2026 Norwegian First Division
Association football season in Norway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 Norwegian First Division (referred to as OBOS-ligaen for sponsorship reasons) is the Norwegian second-tier men's professional football league season. The season started on 6 April and is scheduled to end on 8 November, not including play-off matches.[1]
Season2026
Dates6 April – 8 November
Matches79
Goals280 (3.54 per match)
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 6 April – 8 November |
| Matches | 79 |
| Goals | 280 (3.54 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Sory Ibrahim Diarra (18 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Odd 4–0 Sogndal (6 April 2026) Stabæk 4–0 Åsane (12 April 2026) Ranheim 5–1 Raufoss (19 April 2026) Ranheim 4–0 Moss (1 May 2026) Sogndal 5–1 Haugesund (10 May 2026) Ranheim 5–1 Sandnes Ulf (31 May 2026) |
| Biggest away win | Strømmen 0–7 Haugesund (20 May 2026) |
| Highest scoring | Åsane 4–5 Strømmen (19 April 2026) Strømsgodset 5–4 Ranheim (16 May 2026) |
| Longest winning run | 3 matches Egersund Haugesund Kongsvinger Odd Stabæk Strømsgodset |
| Longest unbeaten run | 8 matches Kongsvinger Strømsgodset |
| Longest winless run | 7 matches Strømmen Åsane |
| Longest losing run | 6 matches Strømmen Åsane |
| Highest attendance | 5,705 Stabæk 1–2 Raufoss (16 May 2026) |
| Lowest attendance | 268 Strømmen 0–3 Egersunds (11 April 2026) |
← 2025 2027 →
All statistics correct as of 1 June 2026. | |
Teams
The following teams have changed division since the 2025 season:
To First DivisionPromoted from Second Division Relegated from Eliteserien |
From First DivisionPromoted to Eliteserien Relegated to Second Division
|
Stadiums and locations
| Team | Location | County | Arena | Turf | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryne | Bryne | Rogaland | Bryne Stadion | Natural | 5,000[2] |
| Egersund | Egersund | Rogaland | XL-BYGG Sørvest Arena | Artificial | 1,200[3] |
| Haugesund | Haugesund | Rogaland | Haugesund Sparebank Arena | Natural | 8,983[4] |
| Hødd | Ulsteinvik | Møre og Romsdal | Høddvoll | Artificial | 4,081[5] |
| Kongsvinger | Kongsvinger | Innlandet | Gjemselund | Artificial | 5,824[6] |
| Lyn | Oslo | Oslo | Bislett | Natural | 15,400[7] |
| Moss | Moss | Østfold | Melløs | Natural | 2,373[8] |
| Odd | Skien | Telemark | Skagerak Arena | Artificial | 11,767[9] |
| Ranheim | Trondheim | Trøndelag | EXTRA Arena | Artificial | 3,000[10] |
| Raufoss | Raufoss | Innlandet | NAMMO Stadion | Artificial | 1,800[11] |
| Sandnes Ulf | Sandnes | Rogaland | Øster Hus Arena | Artificial | 6,043[12] |
| Sogndal | Sogndalsfjøra | Vestland | Fosshaugane Campus | Artificial | 5,622[13] |
| Stabæk | Bærum | Akershus | Nadderud | Artificial | 4,542[14] |
| Strømmen | Lillestrøm | Akershus | Strømmen Stadion | Artificial | 2,000[15] |
| Strømsgodset | Drammen | Buskerud | Marienlyst Stadion | Artificial | 8,935[16] |
| Åsane | Bergen | Vestland | Åsane Arena | Artificial | 3,300[17] |
Personnel and kits
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryne |  Ørjan Heiberg |
Vacant | Umbro | Sparebanken Norge |
| Egersund | Marius Kjørvik Johansen |
Chris Sleveland |
Macron | Sparebanken Norge |
| Haugesund | Endre Eide |
Vacant | Umbro | Haugaland Kraft |
| Hødd |  Ivan Poulsen |
Torbjørn Kallevåg |
Puma | Sparebanken Møre |
| Kongsvinger |  Johan Wennberg |
Andreas Dybevik |
Umbro | Mapei |
| Lyn | Magnus Aadland |
William Sell |
Hummel | OBOS |
| Moss | Ole Martin Nesselquist |
Kristian Strande |
Select | SpareBank 1 Østfold Akershus |
| Odd | Per Frandsen |
Hans Christian Bonnesen |
Hummel | Skagerak Energi |
| Ranheim | Christian Eggen Rismark |
Philip Slørdahl |
Umbro | SpareBank 1 SMN |
| Raufoss | Ole Petter Berget |
Eirik Åsvestad |
Puma | Nammo |
| Sandnes Ulf | Arturo Cleveland |
 Gullbrandur Øregaard |
Hummel | Øster Hus |
| Sogndal |  Luís Pimenta |
Vacant | Umbro | Sparebanken Norge |
| Stabæk | Kjell André Thu |
Nicolai Næss |
Craft | None |
| Strømmen | Marcus Ericson Svein Roger Pettersen (caretakers) |
Vacant | Puma | Strømmen Sparebank |
| Strømsgodset | Magne Hoset |
Gustav Valsvik |
Adidas | Sparebanken Øst |
| Åsane | Thomas Lyngbø |
Kristoffer Barmen |
Craft | Tertnes Holding |
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in the table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryne | Kevin Knappen |
Mutual consent | 17 December 2025[18] | Pre-season | Ørjan Heiberg |
22 December 2025[19] |
| Strømmen | Ørjan Heiberg |
Signed by Bryne | 22 December 2025[19] | Jens Wedeborg |
22 December 2025[20] | |
| Hødd | Marius Bøe |
Contract expired | 31 December 2025[21] | Ivan Poulsen |
1 January 2026[22] | |
| Raufoss | Jörgen Wålemark |
Contract expired | 31 December 2025[23] |  Kasey Wehrman |
1 January 2026[24] | |
| Stabæk | Mikael Stahre |
Contract expired | 31 December 2025[25] | Kjell André Thu |
1 January 2026[26] | |
| Strømsgodset | Dag-Eilev Fagermo |
Mutual agreement | 19 January 2026[27] | Magne Hoseth |
6 February 2026[28] | |
| Åsane | Eirik Bakke |
Mutual agreement | 6 February 2026[29] | Thomas Lyngbø |
17 February 2026[30] | |
| Haugesund |  Toni Korkeakunnas |
Sacked | 9 March 2026[31] | Øyvind Hompland Dennis Horneland (caretakers) |
9 March 2026[31] | |
| Egersund | Endre Eide |
Signed by Haugesund | 20 April 2026[32] | 5th | Marius Kjørvik Johansen |
20 April 2026[32] |
| Haugesund | Øyvind Hompland Dennis Horneland (caretakers) |
End of caretaker spell | 22 April 2026[33] | 1st | Endre Eide |
22 April 2026[33] |
| Raufoss | Kasey Wehrman |
Sacked | 11 May 2026[34] | 15th | Ole Petter Berget |
27 May 2026[35] |
| Strømmen | Jens Wedeborg |
Sacked | 28 May 2026[36] | 16th | Marcus Ericson Svein Roger Pettersen (caretakers) |
28 May 2026[36] |
Transfers
Winter
Summer
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strømsgodset | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 36 | 16 | +20 | 27 | Promotion to Eliteserien |
| 2 | Kongsvinger | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 16 | +13 | 27 | |
| 3 | Haugesund | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 36 | 23 | +13 | 25 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs third round |
| 4 | Odd | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 24 | 14 | +10 | 23 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs second round |
| 5 | Stabæk | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 14 | +11 | 21 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs first round |
| 6 | Ranheim | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 32 | 26 | +6 | 20 | |
| 7 | Moss | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 26 | −5 | 17 | |
| 8 | Sandnes Ulf | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 19 | −1 | 16 | |
| 9 | Egersund | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 21 | −2 | 16 | |
| 10 | Bryne | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 20 | −2 | 16 | |
| 11 | Hødd | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 15 | −1 | 15 | |
| 12 | Sogndal | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 29 | −9 | 12 | |
| 13 | Raufoss | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 28 | −12 | 10 | |
| 14 | Lyn | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 24 | −14 | 10 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs |
| 15 | Åsane | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 24 | −9 | 9[a] | Relegation to Second Division |
| 16 | Strømmen | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 33 | −18 | 8 |
Updated to match(es) played on 21 June 2026. Source: OBOS-ligaen (in Norwegian)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head goals scored.
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head goals scored.
Notes:
Results
Positions by round
| Promotion to 2027 Eliteserien | |
| Promotion play-offs | |
| Relegation play-offs | |
| Relegation to 2027 Second Division |
Source: nifs.no
Results by round
Play-offs
Promotion play-offs
The teams from third to sixth place will take part in the promotion play-offs; these are single leg knockout matches. In the first round, the fifth-placed team will play at home against the sixth-placed team. The winner of the first round will meet the fourth-placed team on away ground in the second round. The winner of the second round will meet the third-placed team on away ground. The winner of the third round will face the 14th-placed team in the Eliteserien over two legs in the Eliteserien play-offs for a spot in the 2027 Eliteserien.
Bracket
| First round | Second round | Third round | |||||||||||
| 3 | |||||||||||||
| 4 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | |||||||||||||
| 6 | |||||||||||||
Relegation play-offs
The 14th-placed team will take part in a two-legged play-off against the winners of the Second Division play-offs, to decide who will play in the 2027 First Division.
Season statistics
Top scorers
- As of 27 June 2026
| Rank | Player | Club(s) | Goals[38] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sory Ibrahim Diarra |
Haugesunds | 18 |
| 2 | Sebastian Pingel |
Strømsgodset | 14 |
| 3 | Mikael Tørset Johnsen |
Ranheim | 11 |
| 4 | Faniel Tewelde |
Odd | 9 |
| Eirik Viland Andersen |
Haugesund | ||
| 6 | Magnus Lankhof Dahlby |
Stabæk | 8 |
| Nikolay Jakobsen Hristov |
Strømmen | ||
| Ole Sebastian Sundgot |
Sandnes Ulf | ||
| Oscar Aga |
Moss |
Clean sheets
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
Hat-tricks
- As of 1 June 2026
| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sory Ibrahim Diarra 4 | Haugesund | Lyn | 4–2 (A) | 6 April 2026 |
| Tuomas Pippola | Sogndal | Haugesund | 5–1 (H) | 10 May 2026 |
| Faniel Tewelde | Odd | Lyn | 3–0 (H) | 30 May 2026 |
| Sory Ibrahim Diarra | Haugesund | Raufoss | 4–3 (A) | 31 May 2026 |
4 Player scored 4 goals
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team
Discipline
- As of 1 June 2026
Player
- Most yellow cards: 4[38]
Simen Heggdal Beck (Strømmen)
Gullbrandur Øregaard (Sandnes Ulf)
- Most red cards: 1[38]
- 6 players
Club
- Most yellow cards: 26[39]
- Åsane
- Fewest yellow cards: 10[39]
- Kongsvinger
- Most red cards: 1[40]
- 6 teams
- Fewest red cards: 0[40]
- 10 teams
Awards
Monthly awards
| Month | Coach of the Month | Player of the Month | Young Player of the Month | References | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | Club | Player | Club | Player | Club | ||
| April | Per Frandsen |
Odd | Sory Ibrahim Diarra |
Haugesund | Faniel Tewelde |
Odd | [41] |
League attendances
| Pos | Team | Total | High | Low | Average | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strømsgodset | 23,930 | 5,309 | 4,558 | 4,786 | −9.2%1 |
| 2 | Odd | 23,911 | 5,415 | 3,037 | 3,985 | +21.1% |
| 3 | Haugesund | 15,889 | 4,628 | 3,008 | 3,972 | +5.9%1 |
| 4 | Stabæk | 13,831 | 5,705 | 1,983 | 3,458 | +40.7% |
| 5 | Lyn | 9,538 | 3,470 | 1,253 | 1,908 | −29.0% |
| 6 | Kongsvinger | 9,247 | 2,033 | 1,668 | 1,849 | +2.0% |
| 7 | Moss | 8,906 | 3,057 | 1,350 | 1,781 | +7.4% |
| 8 | Sogndal | 6,638 | 1,783 | 1,582 | 1,660 | −17.0% |
| 9 | Bryne | 8,018 | 2,319 | 1,401 | 1,604 | −47.4%1 |
| 10 | Sandnes Ulf | 7,710 | 2,145 | 1,189 | 1,542 | +49.3%2 |
| 11 | Hødd | 6,247 | 1,437 | 1,102 | 1,249 | −12.1% |
| 12 | Ranheim | 5,420 | 1,223 | 1,021 | 1,084 | +12.2% |
| 13 | Egersund | 5,415 | 1,407 | 666 | 903 | +3.6% |
| 14 | Raufoss | 3,704 | 871 | 600 | 741 | −24.2% |
| 15 | Åsane | 2,070 | 590 | 315 | 414 | −29.0% |
| 16 | Strømmen | 1,627 | 384 | 268 | 325 | +28.5%2 |
| League total | 152,101 | 5,705 | 268 | 1,925 | −13.3% |
Updated to games played on 31 May 2026
Source: nifs.no
Notes:
1: Team played last season in Eliteserien.
2: Team played last season in Second Division.