Royal League
Encyclopedia
| Royal League |
|---|
| Founded |
| 2004 |
| Continent |
| Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... (UEFA UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... ) |
| Number of Teams |
| 12 |
| Current Champions (2006-07 Royal League 2006-07 -Rules:The twelve participating teams are placed into three groups of four clubs each. The teams of each group face each other home and away. The group winners and runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals, along with the two best 3rd placed teams. As opposed to the previous edition of the... ) |
 Brøndby IFBrøndby IF Brøndby IF is a Danish professional football club based in Brøndbyvester, Brøndby, on the western outskirts of Copenhagen and is the biggest football club in Denmark with almost 2000 members. The club is also known as Brøndbyernes Idrætsforening, or Brøndby and BIF for short... |
| Most successful club |
| F.C. Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment.... |
| Website |
| www.royalleague.com |
The Royal League was an annual Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
tournament held three times between teams from the three Scandinavian monarchies (Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
), starting after the end of the regular domestic seasons of Norway and Sweden. Denmark, however, are in mid-season when the tournament starts. The four best-placed teams in the football leagues of Denmark
Danish Superliga
The Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
, Norway
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...
and Sweden
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
participate in the tournament.
There was discussion of expanding the league, and include the winners of Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga is the premier division of Finnish football, comprising the top 12 clubs of the country. Veikkausliiga is currently ranked as the 28th best league in Europe. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agency Veikkaus, hence the league's name...
and
Landsbankadeild
Landsbankadeild
The Úrvalsdeild karla is the top tier of the Icelandic football pyramid. Because of the harsh winters in Iceland, it is generally played in the spring and summer . It is run by the Football Association of Iceland and is currently comprised by 12 clubs. UEFA currently ranks the league 37th in...
, which are the Finnish and the Icelandic premier divisions.
The 2007-2008 edition was cancelled for financial reasons, but the board planned to resurrect the tournament for the 2008-2009 season. On 11 October 2008 it was announced that the 2008-09 season would not be held either, as the TV rights for the tournament had not been sold.
There are however plans for a tournament in 2010, but under a new name; Royal Cup. These plans do also involve getting three more clubs to participate in the tournament, making the total number of participating clubs fifteen.
History
For the Royal League 2004-05Royal League 2004-05
The Royal League 2004–05 was the first season of the Scandinavian Royal League football tournament. Play started on 11 November 2004, and ended in a final between FC Copenhagen and IFK Göteborg on 26 May 2005, with Copenhagen winning the title in a penalty shootout.-Bonuses:All prize money amounts...
tournament, the twelve participating teams were initially placed into three groups. The two best-placed teams from each country were placed in the same group, while the two other teams were placed in the two other groups. In each group, each team played against the other three teams, home and away. The two best-placed teams of each group were randomly placed into two new groups. The three teams of each new group played each other, home and away. The 2005 Royal League Final
2005 Royal League Final
The final in Royal League 2004-05 season was between IFK Göteborg and F.C. Copenhagen.The match was played on May 26, 2005 on Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg.-Match facts:-See also:* Royal League 2004-05*...
was contested on 26 May 2005, by Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
team IFK Gothenburg
IFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
and FC Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
from Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. FC Copenhagen won the title following a penalty shootout
Penalty shootout (football)
A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
.
In the second season of the tournament
Royal League 2005-06
-Rules:Initially, the twelve participating teams are placed into three groups with four clubs each. These face each other home and away. The group winners and runners-up qualify for the quarter finals, along with the two best 3rd position-teams...
, the twelve participating teams were also divided into three preliminary groups. The two best-placed teams of each group, and the two best third-placed teams went on to play quarterfinals. The rest of the tournament was played in a knockout-system. The quarter-finals and semi-finals were played both at home and away, while there was only a single final game to decide the winner. The 2006 Royal League Final
2006 Royal League Final
The final in Royal League 2005-06 season was between F.C. Copenhagen and Lillestrøm S.K..The match was played on April 6, 2006 at Parken Stadium, Copenhagen.-Match facts:...
was contested on 6 April 2006, by FC Copenhagen and Lillestrøm
Lillestrøm S.K.
Lillestrøm Sportsklubb is a Norwegian football club from the city of Lillestrøm. It was founded in 1917, after the merger of two local football clubs. Their home ground is Åråsen Stadion, while the principal training ground is Lillestrøm stadion, or the indoor arena, LSK-Hallen...
from Norway. FC Copenhagen won their second title, when Razak Pimpong scored to 1-0 in the last minutes of the game.
For the Royal League 2006-07
Royal League 2006-07
-Rules:The twelve participating teams are placed into three groups of four clubs each. The teams of each group face each other home and away. The group winners and runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals, along with the two best 3rd placed teams. As opposed to the previous edition of the...
tournament, the structure of initial group stage and subsequent knockout-stage was kept. As opposed to the previous edition of the tournament, the knock-out stages were played as single games, with the team having the best group stage record earning home field advantage. The 2007 Royal League Final
2007 Royal League Final
The 2007 Royal League Final determined the winner of the 2006-07 edition of the football tournament Royal League. It was contested at Brøndby Stadion on March 15, 2007, between Danish teams Brøndby IF and F.C. Copenhagen.-Match facts:...
was contested on 15 March 2007, by Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
team Brøndby IF
Brøndby IF
Brøndby IF is a Danish professional football club based in Brøndbyvester, Brøndby, on the western outskirts of Copenhagen and is the biggest football club in Denmark with almost 2000 members. The club is also known as Brøndbyernes Idrætsforening, or Brøndby and BIF for short...
and FC Copenhagen. Brøndby won 1-0, on a penalty kick converted by Martin Ericsson
Martin Ericsson
Martin Ericsson is a Swedish professional footballer, who plays as an attacking midfielder for IF Elfsborg in Allsvenskan. He has played seven matches for the Sweden national football team....
.
The league has received quite a lot of criticism since the first season. The teams rarely bother to play with their best side, and this leads to a lack of interest. Raising the award money and/or giving direct place in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
have been suggested as ways to improve the situation.
Finals
| Season | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Attendance | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 Royal League 2006-07 -Rules:The twelve participating teams are placed into three groups of four clubs each. The teams of each group face each other home and away. The group winners and runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals, along with the two best 3rd placed teams. As opposed to the previous edition of the... |
Brøndby IF Brøndby IF Brøndby IF is a Danish professional football club based in Brøndbyvester, Brøndby, on the western outskirts of Copenhagen and is the biggest football club in Denmark with almost 2000 members. The club is also known as Brøndbyernes Idrætsforening, or Brøndby and BIF for short... |
1–0 2007 Royal League Final The 2007 Royal League Final determined the winner of the 2006-07 edition of the football tournament Royal League. It was contested at Brøndby Stadion on March 15, 2007, between Danish teams Brøndby IF and F.C. Copenhagen.-Match facts:... |
FC Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment.... |
Brøndby Stadion, Brøndby Brøndby Brøndby Kommune is a municipality in the former Copenhagen County on the east coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 21 km², and has a total population of 33,831... , Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... |
17,914 | Thu, 15 March 2007 |
| 2005-06 Royal League 2005-06 -Rules:Initially, the twelve participating teams are placed into three groups with four clubs each. These face each other home and away. The group winners and runners-up qualify for the quarter finals, along with the two best 3rd position-teams... |
FC Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment.... |
1–0 2006 Royal League Final The final in Royal League 2005-06 season was between F.C. Copenhagen and Lillestrøm S.K..The match was played on April 6, 2006 at Parken Stadium, Copenhagen.-Match facts:... |
 Lillestrøm SK Lillestrøm S.K. Lillestrøm Sportsklubb is a Norwegian football club from the city of Lillestrøm. It was founded in 1917, after the merger of two local football clubs. Their home ground is Åråsen Stadion, while the principal training ground is Lillestrøm stadion, or the indoor arena, LSK-Hallen... |
Parken, Copenhagen Copenhagen Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region... , Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... |
13,617 | Thu, 6 April 2006 |
| 2004-05 Royal League 2004-05 The Royal League 2004–05 was the first season of the Scandinavian Royal League football tournament. Play started on 11 November 2004, and ended in a final between FC Copenhagen and IFK Göteborg on 26 May 2005, with Copenhagen winning the title in a penalty shootout.-Bonuses:All prize money amounts... |
FC Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment.... |
1–1 2005 Royal League Final The final in Royal League 2004-05 season was between IFK Göteborg and F.C. Copenhagen.The match was played on May 26, 2005 on Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg.-Match facts:-See also:* Royal League 2004-05*... 12–11 2005 Royal League Final The final in Royal League 2004-05 season was between IFK Göteborg and F.C. Copenhagen.The match was played on May 26, 2005 on Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg.-Match facts:-See also:* Royal League 2004-05*... (pen Penalty shootout (football) A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game... ) |
 IFK Göteborg IFK Göteborg IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups.... |
Ullevi Ullevi Ullevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992... , Gothenburg Gothenburg Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
10,216 | Thu, 26 May 2005 |
All-time table by country
See also: All-time Royal League statisticsAll-time Royal League statistics
This page shows all-time aggregate tables and average attendances for the Scandinavian football tournament Royal League.- All-time table by country :- All-time table by club :- All-time average attendances by country :...
| Country | Titles | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... |
3 | 1 |
| Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
0 | 1 |
| Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
0 | 1 |
See also
- AllsvenskanAllsvenskanAllsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
- Danish SuperligaDanish SuperligaThe Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
- Norwegian Premier LeagueNorwegian Premier LeagueTippeligaen 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...
- Nordic Football ChampionshipNordic Football ChampionshipThe Nordic Football Championship was an international football competition contested by the men's national football teams of the Nordic countries...
- Baltic LeagueBaltic LeagueThe Baltic League is a Baltic football club tournament, launched in 2007 inspired by the now defunct Scandinavian tournament Royal League and by the Baltic Basketball League. The top four club sides from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania take part in the competition...
- CIS CupCommonwealth of Independent States CupThe Commonwealth of Independent States Cup is a tournament for football clubs which was set up after the split of the Soviet Union. It is open to all the national champions of the successor states of the Union, i.e., the Commonwealth of Independent States member states, as well as Estonia, Latvia,...
- Atlantic CupAtlantic Cup (Europe)The Atlantic Cup is contested between the champions of the Icelandic Premier League and the champions of the Faroe Islands Premier League.-How the Atlantic Cup started:...
- Setanta Sports CupSetanta Sports CupThe Setanta Sports Cup, commonly known as just the Setanta Cup, is a club football competition featuring teams from both football associations on the island of Ireland...