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 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. 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.
Administration The Swedish Football Association (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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In 2006 division 2 became Sweden's fourth highest division with the introduction of division 1 below the Superettan.
Current clubs Clubs for the 2026 season: Norrland
Bodens BK Fränsta IK Friska Viljor FC Gottne IF Kubikenborgs IF Lucksta IF IFK Luleå IFK Östersund Skellefteå FF Storfors AIK Täfteå IK Team TG FF Umeå FC Akademi IFK Umeå
Norra Svealand
Ängby IF Bollstanäs SK Enskede IK Falu BS IK Franke FC Gute Helges IF Korsnäs IF Kungsängens IF IFK Lidingö Skiljebo SK Sunnersta AIF Täby FK Viggbyholms IK
Södra Svealand
IF Eker Örebro FoC Farsta Fittja IF BK Forward IFK Haninge Karlslunds IF Nacka FC Nyköpings BIS Örebro Syrianska IF Rågsveds IF IK Sleipner Smedby AIS IF Sylvia Syrianska FC
Norra Götaland
Ahlafors IF Grebbestads IF Herrestads AIF Husqvarna FF IF Karlstad Fotbollsutveckling IFK Kumla Lidköpings FK Motala AIF Skara FC IFK Skövde Stenungsunds IF IK Tord Vänersborgs FK Vänersborgs IF
Västra Götaland
Åstorps FF BK Astrio IF Böljan Falkenberg Dalstorp IF Galtabäcks BK Hestrafors IF Jonsereds IF IK Kongahälla Landvetter IS Lindome GIF Onsala BK Qviding FIF Torslanda IK Västra Frölunda IF
Södra Götaland
IFK Berga IFK Karlshamn FK Karlskrona Lilla Torg FF Linero IF Nosaby IF Oskarshamns AIK Österlen FF Räppe GoIF Sölvesborgs GIF Staffanstorp United FC Torns IF IFK Trelleborg Växjö Norra IF
Seasons Second tier
1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
Third tier
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Fourth tier
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
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.
2003
PositionPlayerClubGK Jonnie FedelHöllvikens GIFDF Erik SkördåkerJönköpings Södra IFMF Tom JumaFriska Viljor FCFW Jimmy RajalaIK Brage
2004 PositionPlayerClubGK Sebastian KarlssonDegerfors IFDF Markus SenftenMjällby AIFMF Magnus HenryssonUmeå FCFW Andreas TegströmHusqvarna FF
2005 PositionPlayerClubGK Rickard ClaessonSandareds IFDF Björn BjersingUmeå FCMF Aram IbrahimJönköpings Södra IFFW Johan PetterssonIK Sirius
2006 PositionPlayerClubGK Gerhard AnderssonIK BrageDF André GrimIFK TimråMF Mikael AnderssonIK SleipnerFW Mathias RanégieLärje-Angereds IF
2007 PositionPlayerClubGK Ambjörn LennartssonMyresjö IFDF Lars-Henrik EneredEskilstuna CityMF Johan BlombergLunds BKFW Abiola DaudaSölvesborgs GoIF
2008 PositionPlayerClubGK Martin SundströmBrynäs IFDF Haisem IsmailSkiljebo SKMF Carlos Gaete MoggiaHammarby TFFFW Robin ArestavMariehem SK
2009 PositionPlayerClubGK Johannes HopfHammarby TFFDF Haris DevicBodens BKMF Joakim PerssonLunds BKFW Nedim HalilovićDalkurd FF
2010 PositionPlayerClubGK Modou JawoIK FrejDF Ibrahim KoromaMotala AIFMF Goran ZdravkovSkellefteå FFFW Andreas GrahmVMA IK
2011 PositionPlayerClubGK Besarion KodalaevÖstersunds FKDF Pontus JakobssonÖrebro SK UngdomMF Armin PasagicIFK KlagshamnFW Sonny KarlssonUtsiktens BK
2012 PositionPlayerClubGK Jonas KäckIS HalmiaDF Pontus NordenbergNyköpings BISMF Pontus SilfverHudiksvalls FFFW Ahmad KhreisSelånger FK
2013 PositionPlayerClubGK Fredrik EnbergSkellefteå FFDF Sebastian StarkenbergMotala AIFMF Imer BeqiriIFK UddevallaFW Mathias StrinäsNorrby IF
2014 PositionPlayerClubGK Simon LundgrenAkropolis IFDF William OlaussonPiteå IFMF Muktar AhmedFK KarlskronaFW Fredrik NoticeSödertälje FK
References