B-Liga

B-Liga
Organising bodyDanish FA (DBU)
Founded1992; 34 years ago (1992)
First season1993
CountryDenmark
ConfederationUEFA
Divisions1 (2021–present)
Number of clubs8 (2021–present)
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toA-Liga
Relegation toC-Liga
Domestic cupDanish Cup (1992–present)
Websitewww.b-liga.dk
Current: 2026–27 B-Liga

B-Liga (formerly the Danish Women's 1st Division) is an association football league in Denmark and the second-highest division of the Danish football league system. Contested by 8 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within the Danish Women's Football League.

Format

The B-Liga consists of 8 teams playing in a double round-robin tournament, with home and away games. The teams that finish in the top four spots compete in the qualification play-offs against the two worst ranked A-Liga teams to determine two promotion spots. The four bottom placed teams instead play against the two top placed teams from each of the C-Liga groups in the B-Liga qualification play-offs. The two bottom placed teams from the 1st division qualification play-offs are relegated to C-Liga. Both the A-Liga and B-Liga qualification play-offs consist of a double round-robin tournaments among the six participating teams. This has been the format since the 2021–2022 season.

Changes

Until and including the 2006–07 season, the B-Liga comprised 12 teams playing a double round-robin tournament – each team playing each other twice; once home, once away. The champion was promoted to the A-Liga, called Elitedivisionen at the time. The runner-up played a promotion game against the second worst placed team of the A-Liga for a spot in the next season of A-Liga. Meanwhile, the two worst ranked teams were relegated to C-Liga, known as the Women's Denmark Series at the time.

B-Liga was reduced to 10 teams from the 2007–08 season.

From 2013–14 until the 2019–20 season, the B-Liga was expanded to include 16 teams, divided into two groups - East and West - each consisting of eight teams. The highest ranked team from each group would play in the A-Liga qualification play-offs together against the four lowest-ranked teams of A-Liga. The top two teams in the qualification play-offs achieved promotion to the A-Liga.

The 2020–21 B-Liga contained 20 teams, split into four groups of five, each playing a double roun-robin tournament. The top two teams of each group advanced to promotion qualifiers, split into two groups of four. A total of four teams advanced to the qualification play-offs. The remaining 12 teams were in the relegation play-offs, consisting of two groups of six teams each.

Clubs

2026–27 season

Note that a fair few clubs have never been in C-Liga as it was created in 2021 and any relegations before then were to the non-league fourth tier Denmark Series.

Club # Since Total C-Liga A-Liga Notes
B.93 2 2025 TBA N/a 2024–25
Esbjerg fB 7 2020 TBA N/a 2017–18 The stats are the erstwhile Varde IF's and then Esbjerg's from 2025 onwards.
Næstved HG 6 2021 TBA N/a TBA Est. 2021.
Sundby 1 2026 TBA 2025–26 2022–23
Thy-Thisted 3 2024 TBA N/a 2023–24
Viborg FF 1 2026 TBA 2025–26
Østerbro 5 2022 TBA 2021–22
AaB 3 2024 TBA 2017–18 2023–24

Source: Danish Football Association

  1. ↑ Esbjerg is an amalgamation of Varde IF and Esbjerg fB. The club inherited Varde IF's license following the 2024–25 season.
  2. ↑ Næstved is an amalgamation of Herlufsholm GF and Næstved IF.

B-Liga seasons

A list of all the clubs that have played in the second tier of the Danish Women's Football League since its inception in 1993. Several teams have merged over the years to form the current clubs, the combined results of which will be displayed where noted. The teams in bold compete in the B-Liga currently, while the teams in italics are now defunct.

Incomplete

# Club Total Latest
1 Esbjerg fB 21 2027
2 VSK 15 2018
3 Midtjylland 14 2025
SønderjyskE 2018
5 Copenhagen 13 2026
6 ASA 12 2026
Næstved HG 2027
Stensballe 2016
Østerbro 2027
10 Sundby 11 2027
11 Nykøbing FC 10 2014
Thy-Thisted 2027
Viborg FF 2027
AaB 2027
15 Dalum/Næsby 9 2023
Kolding IF 2008
17 B52/Aalborg FC 8 2008
B.93 2027
Lunde 2008
20 B1913 7 2015
BK Skjold 2012
BSF 2024
Vorup FB 2016
24 Raklev 6 2015
Taastrup FC 2011
Aalborg Freja 2021
27 HB Køge 5 2020
OB Q 2024
29 B73 Slagelse 4 2011
Fortuna Hjørring II 2021
Frederiksberg BK 2021
Lyseng 2020
Skjold Birkerød 2018
34 Greve 3 2019
Hillerød
M/V-05 Holbæk 2007
Aarhus 1900 2021
38 AB Tårnby 2 2010
BK Femina 2001
Brøndby 2000
JAI Fodbold 2021
Randers Q 2021
Rødovre 2016
Solrød FC 2025
Vejle B 2019
Key

R indicates the reserve team for its parent A-Liga team (before 2021 when the 3rd division was created).

Notes
  1. ↑ Competed as Varde IF until their merger in 2025
  2. ↑ Competed as Vejlby until the 2017 merger with Skovbakken. From 2020 onwards the reserve team of AGF, thus ineligible for promotion since the 2021 introduction of C-Liga (3rd tier). Tally includes one of Lyseng's seasons as AGF reserves, as Lyseng left AGF in 2024.
  3. ↑ Competed as Vildbjerg SF until their merger in 2024
  4. ↑ Competed as Vojens until 2004
  5. ↑ Competed as Damsø until the est. of Copenhagen in 2024
  6. ↑ Previously competing as Horsens SIK as part of a merger with Horsens FC from 2000–2015
  7. ↑ Previously competed as B 1921, before the latter was subsumed into NFC in 2013
  8. ↑ Lyseng competed as AGF reserves for one 2nd tier season, 2020/21, but left AGF in 2024.
  9. ↑ Previously competed as Romalt IF before Randers Q was established in 2023.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ny landsdækkende 1. division og to 2. divisioner" (in Danish). Kvindedivisionsforeningen. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Love og Regler" [Laws and Rules] (in Danish). DBU. 23 July 2024.