to the Norwegian First Division after the 2009 season...
2008	Mjøndalen Mjøndalen IF Mjøndalen IF is a Norwegian sports club from Mjøndalen, Buskerud, Norway.-Football:The club have won the Norwegian Cup three times, 1933, 1934 and 1937... , Skeid Skeid Fotball Skeid Fotball is a Norwegian football club and is located in the capital Oslo. Its current home field is Bislett. In past decades it has gained a reputation as a talent factory for the larger clubs in Norwegian football, and it has produced several players for the national team such as Daniel... , Stavanger Stavanger IF Fotball Stavanger IF Fotball, the football division of Stavanger Idrettsforening, is a football club from Stavanger, Norway. In 2011, they will play in the Third Division, the fourth tier of the Norwegian football league system. In Rogaland, they are simply known as Sif, and few people would refer to them... , Tromsdalen
2007	Nybergsund-Trysil, Hødd, Sandnes Ulf Sandnes Ulf Sandnes Ulf is a Norwegian football club from Sandnes, Rogaland. They currently play in the Adeccoligaen, the second highest division in the Norwegian football league system. Sandnes Ulf is the biggest football club in Sandnes, but has traditionally been in the shadow of regional greats Viking FK... , Alta Älta IF Älta IF is a Swedish football club located in Älta.-Background:Älta IF currently plays in Division 4 Stockholm Södra which is the sixth tier of Swedish football. They play their home matches at the Älta IP in Älta....
2006	Notodden, Skeid Skeid Fotball Skeid Fotball is a Norwegian football club and is located in the capital Oslo. Its current home field is Bislett. In past decades it has gained a reputation as a talent factory for the larger clubs in Norwegian football, and it has produced several players for the national team such as Daniel... , MK, Raufoss
2005 2005 Norwegian Second Division The 2005 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest football league for men in Norway.26 games were played in 4 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Sarpsborg Sparta, Manglerud Star, Haugesund and Tromsdalen were promoted to the First Division. Number twelve, thirteen and...	Sparta Sarpsborg, Oslo Øst Manglerud Star Toppfotball Manglerud Star Toppfotball is a football club based in Oslo, Norway. The club was established in its current form on December 14, 2005 after a merger between Manglerud Star Fotball, and Fotballklubben Oslo Øst, originally formed in 2000.... , Haugesund, Tromsdalen
2004 2004 Norwegian Second Division The 2004 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest football league for men in Norway.26 games were played in 4 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Tønsberg, Follo, Løv-Ham and Alta were promoted to the First Division. Number twelve, thirteen and fourteen were relegated to the...	Tønsberg, Follo, Løv-Ham Løv-Ham Fotball Løv-Ham Fotball is a football club from Fyllingsdalen in Bergen, Norway. Its origin are two local sports teams in Fyllingsdalen called Løvåsen and Hamre. On 29 December 1975 those clubs were merged, choosing the name Løv-Ham... , Alta Älta IF Älta IF is a Swedish football club located in Älta.-Background:Älta IF currently plays in Division 4 Stockholm Södra which is the sixth tier of Swedish football. They play their home matches at the Älta IP in Älta....
2003 2003 Norwegian Second Division The 2003 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest football league for men in Norway.26 games were played in 4 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Pors Grenland, Kongsvinger, Vard Haugesund and Tromsdalen were promoted to the First Division. Number twelve, thirteen and...	Pors Grenland, Kongsvinger Kongsvinger IL Kongsvinger Idrettslag is a Norwegian sports club from the city of Kongsvinger in Hedmark, founded in 1892. It is known chiefly for its football team for men, but also does or have done well in other sports.-Athletics:... , Vard, Tromsdalen
2002 2002 Norwegian Second Division The 2002 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest football league for men in Norway.26 games were played in 4 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Fredrikstad, Bærum, Mandalskameratene and Alta were promoted to the First Division. Number twelve, thirteen and fourteen were...	Fredrikstad, Bærum Bærum SK Bærum Sportsklubb is a Norwegian association football club founded on 26 March 1910. The men's team is currently playing in the Adeccoligaen, after being promoted from the Norwegian Second Division in 2011.... , MK, Alta Älta IF Älta IF is a Swedish football club located in Älta.-Background:Älta IF currently plays in Division 4 Stockholm Södra which is the sixth tier of Swedish football. They play their home matches at the Älta IP in Älta....
2001 2001 Norwegian Second Division The 2001 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest football league for men in Norway.26 games were played in 4 groups—changed from the 8 groups in 2000—with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Tollnes, Åsane, Oslo Øst and Lørenskog were promoted to the First Division. Number twelve,...	Tollnes, Åsane Åsane Fotball Åsane Fotball is a Norwegian football club located in Åsane. It currently plays in the Norwegian 2nd division, group 1, and last played in the Norwegian First Division in 2002.-Famous players:... , Oslo Øst Manglerud Star Toppfotball Manglerud Star Toppfotball is a football club based in Oslo, Norway. The club was established in its current form on December 14, 2005 after a merger between Manglerud Star Fotball, and Fotballklubben Oslo Øst, originally formed in 2000.... , Lørenskog
2000 2000 Norwegian Second Division The 2000 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest football league for men in Norway.22 games were played in 8 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws...	Hødd, MK, Ørn-Horten FK Ørn-Horten Ørn-Horten, formerly Ørn fotballklubb, abbreviated Ørn FK, popularly known as De brune or Ørnane, was founded on 4 May 1904, and Horten's largest football club. It played in the main series in 1950 - and 60-century... , Aalesund
1999 1999 Norwegian Second Division The 1999 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest association football league for men in Norway.22 games were played in 8 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Hamarkameratene, Sandefjord, Strindheim and Tromsdalen were promoted to the First Division through playoffs against the...	Ham-Kam, Sandefjord Sandefjord Fotball Sandefjord Fotball is a Norwegian professional football club, founded on September 10, 1998. The club plays in the Adeccoligaen. Their home ground is the Komplett.no Arena, located in Sandefjord, Vestfold.... , Strindheim, Tromsdalen
1998 1998 Norwegian Second Division In the 1998 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest association football league for men in Norway, 22 games were played in 8 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Liv/Fossekallen, Skjetten, Clausenengen and Lofoten were promoted to the First Division through playoffs against...	Clausenengen, Liv/Fossekallen, Lofoten, Skjetten
1997 1997 Norwegian Second Division The 1997 season of the 2. divisjon, the third highest association football league for men in Norway.22 games were played in 8 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Kjelsås, Raufoss, Ullern and Strindheim were promoted to the First Division through playoffs against the other 4 group...	Kjelsås, Raufoss, Strindheim, Ullern

External links

• Statistical database at Fotballen.eu
• DF-02 (Divisjonsforeningen av 2002) an interest group for the Second Division