Swedish Division 2
Founded2006 (2006)
CountrySweden
ConfederationUEFA
Divisions6
Number of teams84
Level on pyramid4
Promotion toEttan
Relegation toDivision 3
Domestic cup(s)Svenska Cupen
Current championsBodens BK (Norrland)

IFK Stocksund (Norra Svealand)
United Nordic IK (Södra Svealand)
Ahlafors IF (Norra Götaland)
Ariana FC (Östra Götaland)

Eskilsminne IF (Västra Götaland)
Current: 2023 Division 2

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.

Overview

In the Division, there are 84 clubs which are 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

2022 season.

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.
Yellow: Norra Götaland; 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

  • On 12 April 2022 Akropolis IF was excluded from participating in the league following a walkover against Hudiksvalls FF on 9 April.[5]

Division 2 Södra Svealand

Division 2 Norra Götaland

Division 2 Västra Götaland

Division 2 Södra 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 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020s: 2020 2021 2022 2023

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.[6]

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 Sweden Jonnie Fedel Höllvikens GIF
DF Sweden Erik Skördåker Jönköpings Södra IF
MF Kenya Tom Juma Friska Viljor FC
FW Sweden Jimmy Rajala IK Brage

2004

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

2005

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

2006

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

2007

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

2008

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

2009

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

2010

Position Player Club
GK Sweden Modou Jawo IK Frej
DF Sierra Leone Ibrahim Koroma Motala AIF
MF North Macedonia Goran Zdravkov Skellefteå FF
FW Sweden Andreas Grahm VMA IK

2011

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

2012

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

2013

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

2014

Position Player Club
GK Sweden Simon Lundgren Akropolis IF
DF Sweden William Olausson Piteå IF
MF Sweden Muktar Ahmed FK Karlskrona
FW Sweden 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. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sweden Final Tables - Clas Glenning". Archived from the original (Archive) on 2010-11-02. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
  5. ↑ "Ang beslut i Tävlingsärende 1506/2021–2022 (Akropolis IF) vid Svenska Fotbollförbundets Tävlingskommitté" (PDF). svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). SvFF. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  6. ↑ "Sveriges bästa division 2-spelare utsedda". Retrieved 2015-01-03.
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